Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
Public Act No. 21-148
AN ACT CONCERNING REVISIONS TO PROVISIONS OF THE
GENERAL STATUTES AFFECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL
SERVICES AND A STUDY OF PAYMENT PARITY FOR HUMAN
SERVICES PROVIDERS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 16a-41a of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July
1, 2021):
(a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall submit to the joint
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of
energy planning and activities, appropriations, and human services the
following on the implementation of the block grant program authorized
under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Act of 1981, as
amended:
(1) Not later than August first, annually, a Connecticut energy
assistance program annual plan which establishes guidelines for the use
of funds authorized under the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance
Act of 1981, as amended, and includes the following:
(A) Criteria for determining which households are to receive
emergency [and weatherization] assistance; Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
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(B) A description of systems used to ensure referrals to other energy
assistance programs and the taking of simultaneous applications, as
required under section 16a-41;
(C) A description of outreach efforts;
(D) Estimates of the total number of households eligible for assistance
under the program and the number of households in which one or more
elderly or physically disabled individuals eligible for assistance reside;
(E) Design of a basic grant for eligible households that does not
discriminate against such households based on the type of energy used
for heating; and
(F) A payment plan for fuel deliveries beginning November 1, 2018,
that ensures a vendor of deliverable fuel who completes deliveries
authorized by a community action agency that contracts with the
commissioner to administer a fuel assistance program is paid by the
community action agency not later than thirty business days after the
date the community action agency receives an authorized fuel slip or
invoice for payment from the vendor;
(2) Not later than January thirtieth, annually, a report covering the
preceding months of the program year, including:
(A) In each community action agency geographic area, [and
Department of Social Services region,] the number of fuel assistance
applications filed, approved and denied, and the number of emergency
assistance requests made, approved and denied; [and the number of
households provided weatherization assistance;]
(B) In each such area, [and district,] the total amount of fuel [,] and
emergency [and weatherization] assistance, itemized by such type of
assistance, and total expenditures to date; Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
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(C) For each state-wide office of each state agency administering the
program [,] and each community action agency, [and each Department
of Social Services region,] administrative expenses under the program,
by line item, and an estimate of outreach expenditures; and
(D) A list of community action agencies that failed to make timely
payments to vendors of deliverable fuel in the Connecticut energy
assistance program and the steps taken by the commissioner to ensure
future timely payments by such agencies; and
(3) Not later than November first, annually, a report covering the
preceding twelve calendar months, including:
(A) In each community action agency geographic area, [and
Department of Social Services region,] (i) seasonal totals for the
categories of data submitted under subdivision (1) of this subsection, (ii)
the number of households receiving fuel assistance in which elderly or
physically disabled individuals reside, and (iii) the average combined
benefit level of fuel, emergency and renter assistance;
[(B) Types of weatherization assistance provided;
(C) Percentage of weatherization assistance provided to tenants;]
[(D)] (B) The number of homeowners and tenants whose heat or total
energy costs are not included in their rent receiving fuel and emergency
assistance under the program by benefit level;
[(E)] (C) The number of homeowners and tenants whose heat is
included in their rent and who are receiving assistance, by benefit level;
and
[(F)] (D) The number of households receiving assistance, by energy
type and total expenditures for each energy type.
Sec. 2. Subsection (d) of section 17b-8 of the general statutes is Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
Public Act No. 21-148 4 of 11
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(d) The commissioner shall include with any waiver application or
proposed amendment submitted to the federal government pursuant to
this section: (1) Any written comments received pursuant to subsection
(c) of this section; and (2) [a complete transcript of the joint standing
committee proceedings held pursuant to subsection (a) of this section,
including] any additional written comments submitted to the joint
standing committees at such proceedings. The joint standing
committees shall transmit any such materials to the commissioner for
inclusion with any such waiver application or proposed amendment.
Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 17b-59a of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(b) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the
executive director of the Office of Health Strategy, established under
section 19a-754a, shall (1) develop, throughout the Departments of
Developmental Services, Public Health, Correction, Children and
Families, Veterans Affairs and Mental Health and Addiction Services,
uniform management information, uniform statistical information,
uniform terminology for similar facilities, and uniform electronic health
information technology standards, [and uniform regulations for the
licensing of human services facilities,] (2) plan for increased
participation of the private sector in the delivery of human services, (3)
provide direction and coordination to federally funded programs in the
human services agencies and recommend uniform system
improvements and reallocation of physical resources and designation of
a single responsibility across human services agencies lines to facilitate
shared services and eliminate duplication.
