LCO 3477 \\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06469-R02- HB.docx 1 of 3 General Assembly Raised Bill No. 6469 January Session, 2021 Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES Introduced by: (HS) AN ACT CONCERNING TH E CONNECTICUT HOME -CARE PROGRAM FOR THE ELDERLY. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section 1. Subsections (i) and (j) of section 17b-342 of the general 1 statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2 (Effective July 1, 2021): 3 (i) (1) On and after July 1, 2015, the Commissioner of Social Services 4 shall, within available appropriations, administer a state-funded 5 portion of the program for persons (A) who are sixty-five years of age 6 and older; (B) who are inappropriately institutionalized or at risk of 7 inappropriate institutionalization; (C) whose income is less than or 8 equal to the amount allowed under subdivision (3) of subsection (a) of 9 this section; and (D) whose assets, if single, do not exceed one hundred 10 fifty per cent of the federal minimum community spouse protected 11 amount pursuant to 42 USC 1396r-5(f)(2) or, if married, the couple's 12 assets do not exceed two hundred per cent of said community spouse 13 protected amount. For program applications received by the 14 Raised Bill No. 6469 LCO 3477 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06469- R02-HB.docx } 2 of 3 Department of Social Services for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2016, 15 and June 30, 2017, only persons who require the level of care provided 16 in a nursing home shall be eligible for the state-funded portion of the 17 program, except for persons residing in affordable housing under the 18 assisted living demonstration project established pursuant to section 19 17b-347e who are otherwise eligible in accordance with this section. 20 [(2) Except for persons residing in affordable housing under the 21 assisted living demonstration project established pursuant to section 22 17b-347e, as provided in subdivision (3) of this subsection, any person 23 whose income is at or below two hundred per cent of the federal poverty 24 level and who is ineligible for Medicaid shall contribute nine per cent of 25 the cost of his or her care. Any person whose income exceeds two 26 hundred per cent of the federal poverty level shall contribute nine per 27 cent of the cost of his or her care in addition to the amount of applied 28 income determined in accordance with the methodology established by 29 the Department of Social Services for recipients of medical assistance. 30 Any person who does not contribute to the cost of care in accordance 31 with this subdivision shall be ineligible to receive services under this 32 subsection. Notwithstanding any provision of sections 17b-60 and 17b-33 61, the department shall not be required to provide an administrative 34 hearing to a person found ineligible for services under this subsection 35 because of a failure to contribute to the cost of care. 36 (3) Any person who resides in affordable housing under the assisted 37 living demonstration project established pursuant to section 17b-347e 38 and whose income is at or below two hundred per cent of the federal 39 poverty level, shall not be required to contribute to the cost of care. Any 40 person who resides in affordable housing under the assisted living 41 demonstration project established pursuant to section 17b-347e and 42 whose income exceeds two hundred per cent of the federal poverty 43 level, shall contribute to the applied income amount determined in 44 accordance with the methodology established by the Department of 45 Social Services for recipients of medical assistance. Any person whose 46 income exceeds two hundred per cent of the federal poverty level and 47 Raised Bill No. 6469 LCO 3477 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06469- R02-HB.docx } 3 of 4 who does not contribute to the cost of care in accordance with this 48 subdivision shall be ineligible to receive services under this subsection. 49 Notwithstanding any provision of sections 17b-60 and 17b-61, the 50 department shall not be required to provide an administrative hearing 51 to a person found ineligible for services under this subsection because 52 of a failure to contribute to the cost of care.] 53 [(4)] (2) The annualized cost of services provided to an individual 54 under the state-funded portion of the program shall not exceed fifty per 55 cent of the weighted average cost of care in nursing homes in the state, 56 except an individual who received services costing in excess of such 57 amount under the Department of Social Services in the fiscal year 58 ending June 30, 1992, may continue to receive such services, provided 59 the annualized cost of such services does not exceed eighty per cent of 60 the weighted average cost of such nursing home care. The commissioner 61 may allow the cost of services provided to an individual to exceed the 62 maximum cost established pursuant to this subdivision in a case of 63 extreme hardship, as determined by the commissioner, provided in no 64 case shall such cost exceed that of the weighted cost of such nursing 65 home care. 66 (j) The Commissioner of Social Services may implement revised 67 criteria for the operation of the program while in the process of adopting 68 such criteria in regulation form, provided the commissioner prints 69 notice of intention to adopt the regulations [in the Connecticut Law 70 Journal within twenty days of implementing the policy] in accordance 71 with section 17b-10. Such criteria shall be valid until the time final 72 regulations are effective. 73 This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections: Section 1 July 1, 2021 17b-342(i) and (j) HS Joint Favorable Raised Bill No. 6469 LCO 3477 {\\PRDFS1\HCOUSERS\BARRYJN\WS\2021HB-06469- R02-HB.docx } 4 of 4 APP Joint Favorable