Doctors who diagnose a patient with chlamydia or gonorrhea would be allowed to prescribe antibiotics to the patient’s partners without examining them, under a bill the House passed Monday. The measure was included in a bill that makes a wide range of changes to public health statutes, including allowing Connecticut licensing boards to discipline a […]
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.
Posted inHealth
Senate passes SustiNet compromise bill
A compromise bill on the proposed SustiNet state-run insurance plan passed the Senate 22 to 14 Monday, clearing the way for Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s signature. SustiNet supporters cheered and hugged in the hall outside the Senate chamber after the vote, despite warnings from Republicans that the bill did not resemble the universal health care […]
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Health insurance rate “symposium” bill clears Senate
The Senate on Monday unanimously passed a bill that gives the attorney general and healthcare advocate authority to have the insurance commissioner call public “symposiums” on proposals to increase rates on health insurance policies by more than 10 percent. They could also require the insurance commissioner to call hearings on proposals to raise long-term care […]
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With no GOP votes, Senate gives final passage to transgender bill
The Senate voted 20 to 16 early today for final passage of a bill outlawing discrimination against people who are transgendered, ending a years-long fight in the General Assembly. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy has promised to sign the bill as soon as it reaches his desk. As was the case in the House, every Republican […]
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Shift to value-based health plan can cause worker anxiety
With health care costs fast outpacing company earnings and workers’ wages, Michelin North America assigned a team to find a new way to handle its health benefits. The result was a plan that gave workers a greater stake in taking care of their health and paid them for taking risk assessments and addressing problems the […]
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Malloy’s UConn health center plan passes first hurdle in Senate
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s $864 million proposal to renovate and expand the UConn Health Center in Farmington passed the state Senate Wednesday, 15 days after it was first announced. Supporters of the bill cast the proposal as an urgently needed economic development plan that would create thousands of jobs while making the state a leader […]
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Social service providers cheer state budget
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s budget might not have won him points in polls, but it did get administration officials several rounds of applause and more than a few “thank yous” from nonprofit social service providers and their clients Wednesday morning. They praised the administration and legislative leaders for protecting the safety net. Office of Policy […]
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House passes bill requiring approval to close hospital programs
The House on Wednesday passed a bill that would require hospitals to get state approval before eliminating inpatient or outpatient services. The bill, which passed 93 to 53 and now goes to the Senate, was inspired by the closure of the birthing center at Rockville General Hospital last year. Until last year, hospitals seeking to […]
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Senate passes health insurance exchange bill
The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation to create a health insurance exchange, laying the groundwork for a new insurance market that will play a key role in expanding coverage under the federal health reform law. The bill, which passed the Senate 23 to 13 and will now go to the House, establishes a quasi-public agency […]
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SustiNet compromise passes House with both sides declaring victory
A compromise bill on the controversial SustiNet state-run health plan passed the House Friday, and it drew praise from both supporters and opponents of the original proposal–albeit for different reasons. SustiNet supporters say the bill represents concrete steps toward their ultimate goal, offering a state-run insurance plan to the public. Opponents of the original proposal, […]
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Construction workers turn out to back UConn Health Center plan
Ed Reilly of the Iron Workers Union interrupts hearing. Hearings on the near-perennial proposals to revamp the UConn Health Center tend to draw doctors, university officials and hospital administrators, with testimony about the university and area hospitals. This year, as lawmakers considered Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s $864 million renovation and expansion plan, a good portion […]
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Poll: Many oppose cuts, major changes to Medicaid
Efforts to change Medicare have sparked a backlash, and a new poll indicates that many Americans also oppose changes to Medicaid, the entitlement program for the poor and disabled. The opposition to cutting Medicaid spending or significantly changing the program could stem in part from the program’s widespread reach, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, […]
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As insurance chief buffs agency image, hearings issue causes a rift
Since he became insurance commissioner in March, Thomas B. Leonardi has worked to dispel the public perception that the agency is unfriendly to consumers. He stresses that the mission of the agency is to protect consumers and touts communication strategies–a revamped website, a Facebook page, Twitter–that make it easier for people to learn about and […]
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State gets an ‘A’ for children’s dental health policies
Connecticut was among seven states to receive an “A” grade for its oral health care policies for children, according to the Pew Center on the States’ annual report card on children’s dental health. The report card ranks states on eight policy benchmarks. Connecticut met six, the same as last year. The state tops the national […]
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Insurance department rejects 35 percent rate hike, approves 10 percent cut
The Connecticut Insurance Department has rejected a request by The American Republic Insurance Company to raise premiums by an average of 35 percent for individual-market health plans, ruling that it would be excessive. The proposal would have affected 81 policyholders in the state. The covered policies are “grandfathered,” meaning they do not have to comply […]