Connecticut lawmakers will consider increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates and limiting private equity investment in health care this legislative session.
About a third of Connecticut residents get their health coverage through Medicaid.
Medicaid reimbursement rates to providers need to be increased, because they’ve been too low for years, said Representative Jillian Gilchrest (D-West Hartford), co-chair of the Human Services Committee, at a forum at the state Capitol on Monday.
“The federal government hasn’t touched the reimbursement structure,” she said. “And so, we get 50% back from the federal government and in some instances, we get 90% back.”
“Why wouldn’t we take full advantage of that right now, before God forbid, they go after that?” Gilchrest asked, rhetorically.
Her committee wants to spend about $250 million more per year. Lawmakers approved $60 million more last year.
The Public Health Committee is worried about private equity ownership of health care facilities after three major hospitals in the state went bankrupt, said Rep. Cristin McCarthy Vahey (D-Fairfield), co-chair of the committee.
“Private equity investment in healthcare and in so many other sectors within our society is going to continue to be a major issue that all of us face.”
Her committee is considering a bill that would ban private equity involvement in certain parts of the health care business.
