Connecticut HB 5561: AN ACT CONCERNING A SPECIAL LICENSE PLATE TO RECOGNIZE RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5561

Public Act No. 26-146

AN ACT CONCERNING A FIVE-YEAR MEDICAID RATE REVIEW,
DENTAL REPRESENTATION ON A MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
OVERSIGHT COUNCIL, BIOMARKER TESTING AND OPIOID
PRESCRIPTION COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS AND A STUDY
CONCERNING PAYMENT OF SPOUSES FOR STATE-SUBSIDIZED
HOME CARE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) As used in this section,
"Medicaid rate study" means the study commissioned by the
Department of Social Services pursuant to section 1 of public act 23-186.
(b) The Commissioner of Social Services shall create a five-year
process for the regular and predictable review of Medicaid rates of
reimbursement, which shall (1) examine the rates of reimbursement
paid to Medicaid providers, and (2) benchmark such rates to rates for
the same services paid by Medicare when possible under available
appropriations. Not later than January 1, 2027, the commissioner shall
review Medicaid rates of reimbursement in accordance with such
process.
(c) The Medicaid rate review process may include the evaluation of
rates paid in individual components of the Medicaid program, provided
an evaluation of all rates paid shall be completed not later than January

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1, 2032. As part of this process, the commissioner may, in consultation
with the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, review and,
to the extent funds are appropriated for this purpose, increase and
rebase rates at the conclusion of each calendar year using an applicable,
more current Medicare base year to (1) strengthen access to care, (2)
improve quality and outcomes of care, and (3) reduce spending on acute
care services.
(d) At the conclusion of the five-year review process prescribed by
this section, the commissioner shall commence a new review following
the same schedule of evaluation and thereafter shall continue to
commence such reviews every five years. As part of the review process,
the commissioner shall streamline and consolidate existing fee
schedules used for provider or service reimbursement so that every
provider is reimbursed for the same service using the same fee schedule.
In streamlining and consolidating existing fee schedules, the
commissioner shall take into consideration, among other factors and to
the extent applicable, the most recent Medicare fee schedule for services
covered by Medicare as well as Medicaid.
(e) The commissioner shall develop a process to accept public
comment as part of the Medicaid rate evaluation process. Such public-
comment process shall, at a minimum, allow for the submission of
written comments by a means prescribed by the commissioner and oral
comments (1) at one or more public meetings held at a time and place
selected by the commissioner, and (2) at one or more meetings of the
Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight, established
pursuant to section 17b-28 of the general statutes, as amended by this
act.
(f) Not later than January 15, 2028, and annually thereafter, the
commissioner shall file a report, in accordance with the provisions of
section 11-4a of the general statutes, with the joint standing committees
of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to

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appropriations and the budgets of state agencies and human services on
the rate evaluation process. The report shall include the commissioner's
recommendations on the level of appropriations required to increase
compensation for Medicaid providers for health care services in
accordance with this section and a description of the data and
methodology used to reach such recommendations.
Sec. 2. Subsection (c) of section 17b-28 of the 2026 supplement to the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026):
(c) On and after October 31, 2017, the council shall be composed of
the following members:
(1) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters
relating to aging, human services, public health and appropriations and
the budgets of state agencies, or their designees;
(2) Five appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives,
one of whom shall be a member of the General Assembly, one of whom
shall be a community provider of adult Medicaid health services, one of
whom shall be a recipient of Medicaid benefits for the aged, blind and
disabled or an advocate for such a recipient, one of whom shall be a
representative of the state's federally qualified health clinics and one of
whom shall be a member of the Connecticut Hospital Association;
(3) Five appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of
whom shall be a member of the General Assembly, one of whom shall
be a representative of the home health care industry, one of whom shall
be a pr