Sec. 4. Section 17b-306a of the general statutes is repealed and the Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
Public Act No. 21-148 5 of 11
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
(a) The Commissioner of Social Services, in collaboration with the
Commissioners of Public Health and Children and Families, shall
establish a child health quality improvement program for the purpose
of promoting the implementation of evidence-based strategies by
providers participating in the HUSKY Health program to improve the
delivery of and access to children's health services. Such strategies shall
focus on physical, dental and mental health services and shall include,
but need not be limited to: (1) Methods for early identification of
children with special health care needs; (2) integration of care
coordination and care planning into children's health services; (3)
implementation of standardized data collection to measure
performance improvement; and (4) implementation of family-centered
services in patient care, including, but not limited to, the development
of parent-provider partnerships. The Commissioner of Social Services
shall seek the participation of public and private entities that are
dedicated to improving the delivery of health services, including
medical, dental and mental health providers, academic professionals
with experience in health services research and performance
measurement and improvement, and any other entity deemed
appropriate by the Commissioner of Social Services, to promote such
strategies. The commissioner shall ensure that such strategies reflect
new developments and best practices in the field of children's health
services. As used in this section, "evidence-based strategies" means
policies, procedures and tools that are informed by research and
supported by empirical evidence, including, but not limited to, research
developed by organizations such as the American Academy of
Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the National
Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and the Institute of
Medicine.
(b) Not later than July 1, 2008, and annually thereafter, the Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
Public Act No. 21-148 6 of 11
Commissioner of Social Services shall report, in accordance with section
11-4a, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having
cognizance of matters relating to human services, public health and
appropriations, and to the Council on Medical Assistance Program
Oversight on (1) the implementation of any strategies developed
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and (2) the efficacy of such
strategies in improving the delivery of and access to health services for
children enrolled in the HUSKY Health program.
[(c) The Commissioner of Social Services, in collaboration with the
Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight, shall, subject to
available appropriations, prepare, annually, a report concerning health
care choices under HUSKY A. Such report shall include, but not be
limited to, a comparison of the performance of each managed care
organization, the primary care case management program and other
member service delivery choices. The commissioner shall provide a
copy of each report to all HUSKY A members.]
Sec. 5. Subsection (a) of section 17b-349 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(a) The rates paid by the state to community health centers [and
freestanding medical clinics] participating in the Medicaid program
may be adjusted annually on the basis of the cost reports submitted to
the Commissioner of Social Services. [, except that rates effective July 1,
1989, shall remain in effect through June 30, 1990.] The Department of
Social Services may develop an alternative payment methodology to
replace the encounter-based reimbursement system. Such methodology
shall be approved by the joint standing committees of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services and
appropriations and the budgets of state agencies. Until such
methodology is implemented, the Department of Social Services shall
distribute supplemental funding, within available appropriations, to Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
Public Act No. 21-148 7 of 11
federally qualified health centers based on cost, volume and quality
measures as determined by the Commissioner of Social Services. (1)
Beginning with the one-year rate period commencing on October 1,
2012, and annually thereafter, the Commissioner of Social Services may
add to a community health center's rates, if applicable, a capital cost rate
adjustment that is equivalent to the center's actual or projected year-to-
year increase in total allowable depreciation and interest expenses
associated with major capital projects divided by the projected service
visit volume. For the purposes of this subsection, "capital costs" means
expenditures for land or building purchases, fixed assets, movable
equipment, capitalized financing fees and capitalized construction
period interest and "major capital projects" means projects with costs
exceeding two million dollars. The commissioner may revise such
capital cost rate adjustment retroactively based on actual allowable
depreciation and interest expenses or actual service visit volume for the
rate period. (2) The commissioner shall establish separate capital cost
rate adjustments for each Medicaid service provided by a center. (3) The
commissioner shall not grant a capital cost rate adjustment to a
community health center for any depreciation or interest expenses
associated with capital costs that were disapproved by the federal
Department of Health and Human Services or another federal or state
government agency with capital expenditure approval authority related
to health care services. (4) The commissioner may allow actual debt
service in lieu of allowable depreciation and interest expenses
associated with capital items funded with a debt obligation, provided
debt service amounts are deemed reasonable in consideration of the
interest rate and other loan terms. (5) The commissioner shall
implement policies and procedures necessary to carry out the
provisions of this subsection while in the process of adopting such
policies and procedures in regulation form, provided notice of intent to
adopt such regulations is [published in the Connecticut Law Journal not
later than twenty days after implementation] posted on the
eRegulations System prior to adopting the policies and procedures. Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
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Such policies and procedures shall be valid until the time final
regulations are effective.
Sec. 6. Subsection (n) of section 38a-479aa of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(n) The requirements of subsections (h) and (i) of this section shall not
apply to a consortium of federally qualified health centers funded by
the state, providing services only to recipients of programs
administered by the Department of Social Services. [The Commissioner
of Social Services shall adopt regulations, in accordance with chapter 54,
to establish criteria to certify any such federally qualified health center,
including, but not limited to, minimum reserve fund requirements.]
