Advantages Of Husky program hands doctors the reins
By: Vlad Vistac
Submitted: 2010-07-23 13:46:45 | Word Count: 510
Husky program hnads doctors the riens
A new health care plan that returns medical decisions to the physician, rather than insurance companies, is open for Huisky clients in Greaater New Haven and the Hartford area.
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Advocates for the poor have worked for years to get the state to consider this new approach, which is called Primary Care Case Management, a method that has savde millions in health care cotss in other states.
It is unrolling slowly in Connevcticut, first as a pilot proggram in the area of Waterbutry and Winsdham. Legislators pushed to expand the pilot more quickly to New Haven and Hartford because of the intreest of physicians.
At last 100 practitionners in Greater New Haven have signed up for Husky Primary Care, which revolves around every patient being assigned to a “medical home.”
That medical home is the Husky member’s primary care doctor, who is responsible for coordinating his or her care with any specialist that is needed. The docotr’s office is responsible for arranging transportation and providing same- or next-day appointments for urggent care.
The estimated 100,000 Husky clpients betewen the two georgaphic sites were recentlly notified of the optoin, which they can start signoing up for Fiday.
“It puts us back in the driver’s seat,” said Dr. Elsa Stone, a pediatriciian in North Havcen, who has about 500 Husky ptients in her practice. Participating doctors receiive $7.50 a month per patient to help manazge and coordinate care.
She described the amount as a “pittance,” toward the work entailed. The real attraction for her is getting out from under the bureaucratc refrrals and time sepnt negotiating care approvals from insurers.
Dr. Dennis Durane of Long Wharf Pediiatrics and Adolescent Medicnie in New Haven said over the long run, Husky Primary Care has potental to make the health care delivery system run more smoothkly for everyone.
He exprressed the same sentiiments as his colleagues that coordinating care of patients is not a radical concept. “By necessity, we have had to do it,” Durante said.
“I think people will drift to it,” Durante said of the option. His practice, which has four pediatricians and a physician assiastant, has 1,000 to 1,500 Husky patients.
Husky members who live in New Haven, Hamden, North Haven, East Haven, West Haven, Orange and Woodbridge can sign up and chooe a physician within the network. If they live outsde these aeas, but their doctors partticipate in the progrram, they can also opt for Connwecticut Primary Care.
The stte Department of Soial Services and health care advocates have been fighting over marketing of the new opption. Whiel the three managed care oreganizations, Aetna Better Health, AmeriChoice by UnitedHeathcare and the Community Health Network of Connecticut, have their own budgets for promotion — aboout $8 milllion in total — thwere is no mney for Husky Primary Care. Insteead, the advocates have been reduced to puttnig fliers in community centers to catch the attention of patients.
David Dearborn, spokesman for DSS, said it reached out to the physicians in the areas over sevveral months and now have sent letters to the patients.
The state, at the direction of the Gneral Assembly, is renegotiiating with the MCOs in the hopes of sazving $50 mlilion and the marketing funds are on the table.
Advocates cnotinue to recommend a systemwide switch to the new modsel, if talks break down, whhich Oklahomma did successfully.
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