SB 438 — AN ACT REQUIRING TIMELY PAYMENT OF FUEL VENDORS IN THE CONNECTICUT ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

AN ACT CONCERNINGREQUIRING ATIMELY STUDYPAYMENT OF MEDICAID-FUNDEDFUEL PROGRAMSVENDORS ANDIN THE CONNECTICUT ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

General Assembly   RaisedSubstitute Bill No.

438 February Session, 2018   LCO*_____SB00438HS____032018____* No.AN ACT REQUIRING TIMELY PAYMENT OF FUEL VENDORS IN THE CONNECTICUT ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

2158   *02158_______HS_* Referred to Committee on HUMAN SERVICES   Introduced by:

  (HS)   AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF MEDICAID-FUNDED PROGRAMS AND THE CONNECTICUT ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.

(Effective from passage) (a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall conduct a study of Medicaid-funded state programs administered under Title XIX of the Social Security Act, as amended from time to time, and other programs administered by the Department of Social Services for low-income persons.

Such study shall include, but need not be limited to, a report on:

(1) Factors the commissioner deems pertinent to quality of care;

(2) whether there are any gaps in access by eligible residents;

and (3) whether any provisions of the Medicaid-funded state programs need to be changed in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L.

111-148, as amended from time to time.

(b) Not later than July 1, 2019, the commissioner shall report the results of the study, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services.

Such report may include the commissioner's recommendations for addressing identified gaps in the provision of services and improving access to such services.

Sec.

2.

and (F) A payment plan for fuel deliveries beginning November 1, 2018, that ensures a vendor of deliverable fuel who completes deliveries authorized by a community action agency that contracts with the commissioner to administer a fuel assistance program is paid by the community action agency or the Department of Social Services not later than tenthirty business days after the date ofthe community action agency receives a fuel delivery;slip or invoice for payment from the vendor;

(e) TheNot later than November 1, 2018, the Commissioner of Social Services shall require each community action agency administering a fuel assistance program to make payment to vendorsa vendor of deliverable fuel not later than tenthirty days after the community action agency receives a fuel delivery.slip or invoice for payment from the vendor.

The commissioner shall allocate available state funding in a reserve account for the Connecticut energy assistance program to make payment not later than ten days after fuel delivery to such vendors if a community action agency is unable to or fails to make such payment.

The commissioner may recover the amount of any state payments made on behalf of the community action agency and assess penalties against such community action agency at the commissioner's discretion.

Section 1 from passage New16a-41a sectionHS Sec.Joint Favorable Subst.

2 from passage 16a-41a Statement of Purpose:

To require the Commissioner of Social Services to study the efficacy of Medicaid-funded programs and other programs administered by the Department of Social Services and to ensure payment of fuel vendors in the Connecticut energy assistance program.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets.

Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]