Employers lauded for health care
The Business Council of Fairfield County is calling attention to 30 companies under its Healthy Workplace Employer Recognition Program that have programs to promote a healthy workplace and help their employees live healthier lives.
“As costs related to health and health care escalate business has responded in a variety of ways,” said Tanya Court, vice president of public policy for The Business Council of Fairfield County, in a prepared statement. “By recognizing the efforts of employers to promote healthy lifestyles, we hope to serve as a catalyst for other employers in both the private and public sector to take action.”
Platinum category winners include Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Big Y Foods Inc., Cartus Corp., Deloitte, IBM Corp., the town of Mansfield, Nestl̩ Waters North America, PeopleӪs United Financial Inc., Pitney Bowes Inc., Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., Stamford Hospital, Tauck World Discovery and Terex Corp.
Gold category inclusions are Ability Beyond Disability, the American Heart Association, AmeriCares, R.C. Bigelow Inc., the University of Hartford, Mediacom Communications, Pawling Corp., Purdue Pharma L.P., Sacred Heart University and XL America.
Silver category winners include Compass Furnished Apartments, Fairfield County Bank, 1-800-Flowers, Rockwood Service Corp., Silver Hill Hospital, St. Vincent”™s Medical Center and Telephonics Corp.
$17.5M washes in for Spine Wave
Spine Wave Inc., a Shelton-based company developing minimally invasive devices for spinal surgery, is receiving a new round of financing valued at more than $17 million. New Enterprise Associates was the lead investor, with local funds Canaan Partners and Foundation Medical Partners also contributing.
Spine Wave plans to use the money to build on its distribution network and pursue clinical trials in Switzerland of its hydrogel synthetic protein designed to adhere to tissue and treat the early stages of degenerative disc disease.
Financial CEO named insurance commissioner
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy appointed Thomas Leonardi as commissioner of the Connecticut Insurance Department, replacing Barbara Spear who has been acting commissioner since the resignation of Thomas Sullivan last year.
Leonardi is CEO of Northington Partners Inc., an insurance specialty venture capital and investment banking firm in Avon.
“It is important to have someone in this position who can strike the appropriate balance between consumer protection and business development,” Malloy said, in a prepared statement. “I”™ll be looking to him to help find new and innovative ways in which we can grow the insurance sector in our state.”
Earlier this month, the Connecticut Insurance Department said it is expediting license approvals for more than 500 out-of-state adjusters to help insurance companies keep pace with an increase in catastrophic winter damage claims.
Regulators recoup $6M
The Connecticut Insurance Department estimates it recovered $6 million in 2010 for consumers and taxpayers by investigating more than 7,100 consumer complaints against insurers and fining violators.
The department helped consumers recover about $3.4 million on money they were owed, while the market conduct division collected $2.4 million in fines, remitting that sum to the state”™s general fund.
Insurance coverage down in state
The percentage of Connecticut residents with a full year”™s health insurance dropped over a two-year period, from 91 percent in the fiscal year ending in June 2007 to 89 percent in fiscal 2009.
The Connecticut Office of Health Care Access analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to track health coverage across a range of policies, both government sponsored and those in the private sector.
Approximately 203,000 people in Connecticut lacked insurance at some point while working during fiscal 2009, or 48 percent of all uninsured people tracked by OHCA that year.
The lone categories to see an increase were Medicare policies, which increased a point to 15 percent, and those purchased directly, which similarly gained a point to 10 percent.
Medical donations off
As a result of the recession, Connecticut hospitals suffered a 40 percent decline in the fair market value of their “bed funds,” defined as any gift for the purpose of establishing a fund to provide medical care in a hospital.
The Connecticut Office of Health Care Access estimated bed-fund value statewide at $84.6 million in fiscal 2009, down from $140.5 million two years earlier.
State remains in top 10 for children”™s health
Connecticut trails its New England neighbors for its record on children”™s health, according to a new study, though it easily bested New York and New Jersey.
Iowa, Massachusetts and Vermont led all states on the Commonwealth Fund report, with Connecticut ninth, New York 21st and New Jersey 29th. The study examined health care access and affordability, prevention and treatment, and a third category that looks at health factors such as child obesity and teen smoking.
Connecticut led the nation under a category measuring the average total premium for employer-based family coverage as a percentage of median income for households; the state ranked in the bottom five nationally for the percentage of children with special health care needs whose families received all needed support services.
Drug discount cards distributed
Physician members of the Connecticut State Medical Society are now handing out free prescription discount cards from Avia Partners Inc. to patients who do not have drug coverage. According to CSMS, the cards are accepted at pharmacies statewide as well as mail-order services. Cardholders can get as much as half off the cost of their prescription medicine; there are no fees, expiration dates, medical exam or history required, and no pre-existing conditions exclusion.
Medical practice moves into High Ridge Park
Fairfield County Personal Medicine is one of two companies opening new offices at High Ridge Park Corporate Center in Stamford.
A member of Stamford Health Integrated Practice, Fairfield County Personal Medicine is a concierge limited patient internal medicine practice. The company was represented by RHYS Commercial Real Estate, while Cushman & Wakefield represented the landlords George Comfort & Sons and Rreef Real Estate.
Also taking space at High Ridge Park is Stokke, a Norway-based seller of children”™s furniture and equipment; M2 Media and World Courier also recently expanded their existing quarters there.
