Health Care Authority and Hospital Task Force move forward

(Dec. 12, 2007) Two high-level groups aimed at helping reform health care in Connecticut continue to move toward making recommendations.

This summer, the legislature created the HealthFirst Connecticut Authority to explore ways to provide quality and affordable health care — including a potential government-run, tax-funded health care system.

At the same time, Gov. Rell created the Hospital Task Force to examine the health of Connecticut’s hospitals and develop strategies to stabilize them and chart their future.

The Hospital Task Force is expected to release its recommendations by the end of this month, while the HealthFirst Authority has until December 2008 to do so.

Both groups have spread their work among various subgroups. The Hospital Task Force has three subgroups including one focused on financial issues, one on utilization factors and a third devoted to analyzing workforce considerations.

HealthFirst

The HealthFirst Authority has recently announced that it will be creating two subgroups — concerning quality, access and safety issues; and cost, cost containment and financing.

CBIA is concerned that the HealthFirst Authority lacks adequate business community representation — especially as the group explores instituting a government-run health care system to replace the current private market-based system of employer sponsored health insurance.

The co-chairs of the authority recently reached out to the business community, as well as other interests, in order to seek recommendations for individuals to serve on its subgroups.

Hospital Task Force
While the HealthFirst Authority is far from releasing any recommendations, the Hospital Task Force is expected to recommend that policymakers:

• Examine the state’s commitment to Medicaid reimbursement levels
• Maximize the amount of federal dollars Connecticut can receive under Medicare
• Consider a special obligation bond mechanism tied to quality measures for health care facilities to obtain necessary capital
• Expand efforts to keep doctors and nurses within the state
• Make various changes to the statewide plans concerning public health, mental health and health care facilities
• Reduce the inappropriate use of hospital emergency departments

For more information, contact CBIA’s Eric George at 860-244-1921 or georgee@cbia.com.