Eligibility Increases for Pregnant Women

Effective January 1, 2008, income guidelines for pregnant women in HUSKY A increased from 185% to 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL). This is $51,625 for a family of four. The change was made as a result of state legislation passed last year.

HUSKY B Newborns - Waiver of Premiums

Effective January 1, 2008, families that enroll uninsured newborns in HUSKY B will not have to pay premiums for the first four months in order to help reduce the number of uninsured babies that leave the hospital. DSS and birthing hospitals are working together to implement this new rule. (Note: HUSKY B is divided into three income bands. The first income band already pays no premiums. That means that this new rule applies to bands 2 and 3 only - families with income above 235% of the federal poverty level.)

HUSKY/Charter Oak RFP Released

The Department of Social Services recently released a Request for Proposals for “Managed Care Plans to perform managed care for its clients eligible for the Department’s HUSKY and Charter Oak program,” effective July 1, 2008. Potential bidders must submit a non-binding letter of intent by Thursday January 31, 2008. The RFP includes descriptions of the functions and duties of the successful bidders. Behavioral health, pharmacy benefits, and dental services will not be managed by the managed care plans. HUSKY behavioral health services are separately administered by the CTBHP; HUSKY pharmacy benefits will be administered by DSS effective January 25, 2008; and HUSKY dental services will also be administered by a separate entity some time after July 1, 2008. The combined RFP envisions a new Charter Oak program authorized by recent legislation to cover uninsured adults not eligible for other public programs. Bidders are required to fashion a commercial product that meets the requirements set forth in the RFP. DSS will subsidize the premiums for lower income individuals up to 300% of the FPL or $ 30,630 per year for an individual. There are other out-of-pocket costs (with caps), and limits on coverage. Read more about the RFP.Read the RFP proposal here. [PDF Link]

[A preview of the Speaker’s 2008 agenda on healthcare, from Jim Amman’s 1/9/08 Health Care Symposium in Hartford. Note that reimbursement rate changes took effect on 1/1/08.]

10:00 am - Opening Remarks and Introductions- Speaker James Amman

10:30 am - Discussion:

1. School Based Healthcenters: How can we better utilize SBHC’s?
2. Reimbursement rates for medical professionals: Are the changes we made last session working?
3. Healthcare professionals and educators: How can we address shortages in this field?
4. Mandates: How can we utilize them to develop the best medical practice?
5. Healthcare data: How can we develop the most accessible, efficient, and affordable system?

11:30 am - Open Discussion — Audience Public Comment

12:00 pm - Adjournment

Connecticut’s ranking in the latest Family Assets Scorecard has dropped from an A to a C since the 2005 Scorecard, reflecting wide demographic disparities, high levels of debt, declining homeownership, and growing numbers of households with no employer-provided health insurance despite the state’s apparent overall prosperity.[…]

Connecticut has among the worst racial disparities in assets in the nation. Minority households are much less likely to be homeowners and are more likely to have low assets, as compared to white households. For example, the median white household in Connecticut is nearly 27 times wealthier than the average minority household.

[Published as a summary (PDF LINK) and a 31-page full report (PDF LINK) with details of how asset insecurity corresponds to debt, job growth, educational opportunity and achievement, as well as racial and gender inequality – offering “a level of detail that exposes many of the blemishes that Connecticut’s affluent self-image masks.”]