KATY GOLVALA // CTmirror.org

As the health care industry becomes more and more concentrated, some small private practices find it difficult to compete with big health care systems. So, instead, they’re joining them. As of January, hospitals owned 26% of physician practices nationwide, up from 14% a decade ago. An additional 27% of practices were owned by a corporation, such as a health insurer or a private equity firm, leaving fewer than half of physician practices under independent ownership. But, to the patient, does it really matter whether practices are owned independently or by a health system?

Even as COVID-19 case rates balloon in Connecticut and elsewhere, restrictions designed to curb the spread of the virus are more relaxed than ever.

HUSKY C, the state’s Medicaid program for people with disabilities, has very different income and asset limits for people who are working than for those who are not working. Many people with disabilities who retire or lose their jobs suddenly find themselves with too much money to continue qualifying for their Medicaid coverage, even though their income has decreased dramatically.

Advocates who had hoped to see another expansion of Medicaid coverage this year for children regardless of their immigration status are now calling for the proposal to be included in the state budget implementer, following a surprising defeat of the bill in committee.

Health care workers are contracting covid at higher rates than ever before. Yale New Haven Health CEO calls the trends in worker infections more frightening than hospital admissions.

Connecticut's major hospital systems report much more manageable conditions than in previous surges.

People in some of the more rural parts of the state face fewer birthing options as three hospitals move to suspend labor and delivery services.