When CVS agreed to acquire Aetna, they halted a plan to move the Hartford-based company’s headquarters to New York City. Connecticut has been breathing a sigh of relief that one of the capital’s largest employers isn’t ditching the state.
But is having a major insurance company join with one of the country’s largest “Pharmacy Benefit Managers” a good thing for those of us using the health care system?
We talk with Connecticut Public Radio’s business reporter Harriet Jones about the acquisition’s status, and get the perspective of Connecticut’s Healthcare Advocate. Does he have concerns as a consumer advocate?
And thousands in Connecticut experience homelessness--including many school-aged children. How should teachers talk with their students about the problem of childhood homelessness?
Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter.
GUESTS:
- Harriet Jones - Business Reporter for Connecticut Public Radio (@wnprharriet)
- Ted Doolittle - Healthcare Advocate for the State of Connecticut
- Madeline Ravich - Development Advisor and Director of the Be Homeful Project at the Connecticut Coalition to End Homelessness (@mcravich)
- Grace Furia - 9th grade student at Hall High School in West Hartford
READING LIST:
Hartford Courant: Editorial: CVS, Please Commit To Aetna In Hartford Forever – “Why only 10 years? What’s the reason for that magic number? Does that mean that in 2029 there might be a big, empty building on Farmington Avenue? Pardon us if we take the long view; we’ve been around a long time.”
CTNewsJunkie: No Easy Answers In CVS, Aetna Merger Debate – “Will the pending $69 billion merger between pharmaceutical giant CVS Health Corporation and Aetna, Inc. increase competition or limit it? The question isn’t easy since mergers like this between two different yet similar companies in the healthcare industry is fairly new.”
211: Resources for Connecticut Families with Children Experiencing or At-Risk for Homelessness - “Connecticut’s families have faced stagnating wages, rising costs, and growing economic insecurity, and their children’s health, safety, education, and well-being are largely dependent on their families’ ability to make ends meet. Stressful and traumatic experiences, including those associated with homelessness or being at-risk of homelessness can have a profound effect on a child’s development and their ability to learn, ultimately affecting success in later life. “
Chion Wolf contributed to this show.
