New Haven Independent

Health Care

State Could Lose $1.3 Billion From HUSKY Changes

by Christine Stuart | Apr 30, 2009 7:23 pm | Comments (0)

A research professor from Georgetown University concluded Thursday that Gov. M. Jodi Rell’s proposed changes to the Husky health insurance program on Feb. 4 could increase the number of uninsured and cause the state to lose $1.3 billion in new federal dollars.

Jack Hoadley, a professor at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute, predicted that about 8,000 of the 18,000 Husky A parents would drop coverage when faced for the first time with a premium and about 1,600 of the 5,000 Husky B children would drop coverage when faced with an increased premium. There are about 345,000 residents enrolled in the Husky program.

Also Hoadley said if Connecticut follows through with Rell’s plan to increase premiums the state will risk losing $1.3 billion in federal dollars in exchange for $21 million in new and increased premium revenue.

Full story here.

Swine Flu May Have Hit New Haven

by Abram Katz | Apr 30, 2009 7:22 pm | Comments (0)

Connecticut is investigating four possible cases of swine flu in the city, officials said late Thursday.

Full story here.

The $150 Billion Question

by Christine Stuart | Apr 29, 2009 8:24 pm | Comments (0)

Will Congress pass a set of sweeping health care reforms by Oct. 15?

Jonathan Gruber, an MIT professor recently appointed to serve as a health adviser to the Congressional Budget Office, said he expects the health care debate on Capitol Hill to pick up speed this summer.

“If they find the money they get it done. If they don’t find the money they won’t get it done,” Gruber said during a conference call organized by the Universal Health Care Foundation.

Full story here.

Cost-Cutter Enters Health Care Lion’s Den

by Melinda Tuhus | Apr 29, 2009 2:16 pm | Comments (0)

The room was full of medical researchers at a top research institution. A bioethicist strolled in—and told them the government should stop sending billions of dollars in research grants if it wants to fix health care. Full story.

They Decided To Check

by Abram Katz | Apr 29, 2009 9:33 am | Comments (0)

Men don’t like to do a lot of things. Prostate exams are near the top of the list. But counseled by brothers, or delivered by wives, about 85 men underwent prostate cancer screening Tuesday afternoon at the Hospital of Saint Raphael.

For reasons that are unclear, African-American men are 61 percent more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men of the same age and background. Black men are also 2.5 times more likely to die from prostate cancer.

Full story here.

Wash Your Hands—& Don’t Panic

by Abram Katz | Apr 28, 2009 9:05 am | Comments (0)

No swine flu cases reported yet in Connecticut, but officials suggestion caution. Full story.

“Chop Charter Oak…”

by Christine Stuart | Apr 22, 2009 9:00 am | Comments (0)

... & “Build up SustiNet!” Students rally outside the governor’s mansion. Full story here.

The Pricetag’s Not The Issue

by Christine Stuart | Apr 21, 2009 6:31 pm | Comments (0)

Two years ago an Office of Fiscal Analysis report on how much universal health care reform would cost the state essentially killed the proposal by putting a hefty $11.8 billion to $18 billion price tag on it.

Determined not to let that happen again the legislature’s Public Health Committee pushed the start date of a similar, but more diverse health care proposal, back six months to July 1, 2011, so that it wouldn’t infer with an estimated $8.7 billion budget deficit for fiscal years 2010 and 2011.

Full story here.

Whose eRecords Will They Will Be?

by Abram Katz | Apr 21, 2009 2:08 pm | Comments (0)

HARTFORD —Statewide electronic medical records could potentially cut Connecticut’s health care costs, experts told a state panel, but dozens of thorny ethical and technical questions must first be addressed.

That’s where you come in.

Full story here.

Fearing Competition, Chambers Attack Pooling

by Christine Stuart | Apr 21, 2009 9:28 am | Comments (0)

Leaders of several Chambers of Commerce said they are concerned that Speaker of the House Chris Donovan’s pooling bill would increase health insurance costs for small business owners. Full story here.

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