Connecticut 2024 Regular Session Status: In Committee Bipartisan · 3 D · 2 R cosponsors

SB 244 — AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF EXPANDING ACCESS TO RESPITE SERVICES BY PURSUING A FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT BENEFIT THROUGH A MEDICAID DEMONSTRATION WAIVER.

Last action — FILE NO. 116

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2024 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

66 added · 112 removed

66 line(s) added, 112 removed.

→
Previous
Latest
General Assembly Raised Bill No.
Senate General Assembly File No.
244 February Session, 2024 LCO No.
116 February Session, 2024 Substitute Senate Bill No.
1859 Referred to Committee on AGING Introduced by:
244 Senate, March 26, 2024 The Committee on Aging reported through SEN.
(AGE) AN ACT EXPANDING ACCESS TO THE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE RESPITE CARE PROGRAM.
HOCHADEL of the 13th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill ought to pass.
AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF EXPANDING ACCESS TO RESPITE SERVICES BY PURSUING A FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT BENEFIT THROUGH A MEDICAID DEMONSTRATION WAIVER.
Section 17a-860 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
(Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Social Services shall conduct a study on the feasibility of pursuing a family caregiver support benefit through a Medicaid demonstration waiver under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act that would provide respite services and support to residents of the state who are not otherwise eligible for such services under Medicaid.
(a) As used in this section:
Such study shall include an examination of (1) Oregon's project independence and family caregiver assistance program operated pursuant to such a demonstration waiver, (2) other options to expand eligibility for respite services for persons not eligible for Medicaid, and (3) potential state-funded long-term care services that could be used to offset the costs of a family caregiver support benefit.
(1) "Respite care services" means support services which provide short-term relief from the demands of ongoing care for an individual with Alzheimer's disease.
Not later than January 1, 2025, the commissioner shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general sSB244 / File No.
(2) "Caretaker" means a person who has theresponsibility for the care of an individual with Alzheimer's disease or has assumed the responsibility for such individual voluntarily, by contract or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
116 1 sSB244 File No.
(3) "Copayment" means a payment made by or on behalf of an individual with Alzheimer's disease for respite care services.
116 statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to aging and human services regarding the results of such study.
(4) "Individual with Alzheimer's disease" means an individual with LCO No.
1859 1 of 4 Raised Bill No.244 Alzheimer's disease or related disorders.
(b) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall operate a program, within available appropriations, to provide respite care services for caretakers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, provided such individuals with Alzheimer's disease meet the requirements set forth in subsection (c) of this section.
Such respite care services may include, but need not be limited to:
(1) [homemaker] Homemaker services;
(2) adult day care;
(3) temporary care in a licensed medical facility;
(4) home-health care;
(5) companion services;
or (6) personal care assistant services.
Such respite care services may be administered directly by the Department of Aging and Disability Services, or through contracts for services with providers of such services, or by means of direct subsidy to caretakers of individuals with Alzheimer's disease to purchase such services.
(c) (1) No individual with Alzheimer's disease may participate in the programifsuchindividual(A)hasanannual incomeofmorethan forty- one thousand dollars or liquid assets of more than one hundred nine thousand dollars, or (B) is receiving services under the Connecticut home-care program for the elderly.
On July 1, 2009, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall increase such income and asset eligibility criteria over that of the previous fiscal year to reflect the annual cost of living adjustment in Social Security income, if any.
(2) No individual with Alzheimer's disease who participates in the programmayreceivemore thanthreethousandfive hundreddollarsfor services under the program in any fiscal year or receive more than thirty days of out-of-home respite care services other than adult day care services under the program in any fiscal year, except that the commissioner shall adopt regulations pursuant to subsection (d) of this section to provide up to seven thousand five hundred dollars for services to a participant in the program who demonstrates a need for additional services.
(3) The commissioner may require an individual with Alzheimer's LCO No.
1859 2 of 4 Raised Bill No.244 disease who participates in the program to pay a copayment for respite care services under the program, except the commissioner may waive such copayment upon demonstration of financial hardship by such individual.
(d) The commissioner shall adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 to implement the provisions of this section.
Suchregulationsshallinclude,butneednotbelimitedto:(1)[standards] Standards for eligibility for respite care services;
