Bill Text: CT HB05325 | 2014 | General Assembly | Comm Sub

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Bill Title: An Act Eliminating The Home-care Cost Cap.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-5-1)

Status: (Passed) 2014-06-06 - Signed by the Governor [HB05325 Detail]

Download: Connecticut-2014-HB05325-Comm_Sub.html

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General Assembly		Raised Bill No. 5325
February Session, 2014		LCO No. 1457
		*_____HB05325APP___040214____*
Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES
Introduced by:
(HS)

AN ACT ELIMINATING THE HOME-CARE COST CAP.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 17b-342 of the 2014 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2014):

(a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall administer the Connecticut home-care program for the elderly state-wide in order to prevent the institutionalization of elderly persons (1) who are recipients of medical assistance, (2) who are eligible for such assistance, (3) who would be eligible for medical assistance if residing in a nursing facility, or (4) who meet the criteria for the state-funded portion of the program under subsection (i) of this section. For purposes of this section, a long-term care facility is a facility that has been federally certified as a skilled nursing facility or intermediate care facility. The commissioner shall make any revisions in the state Medicaid plan required by Title XIX of the Social Security Act prior to implementing the program. [The annualized cost of the community-based services provided to such persons under the program shall not exceed sixty per cent of the weighted average cost of care in skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities.] The program shall be structured so that the net cost to the state for long-term facility care in combination with the [community-based] services under the program shall not exceed the net cost the state would have incurred without the program. The commissioner shall investigate the possibility of receiving federal funds for the program and shall apply for any necessary federal waivers. A recipient of services under the program, and the estate and legally liable relatives of the recipient, shall be responsible for reimbursement to the state for such services to the same extent required of a recipient of assistance under the state supplement program, medical assistance program, temporary family assistance program or supplemental nutrition assistance program. Only a United States citizen or a noncitizen who meets the citizenship requirements for eligibility under the Medicaid program shall be eligible for home-care services under this section, except a qualified alien, as defined in Section 431 of Public Law 104-193, admitted into the United States on or after August 22, 1996, or other lawfully residing immigrant alien determined eligible for services under this section prior to July 1, 1997, shall remain eligible for such services. Qualified aliens or other lawfully residing immigrant aliens not determined eligible prior to July 1, 1997, shall be eligible for services under this section subsequent to six months from establishing residency. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, any qualified alien or other lawfully residing immigrant alien or alien who formerly held the status of permanently residing under color of law who is a victim of domestic violence or who has intellectual disability shall be eligible for assistance pursuant to this section. Qualified aliens, as defined in Section 431 of Public Law 104-193, or other lawfully residing immigrant aliens or aliens who formerly held the status of permanently residing under color of law shall be eligible for services under this section provided other conditions of eligibility are met.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:
Section 1	July 1, 2014	17b-342(a)

HS	Joint Favorable C/R	APP
APP	Joint Favorable