Connecticut HB 5559: AN ACT CONCERNING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PERSONS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

Bill Text

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General Assembly Substitute Bill No. 5559
February Session, 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING A BASIC HEALTH PROGRAM.
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 and 1
sections 2 to 4, inclusive, of this act: 2
(1) "Affordable Care Act" has the same meaning as provided in 3
section 38a-1080 of the general statutes; 4
(2) "Eligible individual" means a state resident who (A) is under sixty-5
five years of age, (B) has household income exceeding one hundred 6
thirty-three per cent of the federal poverty level but not exceeding two 7
hundred per cent of the federal poverty level, (C) is otherwise ineligible 8
for medical assistance programs established pursuant to chapter 319v of 9
the general statutes, and (D) is otherwise eligible to enroll in a qualified 10
health plan, as defined in section 38a-1080 of the general statutes, on 11
Access Health Connecticut; and 12
(3) "Basic health program" means a health care program authorized 13
under Section 1331 of the Affordable Care Act for eligible individuals 14
that is funded by federal payments to the state amounting to ninety-five 15
per cent of the health insurance premium tax credits and cost-sharing 16
reductions that would have otherwise been provided to, or on behalf of, 17
eligible individuals under the Affordable Care Act. 18

Substitute Bill No. 5559

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(b) On and after October 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Social Services, 19
in consultation with the Office of Policy and Management and based 20
upon the recommendations of the working group established pursuant 21
to section 3 of this act, shall seek any necessary approvals from the 22
federal government to establish a basic health program and take all 23
necessary actions to maximize federal funding. 24
(c) The commissioner shall, in accordance with the Affordable Care 25
Act, coordinate the administration of, and provision of benefits under, 26
the basic health program with the state medical assistance programs. To 27
the extent permissible under the Affordable Care Act, medical 28
assistance provided through the basic health program shall include the 29
benefits, limits on cost-sharing and other consumer safeguards that 30
apply to the state medical assistance programs. 31
(d) If the commissioner determines that the cost of medical assistance 32
provided to eligible individuals in the basic health program will exceed 33
federal subsidies, or if changes in federal law, regulations or the 34
administration of federal law or regulations affects funding, eligibility 35
for or administration of the program, the commissioner, in consultation 36
with the Office of Policy and Management, may develop a plan to 37
respond to such changes. To the extent that federal funds received under 38
the Affordable Care Act for the basic health program exceed the cost of 39
medical assistance that would otherwise be provided to eligible 40
individuals, the commissioner shall use such funds to reduce the 41
premiums and cost-sharing of, or provide additional benefits for, 42
eligible individuals in accordance with 42 USC 18051, as amended from 43
time to time. 44
(e) The Commissioner of Social Services shall forward any 45
application for federal approval of or changes to the basic health 46
program to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 47
having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets 48
of state agencies and human services and to the working group 49
established pursuant to section 3 of this act not later than thirty days 50
before seeking federal approval for the program. 51

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(f) Not later than January 1, 2027, every six months thereafter through 52
January 1, 2030, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall submit 53
a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 54
statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 55
having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and the budgets 56
of state agencies, human services and insurance and real estate. The 57
report shall contain a narrative description of the operations, activities 58
and finances of the basic health program and any supporting 59
documentation or data for the immediately preceding reporting period. 60
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) There is established an account 61
to be known as the "basic health program account", which shall be a 62
separate, nonlapsing account. The account shall contain any moneys 63
required by law to be deposited in the account. Moneys in the account 64
shall be expended by the Department of Social Services solely for the 65
purposes of operating a basic health program in accordance with the 66
Affordable Care Act and section 1 of this act. 67
Sec. 3. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Commissioner of Social 68
Services shall establish a working group to oversee