Sec. 7. Section 17b-608 of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2021):
For the purposes of [sections 17b-609 and 17b-610] section 17b-609,
"persons with disabilities" means persons having disabilities which (1)
are attributable to a mental or physical impairment or a combination of
mental and physical impairments; (2) are likely to continue indefinitely;
(3) result in functional limitations in one or more of the following areas
of major life activity: Self care, receptive and expressive language,
learning, mobility, self-direction, capacity for independent living or
economic self-sufficiency; and (4) reflect the person's need for a
combination and sequence of special, interdisciplinary or generic care,
treatment or other services which are of lifelong or extended duration
and individually planned and coordinated.
Sec. 8. Subsection (a) of section 17b-617 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
passage):
(a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall, within available Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
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appropriations, establish and operate a state-funded pilot program to
allow not more than one hundred persons with disabilities (1) who are
age eighteen to sixty-four, inclusive, (2) who are inappropriately
institutionalized or at risk of inappropriate institutionalization, [and] (3)
whose assets do not exceed the asset limits of the state-funded home
care program for the elderly, established pursuant to subsection (i) of
section 17b-342, and (4) who are not eligible for medical assistance
under section 17b-261 or a Medicaid waiver pursuant to 42 USC 1396n,
to be eligible to receive the same services that are provided under the
state-funded home care program for the elderly. At the discretion of the
Commissioner of Social Services, such persons may also be eligible to
receive services that are necessary to meet needs attributable to
disabilities in order to allow such persons to avoid institutionalization.
Sec. 9. Subsection (c) of section 17b-59g of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from
passage):
(c) Any entity established or incorporated pursuant to subsection (b)
of this section shall have its powers vested in and exercised by a board
of directors. The board of directors shall be comprised of the following
members who shall each serve for a term of two years:
(1) One member who shall have expertise as an advocate for
consumers of health care, appointed by the Governor;
(2) One member who shall have expertise as a clinical medical doctor,
appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate;
(3) One member who shall have expertise in the area of hospital
administration, appointed by the speaker of the House of
Representatives;
(4) One member who shall have expertise in the area of corporate law
or finance, appointed by the minority leader of the Senate; Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
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(5) One member who shall have expertise in group health insurance
coverage, appointed by the minority leader of the House of
Representatives;
(6) The Chief Information Officer and the Secretary of the Office of
Policy and Management, or their designees, who shall serve as ex-
officio, voting members of the board; [and]
(7) The health information technology officer, designated in
accordance with section 19a-754a, who shall serve as chairperson of the
board; [.] and
(8) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's
designee, who shall serve as an ex-officio, voting member of the board.
Sec. 10. Subsection (l) of section 17b-179 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1,
2021):
(l) The Office of Child Support Services shall arrange to provide a
single centralized automated system for the reporting of collections on
all accounts established for the collection of all IV-D support orders.
Such reporting shall be made available to the Family Support Magistrate
Division and to all state agencies which have a cooperative agreement
with the IV-D agency. Such automated system shall include a state case
registry which complies with federal law and regulations. The state case
registry shall contain information on each support order established or
modified in this state. [The Office of Child Support Services, utilizing
information contained in the state case registry, shall establish, maintain
and periodically update a list of all delinquent child support obligors.
The list shall, at a minimum, contain the name, residential address and
amount of the delinquent child support owed by a child support
obligor, exclusive of any amount of child support owed for which an
appeal is pending. The Office of Child Support Services shall publish on Substitute Senate Bill No. 955
Public Act No. 21-148 11 of 11
the Department of Social Services' Internet web site, the names,
residential addresses and amounts of delinquent child support owed by
the one hundred individuals having the highest delinquent child
support obligations. For purposes of this subsection, "delinquent child
support obligor" means an obligor who (1) owes overdue child support,
accruing after the entry of a court order, in an amount which exceeds
ninety days of periodic payments on a current child support or
arrearage payment order, or (2) has failed to make court ordered
medical or dental insurance coverage available within ninety days of the
issuance of a court order or fails to maintain such coverage pursuant to
a court order for a period of ninety days.]
Sec. 11. (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Social Services,
in collaboration with the Commissioners of Mental Health and
Addiction Services and Housing, shall study whether state-contracted
providers of human services receive disparate payment rates under
programs the commissioners administer in different regions of the state.
The commissioners shall report, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes, on their rate study and any
resulting recommendations for rate adjustments not later than
November 1, 2021, to the joint standing committees of the General
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and
the budgets of state agencies, housing, human services and public
health. For purposes of this section, "human services" includes, but is
not limited to: (1) Physical and behavioral health services, and (2)
housing and shelter services provided to homeless persons.
Sec. 12. Sections 17b-184, 17b-274a and 17b-610 of the general statutes
are repealed. (Effective July 1, 2021)