State of Connecticut Office of the Healthcare Advocate

While drug overdoses have decreased year over year in the Nutmeg state, the city’s Family and Children’s Agency is concerned about how new popular substances will impact the state and its clients.

CT expert alarmed by popularity of kratom, xylazine drug use: 'Incredibly risky' Norwalk's Family and Children's Agency leads an intensive outpatient program for patients, including those who have used xylazine and kratom.

UnitedHealth Group posts $4.2 billion in net income during the second quarter of 2024. Revenues are down 23% year over year. Most of the disruption in accounts affected by the cyberattack at its subsidiary Change Healthcare, a company that affects a third of the American public, has been restored. Individuals affected by the hack have yet to be notified. The public is being advised to monitor your identity and credit.

www.beckerspayer.com

Lunch & Learn - Save The Date
July 16 at Noon

You don't want to miss our next Lunch and Learn!
Precertification is a growing trend used by healthcare insurance carriers to control costs. It's part of our series, Health Insurance 101. It can be applied to medical treatments but also to prescription drugs and other actions ordered by your doctor. It's a pre-service review by the insurance carrier before you can receive the benefits detailed in your health insurance policy. The review will determine whether the treatment is a medical necessity vs experiential/investigational. Understanding your rights and responsibilities under this process is critically important because it affects whether you will receive the proscribed treatment.

In just 30 minutes, OHA will provide you with the crucial information on July 16th at Noon. This session will focus on Health Insurance 101: Precertification, ensuring that you gain valuable insights without a significant time commitment.

Here's the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86399169846?pwd=RGhUc3cwemptTEVKWHBlWUJTM3BrUT09&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0fLvds-03en8_C29_JYXzKD6mr_rstQb2bJcbD93naKj2hzbSxWMoAkFE_aem_URi1ZdThVkamlEPUOZluKg

The Stratford Health Department has announced details for its annual Back-to-School clinics for school-age youth under the age of 19.

Back-To-School Clinics Offered By Stratford Health Department

UnitedHealth is a massive sprawling and vertically integrated healthcare operation with last year's revenues of $359 billion of which Change Healthcare is a component. The Change cyber attack compromised the personal information of tens of millions of people - potentially a third of the country. It is clear that the response has been very poor and worse, that despite those massive revenues, the company has failed to put in place a robust, significant firewall to protect consumer privacy and personal data. OHA joins Attorney General Tong in urging you to proactively monitor your credit and identity.

Lunch & Learn - Save The Date
July 16 at Noon

You don't want to miss our next Lunch and Learn!

Precertification is a growing trend used by healthcare insurance carriers to control costs. It's part of our series, Health Insurance 101. It can be applied to medical treatments but also to prescription drugs and other actions ordered by your doctor. It's a pre-service review by the insurance carrier before you can receive the benefits detailed in your health insurance policy. The review will determine whether the treatment is a medical necessity vs experiential/investigational. It's critically important to understand your rights and responsibilities under this process because it affects whether you will receive the proscribed treatment.

In just 30-minutes, OHA will lay out the IMPORTANT information July 16th at Noon. This session will focus on Health Insurance 101: Precertification

Here's the Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86399169846?pwd=RGhUc3cwemptTEVKWHBlWUJTM3BrUT09

Feds poised to sue pharmacy gatekeepers over high drug costs The FTC action would target often high costs by trying to curb rebates it says drug makers pay to steer patients to their brand name products.

What you focus on grows. Take a moment each day to reflect on the good moments, no matter how small. Sharing the good parts of your day can be a great way to connect with the children in your life. It starts within. www.ctoec.org/it-starts-within

The Connecticut Office of Health Strategy and Department of Social Services announced today that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMMI) has selected Connecticut to participate in a new, voluntary, state total cost of care model: the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development Model (AHEAD Model). The AHEAD Model focuses on improving population health, advancing health equity by reducing disparities in health outcomes and curbing healthcare cost growth. Connecticut will receive $12 million over five years to develop and implement the model. CMS selected Connecticut to participate in the AHEAD Model based on a joint application submitted by the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) and Department of Social Services (DSS).

