Connecticut SB 433: AN ACT EXPANDING LONG-TERM CARE OPTIONS.

Bill Text

LCO  
 
1 of 3 
  
General Assembly  
Substitute Bill No. 433  
February Session, 2026 
 
 
 
 
 
AN ACT EXPANDING LONG-TERM CARE OPTIONS.  
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repealed  and  the  following  is  substituted  in  lieu  thereof  (Effective  from 2 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 

Substitute Bill No. 433 
 
 
LCO      2 of 3 
 
institutional beds; [(8)] (H) the current rate structure applicable to home, 20 
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, 2026, the Commissioner of Social Services shall 25 
rebalance the strategic plan for long-term care supports and services to 26 
increase  opportunities  for  Medicaid  beneficiaries  and  other  persons 27 
with  limited  income  who  do  not  qualify  for  Medicaid  for  aged,  blind 28 
and  disabled  persons  to  receive  care  in  a  home  or  community-based 29 
setting.  The  rebalanced  strategic  plan  shall  include,  but  need  not  be 30 
limited to, (A) increased outreach by the Department of Social Services 31 
to Medicaid beneficiaries and other such persons who  may be eligible 32 
for  the  Connecticut  home-care  program  for  the  elderly,  established 33 
pursuant  to  section  17b-342,  and  Medicaid  waiver  programs  that 34 
provide home or community-based care, and (B) assistance provided by 35 
the   department   to   such   beneficiaries   or   other   such   persons   in 36 
completing   applications   for   such   programs.   For   purposes   of   this 37 
subdivision,   "limited   income"   means   income   not   exceeding   three 38 
hundred per cent of the federal poverty level. 39 
Sec. 2. Section 17b-337 of the general statutes is amended by adding 40 
subsection (g) as follows (Effective from passage): 41 
(NEW)  (g)  The  Long-Term  Care  Planning  Committee  shall  study 42 
systems  and  methods  to  expand  long-term  care  options  for  Medicaid 43 
beneficiaries and other persons with limited income who do not qualify 44 
for  Medicaid  for  aged,  blind  and  disabled  persons,  including,  but  not 45 
limited to, allowing a greater number of such beneficiaries and persons 46 
to receive care at home or in a community-based setting rather than in 47 
skilled  nursing  facilities.  Not  later  than  December  1,  2027,  the  Long-48 
Term  Care  Planning  Committee  shall  submit  a  report,  in  accordance 49 
with the provisions of section 11-4a, to the joint standing committees of 50 
the  General  Assembly  having  cognizance  of  matters  relating  to  aging, 51 
appropriations  and  the  budgets  of  state  agencies,  human  services  and 52 

Substitute Bill No. 433 
 
 
LCO      3 of 3 
 
public health on the study and any recommendations for appropriations 53 
or  legislation  necessary  to  expand  long-term  care  options.  The  report 54 
shall include any estimated savings to the state related to reducing care 55 
in  skilled  nursing  facilities  as  a  result  of  increasing  options  for  care  at 56 
home or in a community-based setting. For purposes of this subsection, 57 
"limited  income"  means  income  not  exceeding  three  hundred  per cent 58 
of the federal poverty level. 59 
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) 
 
APP Joint Favorable Subst.