(2) the basis for priority in receiving services;
(3) qualifications and requirements of providers, which shall include specialized training in Alzheimer's disease, dementia and related disorders;
(4) a requirement that providers accredited by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, when available, receive preference in contracting for services;
(5) provider reimbursement levels;
(6) limits on services and cost of services;
and (7) a fee schedule for copayments.
(e) The commissioner may allocate any funds appropriated in excess of five hundred thousand dollars for the program among the five area agencies on aging according to need, as determined by the commissioner.
(f) The Commissioner of Social Services shall apply for any available federal funding, including, but not limited to, a waiver under Section 1115 oftheSocialSecurity Act,asamendedfromtime totime,to support the program established pursuant to this section.
Sec.
2.
Subsection (g) of section 17a-780 of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2024):
(g) The Department of Aging and Disability Services is designated as the State Unit on Aging to administer, manage, design and advocate for benefits, programs and services for older persons and their families pursuant to the Older Americans Act.
Show all 60 changed rows (20 more)
Previous
Latest
The department shall study continuously the conditions and needs of older persons in this state in relation to nutrition, transportation, home care, housing, income, LCO No.
1859 3 of 4 Raised Bill No.244 employment, health, recreationandother matters.The department shall be responsible, in cooperation with federal, state, local and area planning agencies on aging, for the overall planning, development and administration of a comprehensive and integrated social service delivery system for older persons.
The Department of Aging and Disability Services is designated as the state agency for the administration of nutritional programs for elderly persons described in section 17a-852, the fall prevention program described in section 17a- 859, the CHOICES program described in section 17a-857, the Aging and Disability Resource Center Program described in section 17a-858 and the Alzheimer's [respite] disease respite care program described in section 17b-860.
Section 1 July 1, 2024 17a-860 Sec.
Section 1 from passage New section AGE Joint Favorable Subst.
2 July 1, 2024 17a-780(g) Statement of Purpose:
sSB244 / File No.
To require the Commissioner of Social Services to seek, and, if issued, implement a waiver under Section1115oftheSocialSecurity Act to seek federal funds to support the Alzheimer's disease respite care program.
116 2 sSB244 File No.
[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets.
116 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.
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.] LCO No.
In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.
1859 4 of 4
Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.
OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:
None Municipal Impact:
None Explanation The bill, which requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to conduct a study onthefeasibility of pursuing afamily caregiversupport benefit through a Medicaid demonstration waiver, does not result in a fiscal impact because DSS has the expertise necessary to meet the requirements of the bill.
The Out Years State Impact:
None Municipal Impact:
None sSB244 / File No.
116 3 sSB244 File No.
116 OLR Bill Analysis sSB 244 AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF EXPANDING ACCESS TO RESPITE SERVICES BY PURSUING A FAMILY CAREGIVER SUPPORT BENEFIT THROUGH A MEDICAID DEMONSTRATION WAIVER.
SUMMARY The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts.
COMMITTEE ACTION Aging Committee Joint Favorable Substitute Yea 15 Nay 0 (03/12/2024) sSB244 / File No.
116 4
⬇ Download PDF
View plain text versions (3)

Action History

  1. FILE NO. 116

  2. SENATE CALENDAR NUMBER 103

  3. FAV. RPT., TAB. FOR CAL., SEN.

  4. RPTD. OUT OF LCO

  5. REFERRED TO Office of Legislative Research AND Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/25/24

  6. FILED WITH LCO

  7. Joint Favorable Substitute

  8. PUBLIC HEARING 0305

  9. REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Aging

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

Export CSV (upgrade) →

6 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 181 not signed on

Sponsors (6)

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (181)

181 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 181 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

healthcare health-insurance
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors SB 244?
SB 244 is sponsored by Sanchez, J., Tony Hwang (Republican), Mitch Bolinsky (Republican), Jan Hochadel (Democratic), Jane M. Garibay (Democratic), and Sarah Keitt (Democratic).
What is the current status of SB 244?
This bill died with 2024 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 244?
Track SB 244 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

Make your voice heard on SB 244

Find the representatives who decide this bill and tell them where you stand — for yourself, or mobilize your whole list in one click with One Click Politics advocacy software.

Find my representatives → Run a campaign

Stay ahead of SB 244

Last checked for changes 2 months ago · updated continuously

One Click Politics tracks every bill in Congress and all 50 states.

Track this bill →