Learn more:

AHEAD (HARTFORD, CT) - The Connecticut Office of Health Strategy and Department of Social Services announced today that the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMMI) has selected Connecticut to participate in a new, voluntary, state total cost of care model: the States Advancing All-Payer Healt...

A corporate health care model can put barriers between patients and their doctors, from going through call centers to express a concern, often hearing back from the doctor’s assistant, and having to make an appointment just to ask a question, to insurance companies dictating the treatments you can receive.

A smaller Monroe medical practice slashes through the red tape by taking insurance companies and call centers out of the equation, while giving patients more direct access to their doctor.

Primary Health of Connecticut offers medical care without insurance getting in the way | The Monroe Sun MONROE, CT --- A corporate health care model can put barriers between patients and their doctors, from going through call centers to express a concern, often hearing back from the doctor's assistant, and having to make an appointment just to ask a question, to insurance companies dictating the treat...

New hospital price transparency rule goes into effect The new CMS price transparency rule went into effect July 1, requiring hospitals to report price information in a standard machine-readable format, according to the American Hospital Association.

On July 1, a new Connecticut law took effect preventing health care providers from reporting medical debt to credit agencies. This law shields residents’ credit scores from the potential adverse financial impacts of seeking care.

New CT law prohibits medical debt reporting to credit agencies The law, which takes effect July 1, is designed to shield residents’ credit scores from potential adverse financial impacts of seeking care.

Legal challenges are mounting as Prospect Medical Holdings reveals it's under investigation by the Justice Department. The DOJ has issued a civil investigative document which is used to probe potential fraud.

Prospect Medical Holdings reveals DOJ investigation The federal investigation follows multiple state inquiries into Prospect’s business practices last year.

Healthcare insurance is critical for your family. Don't leave them uncovered and expose yourself to medical bills you will have trouble paying. Check out enrollment today.

When your kids head outside for summer fun, you can rest assured that Medicaid and CHIP have them covered from head to toe. Benefits include emergency care for the unexpected. Learn more and enroll today: https://go.hc.gov/4cGIQ33

Connecticut children ages 15 and under can now access the state’s HUSKY health program regardless of their documented status.

CT expands HUSKY health program for undocumented children Advocates and state lawmakers met on Monday at Fair Haven Community Health Center to announce the expansion of the state's health care program.

Regulatory scrutiny of UnitedHealth and its multi-billion acquisition of Amedisys announced last summer, is holding up approval of the deal. UnitedHealth solution? Sell some of the assets to another buyer: VitalCaring, a 2021 creation of private equity. UnitedHealth won't say what locations they're willing to divest. According to the website of Amedisys, the firm has two home health and hospice care locations in Connecticut.

UnitedHealth, Amedisys agree to sell clinics to get merger across finish line The divestiture will only go through if UnitedHealth and Amedisys complete their merger, which was announced last summer but has been held up amid scrutiny from the Department of Justice.

While UnitedHealth Group subsidiary Change Healthcare begins notifying patients/consumers their personal medical and financial information could be careening around the dark web - another UnitedHealth subsidiary, Optum, backed out of a preliminary agreement to buy a chunk of the embattled Steward Health conglomerate.

In setback, Steward and Optum walk away from deal for physician network Steward cited a "challenging" review process at the federal Department of Justice but said it continues to seek other buyers. The announcement raised still more questions about the company's efforts to bring its finances under control through bankruptcy.

The average number of youth served by Connecticut’s 22 outpatient psychiatric clinics for children has increased 20% in the last two years. Each provider served an average of 1,250 youth in fiscal year 2023, compared to 2019’s average of 1,034.

Confronting the Challenges of Youth Increasingly in Need of Behavioral Health Care — Connecticut by the Numbers The average number of youth served by Connecticut’s 22 outpatient psychiatric clinics for children has increased 20% in the last two years. Each provider served an average of 1,250 youth in fiscal year 2023, compared to 2019’s average of 1,034. The numbers point to a challenge for Connecticut, i...

