Healthcare Advocacy

Bridgeport Hospital played a leading role in working with local, state and federal legislators and government agencies to improve access for patients to affordable health insurance and healthcare services. Examples in FY 2007 include:

• Bridgeport Hospital’s CEO was one of three hospital executives appointed to the Governor’s Hospital Task Force, which was charged with developing strategies to stabilize Connecticut’s hospitals. The committee developed strategies for creating financially healthier hospitals and for addressing the related issues of healthcare workforce shortages, emergency room crowding, and access to community mental health services for children and adults.
• The annual Legislative Breakfast sponsored by Bridgeport Hospital and St. Vincent’s Medical Center in January 2007 focused on the growing problem of the uninsured in the State of Connecticut. At the breakfast, the chief executives and chief financial officers of Bridgeport Hospital and St. Vincent’s Medical Center discussed the continuing challenges of financing care for the uninsured. They sought the legislators’ support in ensuring fair access to health insurance for all state residents, as well as fair funding levels for Medicaid and other state assistance programs.
• As part of Cover the Uninsured Week in May 2007, the Hospital hosted a presentation by State Senate President Pro Tempore Donald Williams on the HealthFirst Connecticut program, which would overhaul the current employer-sponsored health insurance system, provide increased reimbursements for Medicaid and State Administered General Assistance (SAGA), expand HUSKY coverage for children and their families, and increase overall coverage.

• A concerted effort to attain a Medicaid rate increase from the state, which included nearly 9,000 letters from Bridgeport Hospital board members, staff and physicians to key state officials, was successful. A statewide increase was granted by the legislature to all hospitals in June, but despite the increase, Medicaid reimbursement covered only 71 cents on every dollar of cost.
• The Hospital continued its support of the Bridgeport Department of Children and Families (DCF) Area Advisory Council (AAC). Senior leaders from the Hospital facilitated the AAC and provided administrative support. This year, through the work of the AAC, additional funding for DCF programs was obtained by various providers in the Bridgeport region. In addition, a comprehensive Local Area Development Plan was developed for work with the Behavioral Health Partnership, which is the organization that manages the Medicaid Managed Care funding for behavioral health services in Connecticut.
• Hospital representatives co-chaired the newly formed Health Care Council of the Bridgeport Regional Business Council. This group was formed as part of a statewide chamber of commerce initiative with the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut to develop a solution to the high cost of health insurance and subsequent growth of the uninsured in the state.