October 30, 2014
State Representative Kevin Ryan was appointed to sit on a bi-partisan Round Table on Hospitals and Health Care. The goal of the round table is to reach out to policymakers, hospitals, physicians, hospital and health facility employees and staff, patient advocates, health insurers, local officials and other stakeholders to monitor the implementation of recent legislation, discuss the rapid changes in the health care market and develop policy recommendations to help ensure continued access to affordable quality care in Connecticut.
“I’m working to achieve more transparency from our hospitals and ensure that patients in Connecticut get the best care available.” said Representative Ryan.
“Kevin Ryan is a hard worker who will be an asset in these discussions,” said Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey (D-Hamden). “He was a logical choice to be a part of this round table both for his expertise on health care issues and for the experience he brings as Deputy Speaker.”
One of the many things discussed at the meeting held on October 23, 2014, was the implementation of the new law aimed at increasing transparency in the financial filings of hospitals. This law requires any new for-profit hospital to provide continued access to high quality affordable care and authorizes both the Public Health Commissioner and Attorney General to impose conditions upon any new hospital owner to guarantee those commitments. It also ensures greater oversight of large physician practice acquisitions by hospitals and other entities by requiring the purchaser to obtain a Certificate of Need (CON) from the Office of Health Care Access.
A full schedule of discussion topics and meetings was outlined and is available online.