Here's an eye opener on the expansive power and influence of CVS Health, its beginning and explosive growth since 1963.

40 things to know about CVS Health Explore the history, leadership, acquisitions, and recent headlines of CVS Health and its subsidiaries. Learn 50 facts about the healthcare giant, from its first store to its acquisition of Aetna.

CT is among the healthier states in the nation and delivers high-quality care, and ranks seventh in the nation for prevention and treatment (e.g., adults receiving appropriate cancer screening) and for health outcomes (e.g., premature deaths from treatable or preventable causes).

Disparities Evident in Quality of Healthcare Analysis — Connecticut by the Numbers CT is among the healthier states in the nation and delivers high-quality care, yet disparities are plainly evident, and often are driven by costs.

This analysis should underpin some serious changes. With the greying of our population and people living longer, it's important that they live as well as possible for as long as possible.

Older Women Are Different Than Older Men – Their Health Is Woefully Understudied | CT News Ju**ie Medical research has short-changed women for decades. This is particularly true of older women, leaving physicians without critically important information about how to best manage their health. Late last year, the Biden administration promised to address this problem with a new effort called the Wh...

$6 billion may not be enough. This from Connecticut Attorney General William Tong:

"This decision is a definitive rebuke of the Sackler family’s abuse of the bankruptcy code. The U.S. Supreme Court got it right—billionaire wrongdoers should not be allowed to shield blood money in bankruptcy court. In practical terms, this sends us back to bankruptcy court, where I expect we will re-enter mediation. Connecticut led the way in extracting the initial $6 billion settlement from Purdue and the Sacklers, and we will be front and center again in any new negotiations...” said Attorney General Tong.

Supreme Court rejects multibillion-dollar Purdue Pharma opioid settlement that shielded Sackler family | CNN Politics The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a controversial settlement that would have sent billions of dollars to treatment programs and victims of the nation’s opioid epidemic but that also shielded the Sackler family from future lawsuits despite the fact that it made its fortune selling prescription...

Hartford HealthCare sued for alleged monopolization, price fixing The proposed class action is the third lawsuit since January 2022 to claim the CT-based health system engages in anticompetitive practices.

A study finds that low- and moderate-income families in Connecticut were able to afford health insurance during the pandemic because of subsidies from the American Rescue Plan Act.

ARPA subsidies helped CT families afford health insurance during the pandemic, study shows

This is not shocking but it's distressing and alarming. A major culprit to high healthcare costs is the price of pharmacy drugs.

High Cost Of Healthcare Leading To 'Impossible Choices' | CT News Ju**ie HARTFORD, CT – The cost of healthcare in Connecticut is too high, and getting higher, but officials from the Office of Health Strategy said Tuesday that the state’s benchmarking program is helping to manage that.

The Connecticut insurance department is again considering annual rate hikes for state-regulated health plans on and off the insurance exchange.

Insurers are seeking an average increase of 8.3% on 2025 individual plans and 11.9% on small group policies. The proposed hikes are lower than what was requested the last two years, but similar to those sought in 2021.

CT is considering health plan rate increases. Here's what to know. The CT insurance department is considering rate hikes for state-regulated health plans. Proposed increases range from 8.3% to 11.9%.

It's worth your time investment.

Embattled Prospect Medical Holdings allowed to sell two hospitals in RI. With lots of conditions. Connecticut hospitals still on the block and up in the air.

AG, Health Dept. approve sale of Roger Williams, Fatima hospitals - with conditions The approval comes with strict conditions regulators said are designed to protect the financial health of the hospitals.

Months after it was hacked and paid a ransom, Change Healthcare, owned by United Health Group begins to notify patients that they're private information has been compromised in latest cyber attack.

Change Healthcare to begin notifying patients that cyberattack compromised their private info Change Healthcare will begin notifying people that private information, such as Social Security numbers and medical diagnoses, was compromised in its cyberattack.