Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Examines Efforts To Overhaul Health Care in Connecticut, Utah
Summaries of news about recent efforts in Connecticut and Utah to overhaul health care appear below.
- Connecticut: Insurers in Connecticut "are quietly floating a proposal more dramatic than they've ever offered to reduce the number of residents without coverage," the Hartford Courant reports. Under the proposal, the state would require all residents to obtain health coverage. Residents who are insured would have the option of keeping their coverage. For people who cannot obtain or afford private coverage, a new insurance pool would be established and residents would be eligible for coverage regardless of pre-existing health conditions. The pool would have multiple insurers with multiple plans that would bid to participate. Although details such as premiums, copayments and benefits have not been worked out, government subsidies would be needed to keep coverage affordable for lower-income residents. The Connecticut Association of Health Plans and ConnectiCare's CEO Mickey Herbert have been talking with state lawmakers and business groups about their proposal (Levick, Hartford Courant, 2/20).
- Utah: The Utah House on Thursday approved two bills aimed at continuing the state's health care reform efforts, the Deseret Morning News reports. One of the bills (HB 165) would increase the use of health information technology and streamline and simplify medical bills (Thalman, Deseret Morning News, 2/19). The other bill (HB 188) would establish health plans called NetCare. Under the legislation, beginning in January 2010, NetCare would have to be offered to small employers, individuals and employees who lost their jobs. The plans would not have to comply with state benefit mandates and could have higher deductibles than the average large group plan. The plans also would be required to provide incentives for healthy behaviors and cover well-child exams and immunizations up to age five (May, Salt Lake Tribune, 2/19).
