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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 812
January Session, 2021
AN ACT EXPANDING ELIGIBILITY FOR THE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE
RESPITE CARE PROGRAM .
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 17b-349e of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021): 2
(a) As used in this section: 3
(1) "Respite care services" means support services which provide 4
short-term relief from the demands of ongoing care for an individual 5
with Alzheimer's disease. 6
(2) "Caretaker" means a person who has the responsibility for the care 7
of an individual with Alzheimer's disease or has assumed the 8
responsibility for such individual voluntarily, by contract or by order of 9
a court of competent jurisdiction. 10
(3) "Copayment" means a payment made by or on behalf of an 11
individual with Alzheimer's disease for respite care services. 12
(4) "Individual with Alzheimer's disease" means an individual with 13
Alzheimer's disease or related disorders. 14
(b) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall operate 15 Substitute Bill No. 812
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a program [, within available appropriations,] to provide respite care 16
services for caretakers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, 17
provided such individuals with Alzheimer's disease meet the 18
requirements set forth in subsection (c) of this section. Such respite care 19
services may include, but need not be limited to: (1) [homemaker] 20
Homemaker services; (2) adult day care; (3) temporary care in a licensed 21
medical facility; (4) home-health care; (5) companion services; or (6) 22
personal care assistant services. Such respite care services may be 23
administered directly by the Department of Aging and Disability 24
Services, or through contracts for services with providers of such 25
services, or by means of direct subsidy to caretakers of individuals with 26
Alzheimer's disease to purchase such services. 27
(c) (1) No individual with Alzheimer's disease may participate in the 28
program if such individual (A) has an annual income of more than 29
[forty-one] fifty-five thousand dollars or liquid assets of more than one 30
hundred [nine] thirty-five thousand dollars, or (B) is receiving services 31
under the Connecticut home-care program for the elderly. [On July 1, 32
2009, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall] The 33
commissioner shall annually increase such income and asset eligibility 34
criteria over that of the previous fiscal year to reflect the annual cost of 35
living adjustment in Social Security income, if any. 36
(2) No individual with Alzheimer's disease who participates in the 37
program may receive more than three thousand five hundred dollars for 38
services under the program in any fiscal year or receive more than thirty 39
days of out-of-home respite care services other than adult day care 40
services under the program in any fiscal year, except that the 41
commissioner shall adopt regulations pursuant to subsection (d) of this 42
section to provide up to seven thousand five hundred dollars for 43
services to a participant in the program who demonstrates a need for 44
additional services. 45
(3) The commissioner may require an individual with Alzheimer's 46
disease who participates in the program to pay a copayment for respite 47
care services under the program, except the commissioner may waive 48 Substitute Bill No. 812
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such copayment upon demonstration of financial hardship by such 49
individual. 50
(d) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the 51
provisions of chapter 54 to implement the provisions of this section. 52
Such regulations shall include, but need not be limited to: (1) [standards] 53
Standards for eligibility for respite care services; (2) the basis for priority 54
in receiving services; (3) qualifications and requirements of providers, 55
which shall include specialized training in Alzheimer's disease, 56
dementia and related disorders; (4) a requirement that providers 57
accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare 58
Organizations, when available, receive preference in contracting for 59
services; (5) provider reimbursement levels; (6) limits on services and 60
cost of services; and (7) a fee schedule for copayments. 61
(e) The commissioner may allocate any funds appropriated in excess 62
of five hundred thousand dollars for the program among the five area 63
agencies on aging according to need, as determined by the 64
commissioner. 65
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 July 1, 2021 17b-349e
AGE Joint Favorable Subst. C/R APP