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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 1470
January Session, 2025
AN ACT CONCERNING TWICE ANNUAL REPORTING BY THE
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES ON MEDICAID
REIMBURSEMENT FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER SERVICES.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 17b-28l of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective from passage): 2
(a) For purposes of this section, "certified community health worker" 3
has the same meaning as provided in section 20 -195ttt. The 4
Commissioner of Social Services shall design and implement a program 5
to provide Medicaid reimbursement to certified community health 6
workers for services provided to HUSKY Health program members, 7
including, but not limited to: (1) Coordination of medical, oral and 8
behavioral health care services and social supports; (2) connection to 9
and navigation of health systems and services; (3) prenatal, birth, 10
lactation and postpartum supports; and (4) health promotion, coaching 11
and self-management education. 12
(b) The Commissioner of Social Services and the commissioner's 13
designees shall consult with certified community health workers, 14
Medicaid beneficiaries and advocates, including, but not limited to, 15
advocates for persons with physical, mental and developmental 16
disabilities, and others throughout the design and implementation of 17
the certified community health worker reimbursement program in a 18 Substitute Bill No. 1470
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manner that (1) is inclusive of community-based and clinic-based 19
certified community health workers; (2) is representative of medical 20
assistance program member demographics; and (3) helps shape the 21
reimbursement program's design and implementation. The 22
commissioner, in consultation with community health workers, 23
Medicaid beneficiaries and such advocates, shall explore options for the 24
reimbursement program's design that ensures access to such 25
community health workers, encourages workforce growth to support 26
such access and averts the risk of creating financial incentives for other 27
providers to limit access to such community health workers. 28
(c) [Not later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter until the 29
reimbursement program is fully implemented, the] The Commissioner 30
of Social Services shall twice annually submit a report, in accordance 31
with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committee of 32
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human 33
services and the Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight. The 34
initial report shall be submitted not less than six months prior to the 35
implementation of the reimbursement program. The reports shall be 36
submitted every six months and contain an update on the certified 37
community health worker reimbursement program design and 38
implementation, including, but not limited to (1) an analysis regarding 39
the program elements designed to ensure access to such services, 40
promote workforce growth and avert the risk of creating financial 41
incentives for other providers to limit access to such community health 42
workers, and (2) an evaluation of any impact of the program on health 43
outcomes and health equity. 44
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:
Section 1 from passage 17b-28l
Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
The title was changed.
Substitute Bill No. 1470
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HS Joint Favorable Subst. -LCO