Connecticut HB 5484: AN ACT CONCERNING PERFORMANCE-INFORMED BUDGET REVIEW.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5484
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 1736

Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES

Introduced by:
(HS)

AN ACT EXPANDING TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS FOR HOME
CARE CLIENTS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 17b-343 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2
The Commissioner of Social Services shall establish annually the 3
maximum allowable rate to be paid by agencies for homemaker 4
services, chore person services, companion services, respite care, meals 5
on wheels, adult day care services, case management and assessment 6
services, transportation, mental health counseling and elderly foster 7
care. The Commissioner of Social Services shall prescribe uniform forms 8
on which agencies providing such services shall report their costs for 9
such services. Such rates shall be determined on the basis of a reasonable 10
payment for necessary services rendered. The maximum allowable rates 11
established by the Commissioner of Social Services for the Connecticut 12
home-care program for the elderly established under section 17b-342 13
shall constitute the rates required under this section until revised in 14
accordance with this section. The Commissioner of Social Services shall 15

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establish a fee schedule, to be effective on and after July 1, 1994, for 16
homemaker services, chore person services, companion services, respite 17
care, meals on wheels, adult day care services, case management and 18
assessment services, transportation, mental health counseling and 19
elderly foster care. The commissioner may annually increase the fee 20
schedule based on an increase in the cost of services. On and after July 21
1, 2026, the commissioner shall increase the fee schedule for a home care 22
provider, as defined in section 17b-374, who provides transportation to 23
or from medical appointments for home care clients who are Medicaid 24
beneficiaries, provided such provider has a state-issued driver's license 25
and sufficient liability insurance as prescribed by the commissioner. The 26
commissioner shall increase the fee schedule effective July 1, 2000, by 27
not less than five per cent, for adult day care services. The commissioner 28
shall increase the fee schedule effective July 1, 2011, by four dollars per 29
person, per day for adult day care services. The commissioner shall 30
increase the fee schedule effective July 1, 2019, for meals on wheels by 31
ten per cent over the fee schedule for meals on wheels for the previous 32
fiscal year. Effective July 1, 2020, and annually thereafter, the 33
commissioner may increase the fee schedule for meals on wheels 34
providers serving participants in the Connecticut home-care program 35
for the elderly by, at a minimum, the cost-of-living adjustment as 36
measured by the consumer price index. The commissioner may increase 37
any fee payable to a meals on wheels provider upon the application of 38
such provider evidencing extraordinary costs related to delivery of 39
meals on wheels in sparsely populated rural regions of the state. 40
Nothing contained in this section shall authorize a payment by the state 41
to any agency for such services in excess of the amount charged by such 42
agency for such services to the general public. 43
Sec. 2. Section 17b-276 of the general statutes is amended by adding 44
subsection (c) as follows (Effective July 1, 2026): 45
(NEW) (c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, on and 46
after July 1, 2026, the commissioner shall reimburse a home care 47
provider, as defined in section 17b-374, who provides a home care client 48
who is a Medicaid beneficiary transportation to or from a medical 49

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appointment, provided such home care provider has a state-issued 50
driver's license and sufficient liability insurance as prescribed by the 51
commissioner. 52
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 17b-343
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 17b-276(c)

HS Joint Favorable