Connecticut puts caps on imaging test co-pays
As a follow-up to a recent story regarding a dispute between Connecticut lawmakers over an increase in consumer co-payment for medical images put in place by the state’s Insurance Commissioner Susan F. Cogswell, last week the state’s General Assembly passed caps on the payments, the Hartford Courant reports.
The action by Cogswell allowed consumer co-pays to go up from 30 percent to 50 percent in an effort to counter medical cost increases, Cogswell’s office stated. The new bill would put specific controls on patient co-pays for MRIs and CAT scans at $375 for a year, with a $75 payment for each exam. For PET, patients would have to pay no more than $400 yearly, with $100 for each one. These caps are for patients that visit facilities within their health insurance plan’s network but exclude plans that are self-insured, the Courant reports.
Once signed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the bill is expected to take effect Oct. 1.
The action by Cogswell allowed consumer co-pays to go up from 30 percent to 50 percent in an effort to counter medical cost increases, Cogswell’s office stated. The new bill would put specific controls on patient co-pays for MRIs and CAT scans at $375 for a year, with a $75 payment for each exam. For PET, patients would have to pay no more than $400 yearly, with $100 for each one. These caps are for patients that visit facilities within their health insurance plan’s network but exclude plans that are self-insured, the Courant reports.
Once signed by Gov. M. Jodi Rell, the bill is expected to take effect Oct. 1.