The operator of a North Haven nursing home is seeking state permission to close, making it the latest in a series of long-term care facilities to consider shutting down. Clintonville Manor has 112 beds but only serves 84 people, operator Melissa Simonetti wrote in a letter to the state Department of Social Services, requesting an […]
Arielle Levin Becker
Arielle Levin Becker covered health care for The Connecticut Mirror. She previously worked for The Hartford Courant, most recently as its health reporter, and has also covered small towns, courts and education in Connecticut and New Jersey. She was a finalist in 2009 for the prestigious Livingston Award for Young Journalists, a recipient of a Knight Science Journalism Fellowship and the third-place winner in 2013 for an in-depth piece on caregivers from the National Association of Health Journalists. She is a 2004 graduate of Yale University.
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Insurance exchange unlikely to lower health plan costs, consultant says
The state’s health insurance exchange, a key part of federal health reform, is intended to give individuals and small businesses more options for buying insurance. But for many people in Connecticut, the new marketplace might not bring affordable coverage options when it launches in 2014, according to a consultant to the board developing the exchange. […]
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With contracts in limbo, healthcare advocate urges action by insurers, hospital network
Warning of the “potential failure of an entire system of care east of the river,” state Healthcare Advocate Victoria Veltri has called on the parent company of two eastern Connecticut hospitals and three insurers to resolve their ongoing contract talks. “I’m not picking sides in this debate, but I just think that it has to […]
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Doctors wary of looming Medicare cut, or a short-term fix
John Foley has wanted to be a doctor since he was 6, and the Norwich cardiologist still considers the chance to take care of patients “the coolest thing on the planet.” But increasingly, Foley has found himself questioning the future of the field. Despite working longer days, his income is down 45 percent from 4½ […]
Posted inHealth, Money
Advocates ask HHS to intervene in exchange board composition
A small business owner and critic of the state’s health insurance exchange board has asked a top federal health official to intervene and urge Connecticut leaders to change the board’s composition.
Posted inHealth
Griffin Hospital requires flu shots for workers, reports full compliance
All Griffin Hospital employees have complied with a new policy requiring them to get flu shots, the Derby Hospital announced Wednesday. Between Sept. 27 and Nov. 1, 1,275 full and part-time employees got the flu vaccine, which was provided free. Volunteers, students and physicians were also required to get vaccinated. The hospital allowed exemptions for […]
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Wheelchair-accessible cabs to be deployed, but advocates still fighting
They’re big (5,200 pounds), bright (yellow or orange-striped) and, in the coming weeks, will be navigating the streets of Connecticut. The new wheelchair-accessible cabs that are expected to soon be on the roads in the Hartford and New Haven areas will dramatically increase the on-demand transportation options for people who use wheelchairs. Metro Taxi President […]
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Against objections, insurance commissioners vote to back brokers
On one side are those advocating for consumers, who want to see the cost of health insurance premiums ease up and customers get rebates if their insurers spend too much on overhead and profits. On the other side are insurance brokers like Spencer Houldin, who help people select insurance policies and handle claims, but say […]
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Super committee inaction triggers cuts, uncertainty
By law, the failure of the congressional “super committee” to issue a deficit-reduction plan this week triggers $1.2 trillion in cuts to defense spending, Medicare and other federal programs over the next decade. But with more than a year to go before the trigger takes effect, some members of Congress are looking for alternatives to […]
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State benefit mandates could cost the state under health reform
Expanding the list of services that health insurance plans must cover has become a perennial fight in the state legislature. Connecticut now has more health benefit mandates than nearly all other states, a consultant told a state board Thursday. And when federal health reform rolls out in just over two years, that could leave the […]
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Flu shot policy leads to 2,900 vaccines, 5 terminations at Connecticut Children’s
Close to 2,100 employees at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center got flu vaccines in recent weeks following a new hospital policy that requires all employees to get vaccinated. Five employees failed to get vaccinated before the deadline and will be terminated, according to the hospital. In all, more than 2,900 employees, community physicians, contractors and volunteers […]
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Critics seek ethics inquiry into exchange board
Eight groups have signed a letter asking the Office of State Ethics to look into what they say are possible conflicts of interest among members of the board that oversees the state’s health insurance exchange. The request, written on the letterhead of Citizens for Economic Opportunity, points to board members Mickey Herbert, Robert Scalletar and […]
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Replacement SNAP benefits available for storm-related food losses
Current recipients of SNAP–Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps–can apply for replacement benefits if they lost food because of a storm-related power outage. Recipients must have lost food costing more than 15 percent of their October SNAP benefit amount. To report a loss, call 2-1-1 or visit www.211ct.org before midnight Saturday. The […]
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See who wants what from the super committee
With the Congressional super committee’s much-awaited recommendations for trimming the federal deficit due next week, Kaiser Health News has compiled a guide to what health care interest groups are asking for and what they’re telling committee members. Read it here.
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Business owners challenge teeth whitening restrictions
Until recently, you could find Stephen Barraco’s Smile Bright teeth whitening products in hair and nail salons, selling for a fraction of what you might pay in a dentist’s office. But now, Barraco’s Branford-based business is limited to the Internet, and he’s laid off his five employees –the result, he says, of a declaratory ruling […]