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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 1416
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING THE EXPANSION OF LONG -TERM CARE
OPTIONS FOR MEDICAID BENEFICIARIES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Subsection (c) of section 17b-369 of the general statutes is 1
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from 2
passage): 3
(c) (1) The Commissioner of Social Services shall develop a strategic 4
plan, consistent with the long-term care plan established pursuant to 5
section 17b-337, as amended by this act, to rebalance Medicaid long-6
term care supports and services, including, but not limited to, those 7
supports and services provided in home, community-based settings and 8
institutional settings. The commissioner shall include home, 9
community-based and institutional providers in the development of the 10
strategic plan. In developing the strategic plan the commissioner shall 11
consider topics that include, but are not limited to: [(1)] (A) Regional 12
trends concerning the state's aging population; [(2)] (B) trends in the 13
demand for home, community-based and institutional services; [(3)] (C) 14
gaps in the provision of home and community-based services which 15
prevent community placements; [(4)] (D) gaps in the provision of 16
institutional care; [(5)] (E) the quality of care provided by home, 17
community-based and institutional providers; [(6)] (F) the condition of 18
institutional buildings; [(7)] (G) the state's regional supply of 19
institutional beds; [(8)] (H) the current rate structure applicable to home, 20 Substitute Bill No. 1416
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community-based and institutional services; [(9)] (I) the methods of 21
implementing adjustments to the bed capacity of individual nursing 22
facilities; and [(10)] (J) a review of the provisions of subsection (a) of 23
section 17b-354. 24
(2) On and after July 1, 2025, the Commissioner of Social Services shall 25
rebalance the strategic plan for Medicaid long-term care supports and 26
services to increase opportunities for Medicaid beneficiaries to receive 27
care in a home or community-based setting. The rebalanced strategic 28
plan shall include, but need not be limited to, (A) increased outreach by 29
the Department of Social Services to Medicaid beneficiaries who may be 30
eligible for the Connecticut home-care program for the elderly, 31
established pursuant to section 17b-342, and Medicaid waiver programs 32
that provide home or community-based care, and (B) assistance 33
provided by the department to such beneficiaries in completing 34
applications for such programs. 35
Sec. 2. Section 17b-337 of the general statutes is amended by adding 36
subsection (g) as follows (Effective from passage): 37
(NEW) (g) The Long-Term Care Planning Committee shall study 38
systems and methods to expand long-term care options for Medicaid 39
beneficiaries, including, but not limited to, allowing more beneficiaries 40
to receive care at home or in a community-based setting rather than in 41
skilled nursing facilities. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Long-42
Term Care Planning Committee shall submit a report, in accordance 43
with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of 44
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to aging, 45
appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, human services and 46
public health on the study and any recommendations for appropriations 47
or legislation necessary to expand long-term care options for Medicaid 48
beneficiaries. The report shall include any estimated savings to the state 49
related to reducing care in skilled nursing facilities as a result of 50
increasing options for care at home or in a community-based setting. 51 Substitute Bill No. 1416
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This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage 17b-369(c)
Sec. 2 from passage 17b-337(g)
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
The title was changed, in Section 1(c)(2), "rebalanced plan" was changed
to "rebalanced strategic plan" and "home and community-based" was
changed to "home or community-based" for internal consistency, and in
Section 2(g), "persons" was changed to "beneficiaries" and the last
sentence was redrafted for clarity and consistency.
HS Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO