AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT.

House of Representatives
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General Assembly File No. 680
February Session, 2026 Substitute House Bill No. 5030

House of Representatives, April 20, 2026

The Committee on Appropriations reported through REP.
WALKER of the 93rd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on
the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) On and after July 1, 2026, 1
the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall issue Pizza State 2
commemorative number plates of a design to enhance public awareness 3
of the state's pizza -making tradition and to provide funding to 4
Connecticut Foodshare. The design shall be determined by the 5
commissioner. No use shall be made of such plates except as official 6
registration marker plates. 7
(b) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles shall charge a fee of sixty -8
five dollars for Pizza State commemorative number plates, in addition 9
to the regular fee or fees prescribed for the registration of a motor 10
vehicle. The commissioner shall deposit fifteen dollars of such fee into 11
an account controlled by the Department of Motor Vehicles to be used 12
for the cost of producing, issuing, renewing and replacing such number 13
plates, and fifty dollars of such fee into the Pizza State commemorative 14
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account established under subsection (d) of this section. Except as 15
provided in subsection (f) of this section, no additional fee shall be 16
charged in connection with the renewal of such number plates. No 17
transfer fee shall be charged for transfer of an existing registration to or 18
from a registration with Pizza State commemorative number plates. 19
Such number plates shall have letters and numbers selected by the 20
Commissioner of Motor Vehicles. The commissioner may establish a 21
higher fee for number plates: (1) That contain the numbers and letters 22
from a previously issued number plate; (2) that contain letters in place 23
of numbers, as authorized by section 14 -49 of the general statutes, in 24
addition to the fee or fees prescribed for registration under said section; 25
and (3) that are low number plates issued in accordance with section 14-26
160 of the general statutes, in addition to the fee or fees prescribed for 27
registration under said section. All fees established and collected 28
pursuant to this section, except moneys designated for administrative 29
costs of the Department of Motor Vehicles, shall be deposited in the 30
Pizza State commemorative account. 31
(c) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may adopt regulations, in 32
accordance with the provisions of chapter 54 of the general statutes, to 33
establish standards and procedures for the issuance, renewal and 34
replacement of Pizza State commemorative number plates. 35
(d) There is established an account to be known as the "Pizza State 36
commemorative account", which shall be a separate, nonlapsing 37
account. The account shall contain any moneys required by law to be 38
deposited in the account. Moneys in the account shall be distributed 39
annually by the Department of Motor Vehicles to Connecticut 40
Foodshare. The commissioner may receive private donations to the 41
account and any such receipts shall be deposited in the account. 42
(e) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may provide for the 43
reproduction and marking of the Pizza State commemorative number 44
plates image for use on clothing, recreational equipment, posters, 45
mementoes or other products or programs deemed by the commissioner 46
to be suitable as a means of supporting the Pizza State commemorative 47
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account. Any moneys received by the commissioner from such 48
marketing shall be deposited in the account. 49
(f) The Commissioner of Motor Vehicles may allow a registrant to 50
make an additional voluntary donation of fifteen dollars at the time of 51
registration renewal for any motor vehicle bearing a Pizza State 52
commemorative number plate. Any such donation shall be deposited in 53
the Pizza State commemorative account. 54
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 29 -1r of the general statutes is 55
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof ( Effective from 56
passage): 57
(a) There is established a Department of Emergency Services and 58
Public Protection. Said department shall be the designated emergency 59
management and homeland security agency for the state. The 60
department head shall be the Commissioner of Emergency Services and 61
Public Protection, who shall be appointed by the Governor in 62
accordance with sections 4 -5 to 4 -8, inclusive, as amended by this act , 63
with the powers and duties prescribed in said sections. The 64
commissioner shall be responsible for providing a coordinated, 65
integrated program for the protection of life and property and for state-66
wide emergency management and homeland security. The 67
commissioner shall appoint not more than [two] three deputy 68
commissioners who shall, under the direction of the commissioner, 69
assist in the administration of the department. The commissioner may 70
do all things necessary to apply for, qualify for and accept any federal 71
funds made available or allotted under any federal act for emergency 72
management or homeland security. 73
Sec. 3. Subsection (d) of section 14-21cc of the 2026 supplement to the 74
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 75
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 76
(d) The funds in the account shall be distributed [quarterly] annually 77
by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management to Hispanic -78
American Veterans of Connecticut, Inc. 79
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Sec. 4. Subsection (a) of section 4 -65a of the general statutes is 80
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof ( Effective from 81
passage): 82
(a) There shall be an Office of Policy and Management which shall be 83
responsible for all aspects of state staff planning and analysis in the 84
areas of budgeting, management, planning, [energy policy 85
determination and evaluation,] intergovernmental policy, criminal and 86
juvenile justice planning and program evaluation. The department head 87
shall be the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, who shall 88
be appointed by the Governor in accordance with the provisions of 89
sections 4-5, as amended by this act, 4-6, 4-7 and 4-8, with all the powers 90
and duties therein prescribed. The Secretary of the Office of Policy and 91
Management shall be the employer representative (1) in collective 92
bargaining negotiations concerning changes to the state employees 93
retirement system and health and welfare benefits, and (2) in all other 94
matters involving collective bargaining, including negotiation and 95
administration of all collective bargaining agreements and 96
supplemental understandings between the state and the state employee 97
unions concerning all executive branch employees except (A) 98
employees of the Division of Criminal Justice, and (B) faculty and 99
professional employees of boards of trustees of constituent units of the 100
state system of higher education. The secretary may designate a member 101
of the secretary's staff to act as the employer representative in the 102
secretary's place. 103
Sec. 5. Subsection (b) of section 7-74 of the general statutes is repealed 104
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 105
(b) (1) The fee for a certified copy of a certificate of marriage or death 106
shall be twenty dollars. Such fees shall not be required of the 107
department. 108
(2) Any fee received by the Department of Public Health for a 109
certificate of death shall be deposited in the neglected cemetery account, 110
established in accordance with section 19a-308b. 111
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(3) On or before October 31, 2026, and quarterly thereafter, the 112
Commissioner of Public Health shall certify to the Secretary of the Office 113
of Policy and Management the amount of fees collected in accordance 114
with subdivision (1) of this subsection during the immediately 115
preceding calendar quarter and the balance in the neglected cemetery 116
account, established in accordance with section 19a -308b, as of the last 117
day of the immediately preceding calendar quarter. 118
Sec. 6. Section 46a -52 of the general statutes is repealed and the 119
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 120
(a) The commission shall consist of nine persons. On and after 121
October 1, 2000, such persons shall be appointed with the advice and 122
consent of both houses of the General Assembly. (1) On or before July 123
15, 1990, the Governor shall appoint five members of the commission, 124
three of whom shall serve for terms of five years and two of whom shall 125
serve for terms of three years. Upon the expiration of such terms, and 126
thereafter, the Governor shall appoint either two or three members, as 127
appropriate, to serve for terms of five years. On or before July 14, 1990, 128
the president pro tempore of the Senate, the minority leader of the 129
Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the minority 130
leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint one member 131
to serve for a term of three years. Upon the expiration of such terms, and 132
thereafter, members so appointed shall serve for terms of three years. 133
(2) If any vacancy occurs, the appointing authority making the initial 134
appointment shall appoint a person to serve for the remainder of the 135
unexpired term. The Governor shall select one of the members of the 136
commission to serve as chairperson for a term of one year. The 137
commission shall meet at least once during each two-month period and 138
at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary. Special 139
meetings shall be held on the request of a majority of the members of 140
the commission after notice in accordance with the provisions of section 141
1-225. 142
(b) Except as provided in section 46a -57, the members of the 143
commission shall serve without pay, but their reasonable expenses, 144
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including educational training expenses and expenses for necessary 145
stenographic and clerical help, shall be paid by the state upon approval 146
of the Commissioner of Administrative Services. Not later than two 147
months after appointment to the commission, each member of the 148
commission shall receive a minimum of ten hours of introductory 149
training prior to voting on any commission matter. Each year following 150
such introductory training, each member shall receive five hours of 151
follow-up training. Such introductory and follow -up training shall 152
consist of instruction on the laws governing discrimination in 153
employment, housing, public accommodation and credit, affirmative 154
action and the procedures of the commission. Such training shall be 155
organized by the managing director of the legal division of the 156
commission. Any member who fails to complete such training shall not 157
vote on any commission matter. Any member who fails to comply with 158
such introductory training requirement within six months of 159
appointment shall be deemed to have resigned from office. Any member 160
who fails to attend three consecutive meetings or who fails to attend 161
fifty per cent of all meetings held during any calendar year shall be 162
deemed to have resigned from office. 163
(c) On or before July 15, 1989, the commission shall appoint an 164
executive director who shall be the chief executive officer of the 165
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities to serve for a term 166
expiring on July 14, 1990. Upon the expiration of such term and 167
thereafter, the executive director shall be appointed for a term of four 168
years. The executive director shall be supervised and annually 169
evaluated by the commission. The executive director shall serve at the 170
pleasure of the commission but no longer than four years from July 171
fifteenth in the year of his or her appointment unless reappointed 172
pursuant to the provisions of this subsection. The executive director 173
shall receive an annual salary within the salary range of a salary group 174
established by the Commissioner of Administrative Services for the 175
position. The executive director (1) shall conduct comprehensive 176
planning with respect to the functions of the commission; (2) shall 177
coordinate the activities of the commission; and (3) shall cause the 178
administrative organization of the commission to be examined with a 179
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view to promoting economy and efficiency. In accordance with 180
established procedures, the executive director may enter into such 181
contractual agreements as may be necessary for the discharge of the 182
director's duties. 183
(d) The executive director may appoint no more than two deputy 184
directors with the approval of a majority of the members of the 185
commission. The deputy directors shall be supervised by the executive 186
director and shall assist the executive director in the administration of 187
the commission, the effectuation of its statutory responsibilities and 188
such other duties as may be assigned by the executive director. Deputy 189
directors shall serve at the pleasure of the executive director and 190
without tenure. The executive director may remove a deputy director 191
with the approval of a majority of the members of the commission. 192
[(e) The commission shall be within the Labor Department for 193
administrative purposes only.] 194
Sec. 7. Subsection (d) of section 1 -84 of the 2026 supplement to the 195
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 196
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 197
(d) No public official or state employee or employee of such public 198
official or state employee shall agree to accept, or be a member or 199
employee of a partnership, association, professional corporation or sole 200
proprietorship which partnership, association, professional corporation 201
or sole proprietorship agrees to accept any employment, fee or other 202
thing of value, or portion thereof, for appearing, agreeing to appear, or 203
taking any other action on behalf of another person before the 204
Department of Banking, the Office of the Claims Commissioner, the 205
Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] 206
Department of Public Health , the Insurance Department, the 207
Department of Consumer Protection, the Department of Motor Vehicles, 208
the State Insurance and Risk Management Board, the Department of 209
Energy and Environmental Protection, the Public Utilities Regulatory 210
Authority, the Connecticut Siting Council or the Connecticut Real Estate 211
Commission; provided this shall not prohibit any such person from 212
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making inquiry for information on behalf of another before any of said 213
commissions or commissioners if no fee or reward is given or promised 214
in consequence thereof. For the purpose of this subsection, partnerships, 215
associations, professional corporations or sole proprietorships refer 216
only to such partnerships, associations, professional corporations or sole 217
proprietorships which have been formed to carry on the business or 218
profession directly relating to the employment, appearing, agreeing to 219
appear or taking of action provided for in this subsection. Nothing in 220
this subsection shall prohibit any employment, appearing, agreeing to 221
appear or taking action before any municipal board, commission or 222
council. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed as applying (1) to 223
the actions of any teaching or research professional employee of a public 224
institution of higher education if such actions are not in violation of any 225
other provision of this chapter, (2) to the actions of any other 226
professional employee of a public institution of higher education if such 227
actions are not compensated and are not in violation of any other 228
provision of this chapter, (3) to any member of a board or commission 229
who receives no compensation other than per diem payments or 230
reimbursement for actual or necessary expenses, or both, incurred in the 231
performance of the member's duties, or (4) to any member or director of 232
a quasi -public agency. Notwithstanding the provisions of this 233
subsection to the contrary, a legislator, an officer of the General 234
Assembly or part -time legislative employee may be or become a 235
member or employee of a firm, partnership, association or professional 236
corporation which represents clients for compensation before agencies 237
listed in this subsection, provided the legislator, officer of the General 238
Assembly or part -time legislative employee shall take no part in any 239
matter involving the agency listed in this subsection and shall not 240
receive compensation from any such matter. Receipt of a previously 241
established salary, not based on the current or anticipated business of 242
the firm, partnership, association or professional corporation involving 243
the agencies listed in this subsection, shall be permitted. 244
Sec. 8. Subsection (c) of section 1 -84b of the general statutes is 245
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 246
2026): 247
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(c) The provisions of this subsection apply to present or former 248
executive branch public officials or state employees of an agency who 249
hold or formerly held positions which involve significant decision -250
making or supervisory responsibility. Such positions shall be 251
designated as such by the agency concerned, in consultation with the 252
Office of State Ethics, except that such provisions shall not apply to 253
members or former members of the boards or commissions who serve 254
ex officio, who are required by statute to represent the regulated 255
industry or who are permitted by statute to have a past or present 256
affiliation with the regulated industry. On or before November [1, 2021, 257
and not less than ] first annually, [thereafter,] the head of each agency 258
concerned, or his or her designee, shall submit the designation of all 259
positions in existence on such date that are subject to the provisions of 260
this subsection to the office electronically, in a manner prescribed by the 261
Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board. If an agency creates such a position 262
after its annual submission under this subsection, the head of such 263
agency, or his or her designee, shall submit the designation of the newly 264
created position not later than thirty days after the creation of such 265
position. As used in this subsection, "agency" means the Health Systems 266
Planning Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public 267
Health, the Connecticut Siting Council, the Department of Banking, the 268
Insurance Department, the Department of Emergency Services and 269
Public Protection, the office within the Department of Consumer 270
Protection that carries out the duties and responsibilities of sections 30-271
2 to 30 -68m, inclusive, the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, 272
including the Office of Consumer Counsel, and the Department of 273
Consumer Protection and the term "employment" means professional 274
services or other services rendered as an employee or as an independent 275
contractor. 276
(1) No public official or state employee in an executive branch 277
position designated pursuant to the provisions of this subsection shall 278
negotiate for, seek or accept employment with any business subject to 279
regulation by his agency. 280
(2) No former public official or state employee who held such a 281
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position in the executive branch shall, within one year after leaving an 282
agency, accept employment with a business subject to regulation by that 283
agency. 284
(3) No business shall employ a present or former public official or 285
state employee in violation of this subsection. 286
Sec. 9. Subsection (b) of section 2 -137 of the 2026 supplement to the 287
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 288
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 289
(b) The committee shall consist of the following members: 290
(1) The chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing 291
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 292
relating to public health, human services, children and appropriations 293
and the budgets of state agencies, or their designees; 294
(2) Three appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 295
one of whom shall be a member of the General Assembly and two of 296
whom shall be providers of behavioral health services for children in the 297
state; 298
(3) Three appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one 299
of whom shall be a member of the General Assembly and two of whom 300
shall be representatives of private advocacy groups that provide 301
services for children and families in the state; 302
(4) (A) Two appointed by the chairperson of the committee selected 303
by the speaker of the House of Representatives pursuant to subsection 304
(e) of this section, one of whom shall be a child or youth advocate; (B) 305
two appointed by the chairperson of the committee selected by the 306
president pro tempore of the Senate pursuant to subsection (e) of this 307
section, one of whom shall be a child or youth advocate; and (C) two 308
jointly appointed by the three chairpersons of the committee, as 309
described in subsection (e) of this section, who shall be providers of 310
substance use treatment services to young adults; 311
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(5) Two appointed by the majority leader of the House of 312
Representatives, who shall be representatives of children's hospitals; 313
(6) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who shall be 314
a representative of public school superintendents in the state; 315
(7) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 316
Representatives, who shall be representatives of families with children 317
who have been diagnosed with behavioral health disorders; 318
(8) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who shall be 319
providers of behavioral health services; 320
(9) Two jointly appointed by the chairpersons of the joint standing 321
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 322
relating to appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, each of 323
whom shall be a representative of one of the two federally recognized 324
Indian tribes in the state; 325
(10) The Commissioners of Children and Families, Correction, 326
Developmental Services, Early Childhood, Education, Insurance, 327
Mental Health and Addiction Services, Public Health and Social 328
Services, or their designees; 329
[(11) The Commissioner of Health Strategy, or the commissioner's 330
designee;] 331
[(12)] (11) The Child Advocate, or the Child Advocate's designee; 332
[(13)] (12) The Healthcare Advocate and the Behavioral Health 333
Advocate, or their designees; 334
[(14)] (13) The executive director of the Court Support Services 335
Division of the Judicial Branch, or the executive director's designee; 336
[(15)] (14) The executive director of the Commission on Women, 337
Children, Seniors, Equity and Opportunity, or the executive director's 338
designee; 339
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[(16)] (15) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or 340
the secretary's designee; and 341
[(17)] (16) One representative from each administrative services 342
organization under contract with the Department of Social Services to 343
provide such services for recipients of assistance under the HUSKY 344
Health program, who shall be ex-officio, nonvoting members. 345
Sec. 10. Section 4 -5 of the general statutes is repealed and the 346
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 347
As used in sections 4 -6, 4 -7 and 4 -8, the term "department head" 348
means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, 349
Commissioner of Administrative Services, Commissioner of Revenue 350
Services, Banking Commissioner, Commissioner of Children and 351
Families, Commissioner of Consumer Protection, Commissioner of 352
Correction, Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, 353
State Board of Education, Commissioner of Emergency Services and 354
Public Protection, Commissioner of Energy and Environmental 355
Protection, Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Public 356
Health, Insurance Commissioner, Labor Commissioner, Commissioner 357
of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Commissioner of Social 358
Services, Commissioner of Developmental Services, Commissioner of 359
Motor Vehicles, Commissioner of Transportation, Commissioner of 360
Veterans Affairs, Commissioner of Housing, Commissioner of Aging 361
and Disability Services, Commissioner of Early Childhood, 362
[Commissioner of Health Strategy, ] executive director of the Office of 363
Military Affairs, executive director of the Technical Education and 364
Career System, Chief Workforce Officer and Commissioner of Higher 365
Education. As used in sections 4 -6 and 4 -7, "department head" also 366
means the Commissioner of Education. 367
Sec. 11. Subsection (b) of section 4 -101a of the general statutes is 368
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 369
2026): 370
(b) Grants, technical assistance or consultation services, or any 371
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combination thereof, provided under this section may be made to assist 372
a nongovernmental acute care general hospital to develop and 373
implement a plan to achieve financial stability and assure the delivery 374
of appropriate health care services in the service area of such hospital, 375
or to assist a nongovernmental acute care general hospital in 376
determining strategies, goals and plans to ensure its financial viability 377
or stability. Any such hospital seeking such grants, technical assistance 378
or consultation services shall prepare and submit to the Office of Policy 379
and Management and the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office 380
of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health a plan that includes at 381
least the following: (1) A statement of the hospital's current projections 382
of its finances for the current and the next three fiscal years; (2) 383
identification of the major financial issues which effect the financial 384
stability of the hospital; (3) the steps proposed to study or improve the 385
financial status of the hospital and eliminate ongoing operating losses; 386
(4) plans to study or change the mix of services provided by the hospital, 387
which may include transition to an alternative licensure category; and 388
(5) other related elements as determined by the Office of Policy and 389
Management. Such plan shall clearly identify the amount, value or type 390
of the grant, technical assistance or consultation services, or 391
combination thereof, requested. Any grants, technical assistance or 392
consultation services, or any combination thereof, provided under this 393
section shall be determined by the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 394
Management not to jeopardize the federal matching payments under 395
the medical assistance program and the emergency assistance to 396
families program as determined by the Health Systems Planning Unit of 397
the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health or the 398
Department of Social Services in consultation with the Office of Policy 399
and Management. 400
Sec. 12. Subsection (b) of section 8 -37vvv of the 2026 supplement to 401
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 402
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 403
(b) The council shall consist of the following regular members: 404
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(1) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 405
whom is an individual who is experiencing or has experienced 406
homelessness and one of whom is a representative of a continuum of 407
care organization; 408
(2) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 409
one of whom is a representative of an organization that advocates for 410
victims of domestic violence or domestic violence prevention and one 411
of whom is a representative of an organization that provides shelters or 412
housing for individuals experiencing homelessness; 413
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who is a 414
representative of a public housing authority; 415
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 416
Representatives, who has expertise in mental health or addiction 417
treatment; 418
(5) Two appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, one of whom 419
is a representative of local government and one of whom is a 420
representative of a philanthropic organization; 421
(6) Two appointed by the minority leader of the House of 422
Representatives, one of whom is a representative of a faith -based 423
organization and one of whom is a representative of a group that 424
advocates for housing developers; 425
(7) Two appointed by the Commissioner of Housing; 426
(8) The Commissioner of Housing, or the commissioner's designee; 427
(9) The Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services, or the 428
commissioner's designee; 429
(10) The Commissioner of Children and Families, or the 430
commissioner's designee; 431
(11) The Commissioner of Correction, or the commissioner's 432
designee; 433
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(12) The Labor Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee; 434
(13) The Commissioner of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or 435
the commissioner's designee; 436
(14) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 437
designee; 438
(15) The Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, or the commissioner's 439
designee; 440
(16) The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the 441
secretary's designee; 442
(17) The executive director of the Court Support Services Division of 443
the Judicial Department, or the executive director's designee; 444
[(18) The Commissioner of Health Strategy, or the commissioner's 445
designee;] 446
[(19)] (18) The chief executive officer of the Connecticut Housing 447
Finance Authority, or the chief executive officer's designee; and 448
[(20)] (19) The Long-Term Care Ombudsman. 449
Sec. 13. Subdivision (8) of subsection (c) of section 10-222tt of the 2026 450
supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is 451
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 452
(8) The commission, in consultation with the [Office of Health 453
Strategy,] Office of the Healthcare Advocate and Department of Social 454
Services, shall conduct a study to determine if certain special education 455
services can be billed to Medicaid or other private insurance. 456
Sec. 14. Subsections (b) to (d), inclusive, of section 10 -532 of the 457
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 458
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 459
(b) The Commissioner of Early Childhood, in collaboration with the 460
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Commissioners of Social Services [,] and Public Health , [and Health 461
Strategy,] shall, within available appropriations, develop a state -wide 462
program to offer universal nurse home visiting services to all families 463
with newborns residing in the state to support parental health, healthy 464
child development and strengthen families. 465
(c) When developing the program, said commissioners shall (1) 466
consult with insurers that offer health benefit plans in the state, 467
hospitals, local public health authorities, existing early childhood home 468
visiting programs, community -based organizations and social service 469
providers; and (2) maximize the use of available federal funding. 470
(d) The program shall provide universal nurse home visiting services 471
that are (1) evidence -based, and (2) designed to improve outcomes in 472
one or more of the following areas: (A) Child safety; (B) child health and 473
development; (C) family economic self -sufficiency; (D) maternal and 474
parental health; (E) positive parenting; (F) reducing child mistreatment; 475
(G) reducing family violence; (H) parent -infant bonding; and (I) any 476
other appropriate area established, in writing, by the Commissioners of 477
Early Childhood, Social Services [,] and Public Health . [and Health 478
Strategy.] 479
Sec. 15. Subsection (b) of section 12-34h of the 2026 supplement to the 480
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 481
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 482
(b) Any pharmaceutical manufacturer or wholesale distributor that 483
intends to withdraw an identified prescription drug from sale in this 484
state shall, at least one hundred eighty days before such withdrawal, 485
send advance written notice to the [Office of Health Strategy ] 486
commissioner disclosing such pharmaceutical manufacturer's or 487
wholesale distributor's intention. 488
Sec. 16. Subparagraph (B) of subdivision (1) of subsection (c) of 489
section 12 -263q of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes, as 490
amended by section 360 of public act 25 -168, is repealed and the 491
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 492
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(B) For purposes of this subdivision, "financially distressed hospital" 493
means a hospital that has experienced over the five -year period from 494
October 1, 2011, through September 30, 2016, an average net loss of more 495
than five per cent of aggregate revenue. A hospital has an average net 496
loss of more than five per cent of aggregate revenue if such a loss is 497
reflected in the applicable years of financial reporting that have been 498
made available by the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of 499
Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health for such hospital in 500
accordance with section 19a-670. Upon said commissioner's receipt of a 501
determination by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services that 502
a hospital is not exempt, the total audited net revenue from the 503
provision of outpatient hospital services for fiscal year 2016 shall be 504
increased by such hospital's audited net revenue from the provision of 505
outpatient hospital services for fiscal year 2016 and the effective rate of 506
the tax due under this section shall be adjusted to ensure that the total 507
amount of such tax to be collected under subsection (a) of this section is 508
redistributed, commencing with the calendar quarter next succeeding 509
the date of the determination by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 510
Services. 511
Sec. 17. Section 17b-59a of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes 512
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 513
1, 2026): 514
(a) As used in this section: 515
(1) "Electronic health information system" means an information 516
processing system, involving both computer hardware and software 517
that deals with the storage, retrieval, sharing and use of health care 518
information, data and knowledge for communication and decision 519
making, and includes: (A) An electronic health record that provides 520
access in real time to a patient's complete medical record; (B) a personal 521
health record through which an individual, and anyone authorized by 522
such individual, can maintain and manage such individual's health 523
information; (C) computerized order entry technology that permits a 524
health care provider to order diagnostic and treatment services, 525
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 18

including prescription drugs electronically; (D) electronic alerts and 526
reminders to health care providers to improve compliance with best 527
practices, promote regular screenings and other preventive practices, 528
and facilitate diagnoses and treatments; (E) error notification 529
procedures that generate a warning if an order is entered that is likely 530
to lead to a significant adverse outcome for a patient; and (F) tools to 531
allow for the collection, analysis and reporting of data on adverse 532
events, near misses, the quality and efficiency of care, patient 533
satisfaction and other healthcare-related performance measures. 534
(2) "Interoperability" means the ability of two or more systems or 535
components to exchange information and to use the information that 536
has been exchanged and includes: (A) The capacity to physically connect 537
to a network for the purpose of exchanging data with other users; and 538
(B) the capacity of a connected user to access, transmit, receive and 539
exchange usable information with other users. 540
(3) "Standard electronic format" means a format using open electronic 541
standards that: (A) Enable health information technology to be used for 542
the collection of clinically specific data; (B) promote the interoperability 543
of health care information across health care settings, including 544
reporting to local, state and federal agencies; and (C) facilitate clinical 545
decision support. 546
(b) The Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the 547
[Commissioner of Health Strategy] Secretary of the Office of Policy and 548
Management, shall (1) develop, throughout the Departments of 549
Developmental Services, Public Health, Correction, Children and 550
Families, Veterans Affairs and Mental Health and Addiction Services, 551
uniform management information, uniform statistical information, 552
uniform terminology for similar facilities and uniform electronic health 553
information technology standards, (2) plan for increased participation 554
of the private sector in the delivery of human services, and (3) provide 555
direction and coordination to federally funded programs in the human 556
services agencies and recommend uniform system improvements and 557
reallocation of physical resources and designation of a single 558
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 19

responsibility across human services agencies lines to facilitate shared 559
services and eliminate duplication. 560
(c) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 561
Policy and Management shall, in consultation with the Commissioner 562
of Social Services and the State Health Information Technology 563
Advisory Council, established pursuant to section 17b-59f, as amended 564
by this act , implement and periodically revise the state -wide health 565
information technology plan established pursuant to this section and 566
shall establish electronic data standards to facilitate the development of 567
integrated electronic health information systems for use by health care 568
providers and institutions that receive state funding. Such electronic 569
data standards shall: (1) Include provisions relating to security, privacy, 570
data content, structures and format, vocabulary and transmission 571
protocols; (2) limit the use and dissemination of an individual's Social 572
Security number and require the encryption of any Social Security 573
number provided by an individual; (3) require privacy standards no less 574
stringent than the "Standards for Privacy of Individually Identifiable 575
Health Information" established under the Health Insurance Portability 576
and Accountability Act of 1996, P.L. 104 -191, as amended from time to 577
time, and contained in 45 CFR 160, 164; (4) require that individually 578
identifiable health information be secure and that access to such 579
information be traceable by an electronic audit trail; (5) be compatible 580
with any national data standards in order to allow for interstate 581
interoperability; (6) permit the collection of health information in a 582
standard electronic format; and (7) be compatible with the requirements 583
for an electronic health information system. 584
(d) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy] Secretary of the Office of 585
Policy and Management shall, within existing resources and in 586
consultation with the State Health Information Technology Advisory 587
Council: (1) Oversee the development and implementation of the State-588
wide Health Information Exchange in conformance with section 17b -589
59d, as amended by this act; (2) coordinate the state's health information 590
technology and health information exchange efforts to ensure consistent 591
and collaborative cross -agency planning and implementation; and (3) 592
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 20

serve as the state liaison to, and work collaboratively with, the State -593
wide Health Information Exchange established pursuant to section 17b-594
59d, as amended by this act, to ensure consistency between the state -595
wide health information technology plan and the State -wide Health 596
Information Exchange and to support the state's health information 597
technology and exchange goals. 598
(e) The state-wide health information technology plan, implemented 599
and periodically revised pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, shall 600
enhance interoperability to support optimal health outcomes and 601
include, but not be limited to (1) general standards and protocols for 602
health information exchange, and (2) national data standards to support 603
secure data exchange data standards to facilitate the development of a 604
state-wide, integrated electronic health information system for use by 605
health care providers and institutions that are licensed by the state. Such 606
electronic data standards shall (A) include provisions relating to 607
security, privacy, data content, structures and format, vocabulary and 608
transmission protocols, (B) be compatible with any national data 609
standards in order to allow for interstate interoperability, (C) permit the 610
collection of health information in a standard electronic format, and (D) 611
be compatible with the requirements for an electronic health 612
information system. 613
(f) Not later than February [1, 2017, and annually thereafter ] first 614
annually, the [Commissioner of Health Strategy] Secretary of the Office 615
of Policy and Management , in consultation with the State Health 616
Information Technology Advisory Council, shall report in accordance 617
with the provisions of section 11 -4a to the joint standing committees of 618
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human 619
services and public health concerning: (1) The development and 620
implementation of the state -wide health information technology plan 621
and data standards, established and implemented by the 622
[Commissioner of Health Strategy] secretary pursuant to this section; (2) 623
the establishment of the State -wide Health Information Exchange; and 624
(3) recommendations for policy, regulatory and legislative changes and 625
other initiatives to promote the state's health information technology 626
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 21

and exchange goals. 627
Sec. 18. Subsections (d) to (g), inclusive, of section 17b -59d of the 628
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 629
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 630
(d) (1) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy, in consultation with 631
the] Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management , [and] in 632
consultation with the State Health Information Technology Advisory 633
Council, established pursuant to section 17b-59f, as amended by this act, 634
shall, upon the approval by the State Bond Commission of bond funds 635
authorized by the General Assembly for the purposes of establishing a 636
State-wide Health Information Exchange, develop and issue a request 637
for proposals for the development, management and operation of the 638
State-wide Health Information Exchange. Such request shall promote 639
the reuse of any and all enterprise health information technology assets, 640
such as the existing Provider Directory, Enterprise Master Person Index, 641
Direct Secure Messaging Health Information Service provider 642
infrastructure, analytic capabilities and tools that exist in the state or are 643
in the process of being deployed. Any enterprise health information 644
exchange technology assets purchased after June 2, 2016, and prior to 645
the implementation of the State -wide Health Information Exchange 646
shall be capable of interoperability with a State -wide Health 647
Information Exchange. 648
(2) Such request for proposals may require an eligible organization 649
responding to the request to: (A) Have not less than three years of 650
experience operating either a state-wide health information exchange in 651
any state or a regional exchange serving a population of not less than 652
one million that (i) enables the exchange of patient health information 653
among health care providers, patients and other authorized users 654
without regard to location, source of payment or technology, (ii) 655
includes, with proper consent, behavioral health and substance abuse 656
treatment information, (iii) supports transitions of care and care 657
coordination through real-time health care provider alerts and access to 658
clinical information, (iv) allows health information to follow each 659
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 22

patient, (v) allows patients to access and manage their health data, and 660
(vi) has demonstrated success in reducing costs associated with 661
preventable readmissions, duplicative testing or medical errors; (B) be 662
committed to, and demonstrate, a high level of transparency in its 663
governance, decision -making and operations; (C) be capable of 664
providing consulting to ensure effective governance; (D) be regulated or 665
administratively overseen by a state government agency; and (E) have 666
sufficient staff and appropriate expertise and experience to carry out the 667
administrative, operational and financial responsibilities of the State -668
wide Health Information Exchange. 669
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, 670
if, on or before January 1, 2016, the Commissioner of Social Services, in 671
consultation with the State Health Information Technology Advisory 672
Council, established pursuant to section 17b-59f, as amended by this act, 673
submits a plan to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management 674
for the establishment of a State -wide Health Information Exchange 675
consistent with subsections (a), (b) and (c) of this section, [and such plan 676
is approved by the secretary, the commissioner ] the secretary may 677
implement such plan and enter into any contracts or agreements to 678
implement such plan. 679
(f) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 680
Policy and Management shall have administrative authority over the 681
State-wide Health Information Exchange. The [commissioner] secretary 682
shall be responsible for designating, and posting on [its] the Office of 683
Policy and Management's Internet web site, the list of systems, 684
technologies, entities and programs that shall constitute the State -wide 685
Health Information Exchange. Systems, technologies, entities, and 686
programs that have not been so designated shall not be considered part 687
of said exchange. 688
(g) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 689
Policy and Management shall adopt regulations in accordance with the 690
provisions of chapter 54 that set forth requirements necessary to 691
implement the provisions of this section. The [commissioner] secretary 692
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 23

may implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the 693
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies 694
and procedures in regulation form, provided the [commissioner] 695
secretary holds a public hearing at least thirty days prior to 696
implementing such policies and procedures and publishes notice of 697
intention to adopt the regulations on the Office of [Health Strategy's ] 698
Policy and Management's Internet web site and the eRegulations System 699
not later than twenty days after implementing such policies and 700
procedures. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this 701
subsection shall be valid until the time such regulations are effective. 702
Sec. 19. Subsection (f) of section 17b-59e of the 2026 supplement to the 703
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 704
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 705
(f) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 706
Policy and Management shall adopt regulations in accordance with the 707
provisions of chapter 54 that set forth requirements necessary to 708
implement the provisions of this section. The [commissioner] secretary 709
may implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the 710
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies 711
and procedures in regulation form, provided the [commissioner] 712
secretary holds a public hearing at least thirty days prior to 713
implementing such policies and procedures and publishes notice of 714
intention to adopt the regulations on the Office of [Health Strategy's ] 715
Policy and Management's Internet web site and the eRegulations System 716
not later than twenty days after implementing such policies and 717
procedures. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this 718
subsection shall be valid until the time such regulations are effective. 719
Sec. 20. Section 17b -59f of the general statutes is repealed and the 720
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 721
(a) There shall be a State Health Information Technology Advisory 722
Council to advise the [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of 723
the Office of Policy and Management and the health information 724
technology officer, designated in accordance with section [19a-754a] 4-725
sHB5030 File No. 680

sHB5030 / File No. 680 24

66, as amended by this act , in developing priorities and policy 726
recommendations for advancing the state's health information 727
technology and health information exchange efforts and goals and to 728
advise the [commissioner] secretary and officer in the development and 729
implementation of the state -wide health information technology plan 730
and standards and the State -wide Health Information Exchange, 731
established pursuant to section 17b -59d, as amended by this act . The 732
advisory council shall also advise the [commissioner] secretary and 733
officer regarding the development of appropriate governance, oversight 734
and accountability measures to ensure success in achieving the state's 735
health information technology and exchange goals. 736
(b) The council shall consist of the following members: 737
(1) One member appointed by the [Commissioner of Health Strategy] 738
Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management , who shall be an 739
expert in state health care reform initiatives; 740
(2) The health information technology officer, designated in 741
accordance with section [19a-754a] 4-66, as amended by this act , or the 742
health information technology officer's designee; 743
(3) The Commissioners of Social Services, Mental Health and 744
Addiction Services, Children and Families, Correction, Public Health 745
and Developmental Services, or the commissioners' designees; 746
(4) The Chief Information Officer of the state, or the Chief Information 747
Officer's designee; 748
(5) The chief executive officer of the Connecticut Health Insurance 749
Exchange, or the chief executive officer's designee; 750
(6) The chief information officer of The University of Connecticut 751
Health Center, or the chief information officer's designee; 752
(7) The Healthcare Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's designee; 753
(8) The Comptroller, or the Comptroller's designee; 754
sHB5030 File No. 680

sHB5030 / File No. 680 25

(9) The Attorney General, or the Attorney General's designee; 755
(10) Five members appointed by the Governor, one each who shall be 756
(A) a representative of a health system that includes more than one 757
hospital, (B) a representative of the health insurance industry, (C) an 758
expert in health information technology, (D) a health care consumer or 759
consumer advocate, and (E) a current or former employee or trustee of 760
a plan established pursuant to subdivision (5) of subsection (c) of 29 USC 761
186; 762
(11) Three members appointed by the president pro tempore of the 763
Senate, one each who shall be (A) a representative of a federally 764
qualified health center, (B) a provider of behavioral health services, and 765
(C) a physician licensed under chapter 370; 766
(12) Three members appointed by the speaker of the House of 767
Representatives, one each who shall be (A) a technology expert who 768
represents a hospital system, as defined in section 19a-486i, as amended 769
by this act, (B) a provider of home health care services, and (C) a health 770
care consumer or a health care consumer advocate; 771
(13) One member appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who 772
shall be a representative of an independent community hospital; 773
(14) One member appointed by the majority leader of the House of 774
Representatives, who shall be a physician who provides services in a 775
multispecialty group and who is not employed by a hospital; 776
(15) One member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who 777
shall be a primary care physician who provides services in a small 778
independent practice; 779
(16) One member appointed by the minority leader of the House of 780
Representatives, who shall be an expert in health care analytics and 781
quality analysis; 782
(17) The president pro tempore of the Senate, or the president's 783
designee; 784
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 26

(18) The speaker of the House of Representatives, or the speaker's 785
designee; 786
(19) The minority leader of the Senate, or the minority leader's 787
designee; and 788
(20) The minority leader of the House of Representatives, or the 789
minority leader's designee. 790
(c) Any member appointed or designated under subdivisions (11) to 791
(20), inclusive, of subsection (b) of this section may be a member of the 792
General Assembly. 793
(d) (1) The health information technology officer, designated in 794
accordance with section [19a-754a] 4-66, as amended by this act , shall 795
serve as a chairperson of the council. The council shall elect a second 796
chairperson from among its members, who shall not be a state official. 797
The chairpersons of the council may establish subcommittees and 798
working groups and may appoint individuals other than members of 799
the council to serve as members of the subcommittees or working 800
groups. The terms of the members shall be coterminous with the terms 801
of the appointing authority for each member and subject to the 802
provisions of section 4 -1a. If any vacancy occurs on the council, the 803
appointing authority having the power to make the appointment under 804
the provisions of this section shall appoint a person in accordance with 805
the provisions of this section. A majority of the members of the council 806
shall constitute a quorum. Members of the council shall serve without 807
compensation, but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable expenses 808
incurred in the performance of their duties. 809
(2) The chairpersons of the council may appoint up to four additional 810
members to the council, who shall serve at the pleasure of the 811
chairpersons. 812
(e) (1) The council shall establish a working group to be known as the 813
All-Payer Claims Database Advisory Group. Said group shall include, 814
but need not be limited to, (A) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 815
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 27

Management, the Comptroller, the Commissioners of Public Health, 816
Social Services and Mental Health and Addiction Services, the Insurance 817
Commissioner, the Healthcare Advocate and the Chief Information 818
Officer, or their designees; (B) a representative of the Connecticut State 819
Medical Society; and (C) representatives of health insurance companies, 820
health insurance purchasers, hospitals, consumer advocates and health 821
care providers. The health information technology officer may appoint 822
additional members to said group. 823
(2) The All-Payer Claims Database Advisory Group shall develop a 824
plan to implement a state-wide multipayer data initiative to enhance the 825
state's use of health care data from multiple sources to increase 826
efficiency, enhance outcomes and improve the understanding of health 827
care expenditures in the public and private sectors. 828
(f) Prior to submitting any application, proposal, planning document 829
or other request seeking federal grants, matching funds or other federal 830
support for health information technology or health information 831
exchange, the [Commissioner of Health Strategy] Secretary of the Office 832
of Policy and Management or the Commissioner of Social Services shall 833
present such application, proposal, document or other request to the 834
council for review and comment. 835
Sec. 21. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 17b -59g of the general 836
statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 837
(Effective July 1, 2026): 838
(a) The state, acting by and through the Secretary of the Office of 839
Policy and Management, [in collaboration with the Commissioner of 840
Health Strategy,] shall establish a program to expedite the development 841
of the State -wide Health Information Exchange, established under 842
section 17b-59d, as amended by this act , to assist the state, health care 843
providers, insurance carriers, physicians and all stakeholders in 844
empowering consumers to make effective health care decisions, 845
promote patient-centered care, improve the quality, safety and value of 846
health care, reduce waste and duplication of services, support clinical 847
decision-making, keep confidential health information secure and make 848
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 28

progress toward the state's public health goals. The purposes of the 849
program shall be to (1) assist the State -wide Health Information 850
Exchange in establishing and maintaining itself as a neutral and trusted 851
entity that serves the public good for the benefit of all Connecticut 852
residents, including, but not limited to, Connecticut health care 853
consumers and Connecticut health care providers and carriers, and (2) 854
perform, on behalf of the state, the role of intermediary between public 855
and private stakeholders and customers of the State -wide Health 856
Information Exchange. [, and (3) fulfill the responsibilities of the Office 857
of Health Strategy, as described in section 19a-754a.] 858
(b) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 859
Policy and Management , in consultation with the health information 860
technology officer, designated in accordance with section [19a-754] 4-66 861
as amended by this act, shall design [, and the Secretary of the Office of 862
Policy and Management, in collaboration with said commissioner,] and 863
may establish or incorporate an entity to implement the program 864
established under subsection (a) of this section. Such entity shall, 865
without limitation, be owned and governed, in whole or in part, by a 866
party or parties other than the state and may be organized as a nonprofit 867
entity. 868
Sec. 22. Section 17b -312 of the general statutes is repealed and the 869
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 870
The Commissioner of Social Services shall seek, in accordance with 871
the provisions of section 17b-8, [and in consultation with the Insurance 872
Commissioner and the Office of Health Strategy established under 873
section 19a-754a,] a waiver under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act, 874
as amended from time to time, to seek federal funds to support the 875
Covered Connecticut program established under section 19a -754c, as 876
amended by this act . Upon approval by the Centers for Medicare and 877
Medicaid Services, the Commissioner of Social Services shall implement 878
the waiver. 879
Sec. 23. Subsection (c) of section 17b -337 of the general statutes is 880
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 881
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 29

2026): 882
(c) The Long-Term Care Planning Committee shall consist of: (1) The 883
chairpersons and ranking members of the joint standing committees of 884
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human 885
services, public health, elderly services and long -term care; (2) the 886
Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee; (3) 887
one member of the Office of Policy and Management appointed by the 888
Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management; (4) one member from 889
the Department of Public Health appointed by the Commissioner of 890
Public Health; (5) one member from the Department of Housing 891
appointed by the Commissioner of Housing; (6) one member from the 892
Department of Developmental Services appointed by the Commissioner 893
of Developmental Services; (7) one member from the Department of 894
Mental Health and Addiction Services appointed by the Commissioner 895
of Mental Health and Addiction Services; (8) one member from the 896
Department of Transportation appointed by the Commissioner of 897
Transportation; (9) one member from the Department of Children and 898
Families appointed by the Commissioner of Children and Families; [(10) 899
one member from the Health Systems Planning Unit of the Office of 900
Health Strategy appointed by the Commissioner of Health Strategy; and 901
(11)] and (10) one member from the Department of Aging and Disability 902
Services appointed by the Commissioner of Aging and Disability 903
Services. The committee shall convene no later than ninety days after 904
June 4, 1998. Any vacancy shall be filled by the appointing authority. 905
The chairperson shall be elected from among the members of the 906
committee. The committee shall seek the advice and participation of any 907
person, organization or state or federal agency it deems necessary to 908
carry out the provisions of this section. 909
Sec. 24. Subdivision (3) of subsection (f) of section 17b-340 of the 2026 910
supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is 911
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 912
(3) For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1992, per diem maximum 913
allowable costs for each cost component shall be as follows: For direct 914
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 30

costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred forty per cent of the 915
median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect costs, the 916
maximum shall be equal to one hundred thirty per cent of the state-wide 917
median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be calculated 918
utilizing the amount approved by the [Office of Health Care Access ] 919
Health Systems Planning Unit of the Department of Public Health 920
pursuant to section 19a -638, as amended by this act ; for capital-related 921
costs, there shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general 922
costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred twenty-five per cent 923
of the state-wide median allowable cost. For the fiscal year ending June 924
30, 1993, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component 925
shall be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one 926
hundred forty per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer 927
grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred 928
twenty-five per cent of the state -wide median allowable cost; for fair 929
rent, the amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved by 930
the [Office of Health Care Access ] Health Systems Planning Unit 931
pursuant to section 19a -638, as amended by this act ; for capital-related 932
costs, there shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general 933
costs the maximum shall be equal to one hundred fifteen per cent of the 934
state-wide median allowable cost. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 935
1994, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component shall 936
be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one 937
hundred thirty-five per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer 938
grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred 939
twenty per cent of the state -wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, 940
the amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved by the 941
[Office of Health Care Access ] Health Systems Planning Unit pursuant 942
to section 19a-638, as amended by this act; for capital-related costs, there 943
shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general costs the 944
maximum shall be equal to one hundred ten per cent of the state -wide 945
median allowable cost. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1995, per diem 946
maximum allowable costs for each cost component shall be as follows: 947
For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred thirty-five 948
per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect 949
sHB5030 File No. 680

sHB5030 / File No. 680 31

costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred twenty per cent of 950
the state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be 951
calculated utilizing the amount approved by the [Office of Health Care 952
Access] Health Systems Planning Unit pursuant to section 19a -638, as 953
amended by this act ; for capital -related costs, there shall be no 954
maximum; and for administrative and general costs the maximum shall 955
be equal to one hundred five per cent of the state -wide median 956
allowable cost. For the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, and any 957
succeeding fiscal year, except for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, 958
and June 30, 2001, for facilities with an interim rate in one or both 959
periods, per diem maximum allowable costs for each cost component 960
shall be as follows: For direct costs, the maximum shall be equal to one 961
hundred thirty-five per cent of the median allowable cost of that peer 962
grouping; for indirect costs, the maximum shall be equal to one hundred 963
fifteen per cent of the state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the 964
amount shall be calculated utilizing the amount approved pursuant to 965
section 19a-638, as amended by this act ; for capital -related costs, there 966
shall be no maximum; and for administrative and general costs the 967
maximum shall be equal to the state -wide median allowable cost. For 968
the fiscal years ending June 30, 2000, and June 30, 2001, for facilities with 969
an interim rate in one or both periods, per diem maximum allowable 970
costs for each cost component shall be as follows: For direct costs, the 971
maximum shall be equal to one hundred forty -five per cent of the 972
median allowable cost of that peer grouping; for indirect costs, the 973
maximum shall be equal to one hundred twenty -five per cent of the 974
state-wide median allowable cost; for fair rent, the amount shall be 975
calculated utilizing the amount approved pursuant to section 19a -638, 976
as amended by this act ; for capital -related costs, there shall be no 977
maximum; and for administrative and general costs, the maximum shall 978
be equal to the state-wide median allowable cost and such medians shall 979
be based upon the same cost year used to set rates for facilities with 980
prospective rates. Costs in excess of the maximum amounts established 981
under this subsection shall not be recognized as allowable costs, except 982
that the Commissioner of Social Services (A) may allow costs in excess 983
of maximum amounts for any facility with patient days covered by 984
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Medicare, including days requiring coinsurance, in excess of twelve per 985
cent of annual patient days which also has patient days covered by 986
Medicaid in excess of fifty per cent of annual patient days; (B) may 987
establish a pilot program whereby costs in excess of maximum amounts 988
shall be allowed for beds in a nursing home which has a managed care 989
program and is affiliated with a hospital licensed under chapter 368v; 990
and (C) may establish rates whereby allowable costs may exceed such 991
maximum amounts for beds approved on or after July 1, 1991, which are 992
restricted to use by patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome 993
or traumatic brain injury. 994
Sec. 25. Section 17b -356 of the general statutes is repealed and the 995
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 996
Any health care facility or institution, as defined in subsection (a) of 997
section 19a-490, except a nursing home, rest home, residential care home 998
or residential facility for persons with intellectual disability licensed 999
pursuant to section 17a -227 and certified to participate in the Title XIX 1000
Medicaid program as an intermediate care facility for individuals with 1001
intellectual disabilities , proposing to expand its services by adding 1002
nursing home beds shall obtain the approval of the Commissioner of 1003
Social Services in accordance with the procedures established pursuant 1004
to sections 17b -352, 17b -353 and 17b -354 for a facility, as defined in 1005
section 17b-352, prior to obtaining the approval of the Health Systems 1006
Planning Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public 1007
Health pursuant to section 19a-639, as amended by this act. 1008
Sec. 26. Section 19a -6q of the general statutes is repealed and the 1009
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1010
The Commissioner of Public Health, in consultation with the 1011
[Commissioner of Health Strategy and ] local and regional health 1012
departments, shall, within available resources, develop a plan that is 1013
consistent with the Department of Public Health's Healthy Connecticut 1014
2020 health improvement plan and the state healthcare innovation plan 1015
developed pursuant to the State Innovation Model Initiative by the 1016
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Innovation Center. The 1017
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Commissioner of Public Health shall develop and implement such plan 1018
to: (1) Reduce the incidence of tobacco use, high blood pressure, health 1019
care associated infections, asthma, unintended pregnancy and diabetes; 1020
(2) improve chronic disease care coordination in the state; and (3) reduce 1021
the incidence and effects of chronic disease and improve outcomes for 1022
conditions associated with chronic disease in the state. The 1023
Commissioner of Public Health shall post such plan on the Department 1024
of Public Health's Internet web site. 1025
Sec. 27. Subsection (b) of section 19a -7 of the general statutes is 1026
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1027
2026): 1028
(b) For the purposes of establishing a state health plan as required by 1029
subsection (a) of this section and consistent with state and federal law 1030
on patient records, the department is entitled to access hospital 1031
discharge data, emergency room and ambulatory surgery encounter 1032
data, data on home health care agency client encounters and services, 1033
data from community health centers on client encounters and services 1034
and all data collected or compiled by the Health Systems Planning Unit 1035
of the [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health pursuant 1036
to section 19a-613, as amended by this act. 1037
Sec. 28. Subsection (l) of section 19a -7h of the general statutes is 1038
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1039
2026): 1040
(l) The commissioner shall, in consultation with the [Office of Health 1041
Strategy] Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management , adopt 1042
regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to facilitate 1043
interoperability between the immunization information system and the 1044
State-wide Health Information Exchange established pursuant to 1045
section 17b -59d, as amended by this act . The commissioner may 1046
implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the 1047
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies 1048
and procedures as regulations, provided the department posts such 1049
policies and procedures on the eRegulations System prior to adopting 1050
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them. Policies and procedures implemented pursuant to this section 1051
shall be valid until regulations are adopted in accordance with the 1052
provisions of chapter 54. 1053
Sec. 29. Subsection (a) of section 19a -75a of the general statutes is 1054
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1055
2026): 1056
(a) On or before January 1, 2023, the Department of Public Health 1057
shall establish and administer a child and adolescent psychiatrist grant 1058
program. The program shall provide incentive grants to employers of 1059
child and adolescent psychiatrists for recruiting and hiring new child 1060
and adolescent psychiatrists and retaining child and adolescent 1061
psychiatrists who are in their employ. The Commissioner of Public 1062
Health shall establish eligibility requirements, priority categories, 1063
funding limitations and the application process for the grant program. 1064
Such priority categories shall include, but need not be limited to, 1065
nonhospital employers. The commissioner [, in consultation with the 1066
Office of Health Strategy, ] shall distribute incentive grant funds 1067
equitably with regard to the type of employer and location of such 1068
employer. 1069
Sec. 30. Section 19a -127k of the general statutes is repealed and the 1070
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1071
(a) As used in this section: 1072
(1) "Community benefit partners" means federal, state and municipal 1073
government entities and private sector entities, including, but not 1074
limited to, faith -based organizations, businesses, educational and 1075
academic organizations, health care organizations, health departments, 1076
philanthropic organizations, organizations specializing in housing 1077
justice, planning and land use organizations, public safety 1078
organizations, transportation organizations and tribal organizations, 1079
that, in partnership with hospitals, play an essential role with respect to 1080
the policy, system, program and financing solutions necessary to 1081
achieve community benefit program goals; 1082
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(2) "Community benefit program" means any voluntary program or 1083
activity to promote preventive health care, protect health and safety, 1084
improve health equity and reduce health disparities, reduce the cost and 1085
economic burden of poor health and improve the health status for all 1086
populations within the geographic service areas of a hospital, regardless 1087
of whether a member of any such population is a patient of such 1088
hospital; 1089
(3) "Community benefit program reporting" means the community 1090
health needs assessment, implementation strategy and annual report 1091
submitted by a hospital to the Office of [Health Strategy] the Healthcare 1092
Advocate pursuant to the provisions of this section; 1093
(4) "Community health needs assessment" means a written 1094
assessment, as described in 26 CFR 1.501(r)-(3); 1095
(5) "Health disparities" means health differences that are closely 1096
linked with social or economic disadvantages that adversely affect one 1097
or more groups of people who have experienced greater systemic social 1098
or economic obstacles to health or a safe environment based on race or 1099
ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, age, mental health, 1100
cognitive, sensory or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender 1101
identity, geographic location or other characteristics historically linked 1102
to discrimination or exclusion; 1103
(6) "Health equity" means that every person has a fair and just 1104
opportunity to be as healthy as possible, which encompasses removing 1105
obstacles to health, such as poverty, racism and the adverse 1106
consequences of poverty and racism, including, but not limited to, a lack 1107
of equitable opportunities, access to good jobs with fair pay, quality 1108
education and housing, safe environments and health care; 1109
(7) "Hospital" means a nonprofit entity licensed as a hospital 1110
pursuant to chapter 368v that is required to annually file Internal 1111
Revenue Service form 990. "Hospital" includes a for -profit entity 1112
licensed as an acute care general hospital; 1113
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(8) "Implementation strategy" means a written plan, as described in 1114
26 CFR 1.501(r)-(3), that is adopted by an authorized body of a hospital 1115
and documents how such hospital intends to address the needs 1116
identified in the community health needs assessment; and 1117
(9) "Meaningful participation" means that (A) residents of a hospital's 1118
community, including, but not limited to, residents of such community 1119
that experience the greatest health disparities, have an appropriate 1120
opportunity to participate in such hospital's planning and decisions, (B) 1121
community participation influences a hospital's planning, and (C) 1122
participants receive information from a hospital summarizing how their 1123
input was or was not used by such hospital. 1124
(b) On and after January 1, 2023, each hospital shall submit 1125
community benefit program reporting to the Office of [Health Strategy] 1126
the Healthcare Advocate , or to a designee selected by the 1127
[Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Healthcare Advocate , in the form 1128
and manner described in subsections (c) to (e), inclusive, of this section. 1129
(c) Each hospital shall submit its community health needs assessment 1130
to the Office of [Health Strategy] the Healthcare Advocate not later than 1131
thirty days after the date on which such assessment is made available to 1132
the public pursuant to 26 CFR 1.501(r) -(3)(b), provided the 1133
[Commissioner of Health Strategy, or the commissioner's ] Healthcare 1134
Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's designee, may grant an 1135
extension of time to a hospital for the filing of such assessment. Such 1136
submission shall contain the following: 1137
(1) Consistent with the requirements set forth in 26 CFR 1.501(r) -1138
(3)(b)(6)(i), and as included in a hospital's federal filing submitted to the 1139
Internal Revenue Service: 1140
(A) A definition of the community served by the hospital and a 1141
description of how the community was determined; 1142
(B) A description of the process and methods used to conduct the 1143
community health needs assessment; 1144
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(C) A description of how the hospital solicited and took into account 1145
input received from persons who represent the broad interests of the 1146
community it serves; 1147
(D) A prioritized description of the significant health needs of the 1148
community identified through the community health needs assessment, 1149
and a description of the process and criteria used in identifying certain 1150
health needs as significant and prioritizing those significant health 1151
needs; 1152
(E) A description of the resources potentially available to address the 1153
significant health needs identified through the community health needs 1154
assessment; 1155
(F) An evaluation of the impact of any actions that were taken, since 1156
the hospital finished conducting its immediately preceding community 1157
health needs assessment, to address the significant health needs 1158
identified in the hospital's prior community health needs assessment; 1159
and 1160
(2) Additional documentation of the following: 1161
(A) The names of the individuals responsible for developing the 1162
community health needs assessment; 1163
(B) The demographics of the population within the geographic 1164
service area of the hospital and, to the extent feasible, a detailed 1165
description of the health disparities, health risks, insurance status, 1166
service utilization patterns and health care costs within such geographic 1167
service area; 1168
(C) A description of the health status and health disparities affecting 1169
the population within the geographic service area of the hospital, 1170
including, but not limited to, the health status and health disparities 1171
affecting a representative spectrum of age, racial and ethnic groups, 1172
incomes and medically underserved populations; 1173
(D) A description of the meaningful participation afforded to 1174
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 38

community benefit partners and diverse community members in 1175
assessing community health needs, priorities and target populations; 1176
(E) A description of the barriers to achieving or maintaining health 1177
and to accessing health care, including, but not limited to, social, 1178
economic and environmental barriers, lack of access to or availability of 1179
sources of health care coverage and services and a lack of access to and 1180
availability of prevention and health promotion services and support; 1181
(F) Recommendations regarding the role that the state and other 1182
community benefit partners could play in removing the barriers 1183
described in subparagraph (E) of this subdivision and enabling effective 1184
solutions; and 1185
(G) Any additional information, data or disclosures that the hospital 1186
voluntarily chooses to include as may be relevant to its community 1187
benefit program. 1188
(d) Each hospital shall submit its implementation strategy to the 1189
Office of [Health Strategy] the Healthcare Advocate not later than thirty 1190
days after the date on which such implementation strategy is adopted 1191
pursuant to 26 CFR 1.501(r) -(3)(c), provided the [Commissioner of 1192
Health Strategy, or the commissioner's ] Healthcare Advocate , or the 1193
Healthcare Advocate's designee, may grant an extension to a hospital 1194
for the filing of such implementation strategy. Such submission shall 1195
contain the following: 1196
(1) Consistent with the requirements set forth in 26 CFR 1.501(r) -1197
(3)(b)(6)(i), and as included in a hospital's federal filing submitted to the 1198
Internal Revenue Service: 1199
(A) With respect to each significant health need identified through 1200
the community health needs assessment, either (i) a description of how 1201
the hospital plans to address the health need, or (ii) identification of the 1202
health need as one which the hospital does not intend to address; 1203
(B) For significant health needs described in subparagraph (A)(i) of 1204
this subdivision, (i) a description of the actions that the hospital intends 1205
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 39

to take to address the health need and the anticipated impact of such 1206
actions, (ii) identification of the resources that the hospital plans to 1207
commit to address the health need, and (iii) a description of any planned 1208
collaboration between the hospital and other facilities or organizations 1209
to address the health need; 1210
(C) For significant health needs identified in subparagraph (A)(ii) of 1211
this subdivision, an explanation of why the hospital does not intend to 1212
address such health need; and 1213
(2) Additional documentation of the following: 1214
(A) The names of the individuals responsible for developing the 1215
implementation strategy; 1216
(B) A description of the meaningful participation afforded to 1217
community benefit partners and diverse community members; 1218
(C) A description of the community health needs and health 1219
disparities that were prioritized in developing the implementation 1220
strategy with consideration given to the most recent version of the state 1221
health plan prepared by the Department of Public Health pursuant to 1222
section 19a-7, as amended by this act; 1223
(D) Reference-citing evidence, if available, that shows how the 1224
implementation strategy is intended to address the corresponding 1225
health need or reduction in health disparity; 1226
(E) A description of the planned methods for the ongoing evaluation 1227
of proposed actions and corresponding process or outcome measures 1228
intended for use in assessing progress or impact; 1229
(F) A description of how the hospital solicited commentary on the 1230
implementation strategy from the communities within such hospital's 1231
geographic service area and revisions to such strategy based on such 1232
commentary; and 1233
(G) Any other information that the hospital voluntarily chooses to 1234
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 40

include as may be relevant to its implementation strategy, including, but 1235
not limited to, data, disclosures, expected or planned resource outlay, 1236
investments or commitments, including, but not limited to, staff, 1237
financial or in-kind commitments. 1238
(e) On or before October 1, 2023, and annually thereafter, each 1239
hospital shall submit to the Office of [Health Strategy] the Healthcare 1240
Advocate a status report on such hospital's community benefit program, 1241
provided the [Commissioner of Health Strategy, or the commissioner's] 1242
Healthcare Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's designee, may grant 1243
an extension to a hospital for the filing of such report. Such report shall 1244
include the following: 1245
(1) A description of major updates regarding community health 1246
needs, priorities and target populations, if any; 1247
(2) A description of progress made regarding the hospital's actions in 1248
support of its implementation strategy; 1249
(3) A description of any major changes to the proposed 1250
implementation strategy and associated hospital actions; and 1251
(4) A description of financial resources and other resources allocated 1252
or expended that supported the actions taken in support of the hospital's 1253
implementation strategy. 1254
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 19a -755a, as amended 1255
by this act , and to the full extent permitted by 45 CFR 164.514(e), the 1256
Office of [Health Strategy] the Healthcare Advocate shall make data in 1257
the all -payer claims database available to hospitals for use in their 1258
community benefit programs and activities solely for the purposes of (1) 1259
preparing the hospital's community health needs assessment, (2) 1260
preparing and executing the hospital's implementation strategy, and (3) 1261
fulfilling community benefit program reporting, as described in 1262
subsections (c) to (e), inclusive, of this section. Any disclosure made by 1263
said office pursuant to this subsection of information other than health 1264
information shall be made in a manner to protect the confidentiality of 1265
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 41

such information as may be required by state or federal law. 1266
(g) A hospital shall not be responsible for limitations in its ability to 1267
fulfill community benefit program reporting requirements, as described 1268
in subsections (c) to (e), inclusive, of this section, if the all -payer claims 1269
database data is not provided to such hospital, as required by subsection 1270
(f) of this section. 1271
(h) [On or before April 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the 1272
Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Not later than April first, annually, 1273
the Healthcare Advocate shall develop a summary and analysis of the 1274
community benefit program reporting submitted by hospitals under 1275
this section during the previous calendar year and post such summary 1276
and analysis on its Internet web site and solicit stakeholder input 1277
through a public comment period. The Office of [Health Strategy] the 1278
Healthcare Advocate shall use such reporting and stakeholder input to: 1279
(1) Identify additional stakeholders that may be engaged to address 1280
identified community health needs , including, but not limited to, 1281
federal, state and municipal entities, nonhospital private sector health 1282
care providers and private sector entities that are not health care 1283
providers, including community -based organizations, insurers and 1284
charitable organizations; 1285
(2) Determine how each identified stakeholder could assist in 1286
addressing identified community health needs or augmenting solutions 1287
or approaches reported in the implementation strategies; 1288
(3) Determine whether to make recommendations to the Department 1289
of Public Health in the development of its state health plan; and 1290
(4) Inform the state -wide health care facilities and services plan 1291
established pursuant to section 19a-634, as amended by this act. 1292
(i) Each for -profit entity licensed as an acute care general hospital 1293
shall submit community benefit program reporting consistent with the 1294
reporting schedules of subsections (c) to (e), inclusive, of this section, 1295
and reasonably similar to what would be included on such hospital's 1296
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 42

federal filings to the Internal Revenue Service, where applicable. 1297
Sec. 31. Section 19a -486 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1298
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1299
For purposes of sections 19a -486 to 19a-486h, inclusive, as amended 1300
by this act: 1301
(1) "Nonprofit hospital" means a nonprofit entity licensed as a 1302
hospital pursuant to this chapter and any entity affiliated with such a 1303
hospital through governance or membership, including, but not limited 1304
to, a holding company or subsidiary. 1305
(2) "Purchaser" means a person acquiring any assets of a nonprofit 1306
hospital through a transfer. 1307
(3) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, 1308
limited liability company, association or other entity. 1309
(4) "Transfer" means to sell, transfer, lease, exchange, option, convey, 1310
give or otherwise dispose of or transfer control over, including, but not 1311
limited to, transfer by way of merger or joint venture not in the ordinary 1312
course of business. 1313
(5) "Control" has the meaning assigned to it in section 36b-41. 1314
(6) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] 1315
Public Health, or the commissioner's designee. 1316
Sec. 32. Section 19a -486g of the general statutes is repealed and the 1317
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1318
The Commissioner of Public Health shall refuse to issue a license to, 1319
or if issued shall suspend or revoke the license of, a hospital if the 1320
commissioner finds, after a hearing and opportunity to be heard, that: 1321
(1) There was a transaction described in section 19a -486a that 1322
occurred without the commissioner's approval, [of the Commissioner of 1323
Health Strategy,] if such approval was required by sections 19a -486 to 1324
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 43

19a-486h, inclusive, as amended by this act; 1325
(2) There was a transaction described in section 19a-486a without the 1326
approval of the Attorney General, if such approval was required by 1327
sections 19a-486 to 19a-486h, inclusive, as amended by this act, and the 1328
Attorney General certifies to the [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] 1329
commissioner that such transaction involved a material amount of the 1330
nonprofit hospital's assets or operations or a change in control of 1331
operations; or 1332
(3) The hospital is not complying with the terms of an agreement 1333
approved by the Attorney General and [Commissioner of Health 1334
Strategy] commissioner pursuant to sections 19a -486 to 19a -486h, 1335
inclusive, as amended by this act. 1336
Sec. 33. Section 19a -486h of the general statutes is repealed and the 1337
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1338
Nothing in sections 19a -486 to 19a -486h, inclusive , as amended by 1339
this act, shall be construed to limit: (1) The common law or statutory 1340
authority of the Attorney General; (2) the statutory authority of the 1341
Commissioner of Public Health including, but not limited to, licensing 1342
[; (3) the statutory authority of the Commissioner of Health Strategy, 1343
including, but not limited to, certificate of need authority; or (4) ] and 1344
certificate of need authority; or (3) the application of the doctrine of cy 1345
pres or approximation. 1346
Sec. 34. Subsections (d) to (i), inclusive, of section 19a -486i of the 1347
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 1348
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1349
(d) (1) The written notice required under subsection (c) of this section 1350
shall identify each party to the transaction and describe the material 1351
change as of the date of such notice to the business or corporate structure 1352
of the group practice, including: (A) A description of the nature of the 1353
proposed relationship among the parties to the proposed transaction; 1354
(B) the names and specialties of each physician that is a member of the 1355
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 44

group practice that is the subject of the proposed transaction and who 1356
will practice medicine with the resulting group practice, hospital, 1357
hospital system, captive professional entity, medical foundation or 1358
other entity organized by, controlled by, or otherwise affiliated with 1359
such hospital or hospital system following the effective date of the 1360
transaction; (C) the names of the business entities that are to provide 1361
services following the effective date of the transaction; (D) the address 1362
for each location where such services are to be provided; (E) a 1363
description of the services to be provided at each such location; and (F) 1364
the primary service area to be served by each such location. 1365
(2) Not later than thirty days after the effective date of any transaction 1366
described in subsection (c) of this section, the parties to the transaction 1367
shall submit written notice to the Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] 1368
Public Health. Such written notice shall include, but need not be limited 1369
to, the same information described in subdivision (1) of this subsection. 1370
The commissioner shall post a link to such notice on the [Office of Health 1371
Strategy's] Department of Public Health's Internet web site. 1372
(e) Not less than thirty days prior to the effective date of any 1373
transaction that results in an affiliation between one hospital or hospital 1374
system and another hospital or hospital system, the parties to the 1375
affiliation shall submit written notice to the Attorney General of such 1376
affiliation. Such written notice shall identify each party to the affiliation 1377
and describe the affiliation as of the date of such notice, including: (1) A 1378
description of the nature of the proposed relationship among the parties 1379
to the affiliation; (2) the names of the business entities that are to provide 1380
services following the effective date of the affiliation; (3) the address for 1381
each location where such services are to be provided; (4) a description 1382
of the services to be provided at each such location; and (5) the primary 1383
service area to be served by each such location. 1384
(f) Written information submitted to the Attorney General pursuant 1385
to subsections (b) to (e), inclusive, of this section shall be maintained and 1386
used by the Attorney General in the same manner as provided in section 1387
35-42. 1388
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 45

(g) Not later than January [15, 2018, and ] fifteenth annually, 1389
[thereafter,] each hospital and hospital system shall file with the 1390
Attorney General and the Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public 1391
Health a written report describing the activities of the group practices 1392
owned or affiliated with such hospital or hospital system. Such report 1393
shall include, for each such group practice: (1) A description of the 1394
nature of the relationship between the hospital or hospital system and 1395
the group practice; (2) the names and specialties of each physician 1396
practicing medicine with the group practice; (3) the names of the 1397
business entities that provide services as part of the group practice and 1398
the address for each location where such services are provided; (4) a 1399
description of the services provided at each such location; and (5) the 1400
primary service area served by each such location. 1401
(h) Not later than January [15, 2018, and ] fifteenth annually, 1402
[thereafter,] each group practice comprised of thirty or more physicians 1403
that is not the subject of a report filed under subsection (g) of this section 1404
shall file with the Attorney General and the Commissioner of [Health 1405
Strategy] Public Health a written report concerning the group practice. 1406
Such report shall include, for each such group practice: (1) The names 1407
and specialties of each physician practicing medicine with the group 1408
practice; (2) the names of the business entities that provide services as 1409
part of the group practice and the address for each location where such 1410
services are provided; (3) a description of the services provided at each 1411
such location; and (4) the primary service area served by each such 1412
location. 1413
(i) Not later than January [15, 2018, and ] fifteenth annually, 1414
[thereafter,] each hospital and hospital system shall file with the 1415
Attorney General and the Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public 1416
Health a written report describing each affiliation with another hospital 1417
or hospital system. Such report shall include: (1) The name and address 1418
of each party to the affiliation; (2) a description of the nature of the 1419
relationship among the parties to the affiliation; (3) the names of the 1420
business entities that provide services as part of the affiliation and the 1421
address for each location where such services are provided; (4) a 1422
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description of the services provided at each such location; and (5) the 1423
primary service area served by each such location. 1424
Sec. 35. Section 19a -486j of the general statutes is repealed and the 1425
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1426
(a) On or before October 31, [2024] 2026, and semiannually thereafter, 1427
each hospital, as defined in section 12 -263p, shall submit a semiannual 1428
report to the Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Social Services that 1429
identifies, for each of the two prior calendar quarters, (1) the number of 1430
days of cash on hand, or days cash and cash equivalents otherwise 1431
available to the hospital, and (2) the dollar amount of (A) invoices that 1432
are at least ninety days past due in the reporting period, (B) utility bills 1433
that are at least ninety days past due in the reporting period, (C) fees, 1434
taxes or assessments owed to public entities that are at least ninety days 1435
past due in the reporting period, and (D) unpaid employee health 1436
insurance premiums, including unpaid contributions, claims or other 1437
obligations supporting employees under a self -funded insurance plan 1438
or fully insured plan, that are at least ninety days past due in the 1439
reporting period. The commissioner shall develop a uniform template, 1440
including, but not limited to, definitions of terms used in such template, 1441
to be used by hospitals for the purposes of complying with the 1442
provisions of this subsection and post such template on the [Office of 1443
Health Strategy's ] Department of Social Services' Internet web site. A 1444
hospital may request an extension of time to comply with the 1445
requirements of this subsection in a form and manner prescribed by the 1446
commissioner. The commissioner may grant such request for good 1447
cause, as determined by the commissioner. Such template shall be based 1448
on generally accepted accounting principles as prescribed by the 1449
Financial Accounting Standards Board. 1450
(b) If a hospital submits a report pursuant to the provisions of 1451
subsection (a) of this section reflecting two consecutive quarters of sixty 1452
days or less of days of cash on hand, or days cash and cash equivalents 1453
otherwise available to the hospital, the commissioner may require the 1454
hospital to provide the [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Social 1455
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 47

Services with additional information that the commissioner deems 1456
relevant to understanding the financial health of the hospital. 1457
(c) If a hospital submits a report pursuant to the provisions of 1458
subsection (a) of this section reflecting two consecutive quarters of forty-1459
five days or less of cash on hand, or days cash and cash equivalents 1460
otherwise available to the hospital, the [Office of Health Strategy ] 1461
Department of Social Services shall contact the hospital to offer 1462
assistance. 1463
(d) If a hospital has multiple consecutive quarters of one hundred or 1464
more days of cash on hand, or days cash and cash equivalents otherwise 1465
available to the hospital, the commissioner may waive one of the 1466
hospital's two semiannual reports required pursuant to the provisions 1467
of subsection (a) of this section. 1468
Sec. 36. Subsection (b) of section 19a -490ii of the 2026 supplement to 1469
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 1470
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1471
(b) Not later than March [1, 2025, and] first annually, [thereafter] until 1472
March 1, 2029, each hospital that conducts an analysis pursuant to 1473
subsection (a) of this section shall submit a report, in accordance with 1474
the provisions of section 11 -4a, to the joint standing committee of the 1475
General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public 1476
health and, not later than March [1, 2026, and] first annually [thereafter] 1477
until March 1, 2029, shall also submit such report to the 1478
[Commissioners] Commissioner of Public Health [and Health Strategy] 1479
and the Healthcare Advocate, regarding its findings and any 1480
recommendations for achieving the goals described in subparagraphs 1481
(A) to (C), inclusive, of subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of this section. 1482
Sec. 37. Subsections (b) and (c) of section 19a -493b of the general 1483
statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 1484
(Effective July 1, 2026): 1485
(b) No entity, individual, firm, partnership, corporation, limited 1486
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 48

liability company or association, other than a hospital, shall individually 1487
or jointly establish or operate an outpatient surgical facility in this state 1488
without complying with chapter 368z, except as otherwise provided by 1489
this section, and obtaining a license within the time specified in this 1490
subsection from the Department of Public Health for such facility 1491
pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, unless such entity, individual, 1492
firm, partnership, corporation, limited liability company or association: 1493
(1) Provides to the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health 1494
Strategy] Department of Public Health satisfactory evidence that it was 1495
in operation on or before July 1, 2003, or (2) obtained, on or before July 1496
1, 2003, from the Office of Health Care Access, a determination that a 1497
certificate of need is not required. An entity, individual, firm, 1498
partnership, corporation, limited liability company or association 1499
otherwise in compliance with this section may operate an outpatient 1500
surgical facility without a license through March 30, 2007, and shall have 1501
until March 30, 2007, to obtain a license from the Department of Public 1502
Health. 1503
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no outpatient 1504
surgical facility shall be required to comply with section 19a -631, as 1505
amended by this act, 19a-632, 19a-644, as amended by this act , 19a-645, 1506
as amended by this act , 19a-646, as amended by this act , 19a-649, 19a-1507
664 to 19a-666, inclusive, 19a-673 to 19a-676, inclusive, 19a-678, 19a-681, 1508
as amended by this act, or 19a-683. Each outpatient surgical facility shall 1509
continue to be subject to the obligations and requirements applicable to 1510
such facility, including, but not limited to, any applicable provision of 1511
this chapter and those provisions of chapter 368z not specified in this 1512
subsection, except that a request for permission to undertake a transfer 1513
or change of ownership or control shall not be required pursuant to 1514
subsection (a) of section 19a-638 if the Health Systems Planning Unit of 1515
the [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health determines 1516
that the following conditions are satisfied: (1) Prior to any such transfer 1517
or change of ownership or control, the outpatient surgical facility shall 1518
be owned and controlled exclusively by persons licensed pursuant to 1519
section 20-13 or chapter 375, either directly or through a limited liability 1520
company, formed pursuant to chapter 613, a corporation, formed 1521
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 49

pursuant to chapters 601 and 602, or a limited liability partnership, 1522
formed pursuant to chapter 614, that is exclusively owned by persons 1523
licensed pursuant to section 20-13 or chapter 375, or is under the interim 1524
control of an estate executor or conservator pending transfer of an 1525
ownership interest or control to a person licensed under section 20-13 or 1526
chapter 375, and (2) after any such transfer or change of ownership or 1527
control, persons licensed pursuant to section 20 -13 or chapter 375, a 1528
limited liability company, formed pursuant to chapter 613, a 1529
corporation, formed pursuant to chapters 601 and 602, or a limited 1530
liability partnership, formed pursuant to chapter 614, that is exclusively 1531
owned by persons licensed pursuant to section 20 -13 or chapter 375, 1532
shall own and control no less than a sixty per cent interest in the 1533
outpatient surgical facility. 1534
Sec. 38. Subsection (a) of section 19a -507 of the general statutes is 1535
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1536
2026): 1537
(a) Notwithstanding the provisions of chapter 368z, New Horizons, 1538
Inc., a nonprofit, nonsectarian organization, or a subsidiary 1539
organization controlled by New Horizons, Inc., is authorized to 1540
construct and operate an independent living facility for severely 1541
physically disabled adults, in the town of Farmington, provided such 1542
facility shall be constructed in accordance with applicable building 1543
codes. The Farmington Housing Authority, or any issuer acting on 1544
behalf of said authority, subject to the provisions of this section, may 1545
issue tax-exempt revenue bonds on a competitive or negotiated basis for 1546
the purpose of providing construction and permanent mortgage 1547
financing for the facility in accordance with Section 103 of the Internal 1548
Revenue Code. Prior to the issuance of such bonds, plans for the 1549
construction of the facility shall be submitted to and approved by the 1550
Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] 1551
Department of Public Health. The unit shall approve or disapprove such 1552
plans within thirty days of receipt thereof. If the plans are disapproved 1553
they may be resubmitted. Failure of the unit to act on the plans within 1554
such thirty-day period shall be deemed approval thereof. The payments 1555
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 50

to residents of the facility who are eligible for assistance under the state 1556
supplement program for room and board and necessary services, shall 1557
be determined annually to be effective July first of each year. Such 1558
payments shall be determined on a basis of a reasonable payment for 1559
necessary services, which basis shall take into account as a factor the 1560
costs of providing those services and such other factors as the 1561
commissioner deems reasonable, including anticipated fluctuations in 1562
the cost of providing services. Such payments shall be calculated in 1563
accordance with the manner in which rates are calculated pursuant to 1564
subsection (i) of section 17b -340 and the cost -related reimbursement 1565
system pursuant to said section except that efficiency incentives shall 1566
not be granted. The commissioner may adjust such rates to account for 1567
the availability of personal care services for residents under the 1568
Medicaid program. The commissioner shall, upon submission of a 1569
request, allow actual debt service, comprised of principal and interest, 1570
in excess of property costs allowed pursuant to section 17-313b-5 of the 1571
regulations of Connecticut state agencies, provided such debt service 1572
terms and amounts are reasonable in relation to the useful life and the 1573
base value of the property. The cost basis for such payment shall be 1574
subject to audit, and a recomputation of the rate shall be made based 1575
upon such audit. The facility shall report on a fiscal year ending on the 1576
thirtieth day of September on forms provided by the commissioner. The 1577
required report shall be received by the commissioner no later than 1578
December thirty-first of each year. The Department of Social Services 1579
may use its existing utilization review procedures to monitor utilization 1580
of the facility. If the facility is aggrieved by any decision of the 1581
commissioner, the facility may, within ten days, after written notice 1582
thereof from the commissioner, obtain by written request to the 1583
commissioner, a hearing on all items of aggrievement. If the facility is 1584
aggrieved by the decision of the commissioner after such hearing, the 1585
facility may appeal to the Superior Court in accordance with the 1586
provisions of section 4-183. 1587
Sec. 39. Subsections (d) to (m), inclusive, of section 19a -508c of the 1588
2026 supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following 1589
is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1590
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 51

(d) Each initial billing statement that includes a facility fee shall: (1) 1591
Clearly identify the fee as a facility fee that is billed in addition to, or 1592
separately from, any professional fee billed by the provider; (2) provide 1593
the corresponding Medicare facility fee reimbursement rate for the same 1594
service as a comparison or, if there is no corresponding Medicare facility 1595
fee for such service, (A) the approximate amount Medicare would have 1596
paid the hospital for the facility fee on the billing statement, or (B) the 1597
percentage of the hospital's charges that Medicare would have paid the 1598
hospital for the facility fee; (3) include a statement that the facility fee is 1599
intended to cover the hospital's or health system's operational expenses; 1600
(4) inform the patient that the patient's financial liability may have been 1601
less if the services had been provided at a facility not owned or operated 1602
by the hospital or health system; and (5) include written notice of the 1603
patient's right to request a reduction in the facility fee or any other 1604
portion of the bill and a telephone number that the patient may use to 1605
request such a reduction without regard to whether such patient 1606
qualifies for, or is likely to be granted, any reduction. Not later than 1607
October 15, 2022, and annually thereafter, each hospital, health system 1608
and hospital-based facility shall submit to the Health Systems Planning 1609
Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health, 1610
established pursuant to section 19a -612, as amended by this act, a 1611
sample of a billing statement issued by such hospital, health system or 1612
hospital-based facility that complies with the provisions of this 1613
subsection and [which] represents the format of billing statements 1614
received by patients. Such billing statement shall not contain patient 1615
identifying information. 1616
(e) The written notice described in subsections (b) to (d), inclusive, 1617
and (h) to (j), inclusive, of this section shall be in plain language and in 1618
a form that may be reasonably understood by a patient who does not 1619
possess special knowledge regarding hospital or health system facility 1620
fee charges. On and after October 1, 2022, such notices shall include tag 1621
lines in at least the top fifteen languages spoken in the state indicating 1622
that the notice is available in each of those top fifteen languages. The 1623
fifteen languages shall be either the languages in the list published by 1624
the Department of Health and Human Services in connection with 1625
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 52

section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, P.L. 111-1626
148, or, as determined by the hospital or health system, the top fifteen 1627
languages in the geographic area of the hospital-based facility. 1628
(f) (1) For nonemergency care, if a patient's appointment is scheduled 1629
to occur ten or more days after the appointment is made, such written 1630
notice shall be sent to the patient by first class mail, encrypted electronic 1631
mail or a secure patient Internet portal not less than three days after the 1632
appointment is made. If an appointment is scheduled to occur less than 1633
ten days after the appointment is made or if the patient arrives without 1634
an appointment, such notice shall be hand-delivered to the patient when 1635
the patient arrives at the hospital-based facility. 1636
(2) For emergency care, such written notice shall be provided to the 1637
patient as soon as practicable after the patient is stabilized in accordance 1638
with the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, 1639
42 USC 1395dd, as amended from time to time, or is determined not to 1640
have an emergency medical condition and before the patient leaves the 1641
hospital-based facility. If the patient is unconscious, under great duress 1642
or for any other reason unable to read the notice and understand and 1643
act on his or her rights, the notice shall be provided to the patient's 1644
representative as soon as practicable. 1645
(g) Subsections (b) to (f), inclusive, and (l) of this section shall not 1646
apply if a patient is insured by Medicare or Medicaid or is receiving 1647
services under a workers' compensation plan established to provide 1648
medical services pursuant to chapter 568. 1649
(h) A hospital-based facility shall prominently display written notice 1650
in locations that are readily accessible to and visible by patients, 1651
including patient waiting or appointment check -in areas, stating: (1) 1652
That the hospital-based facility is part of a hospital or health system, (2) 1653
the name of the hospital or health system, and (3) that if the hospital -1654
based facility charges a facility fee, the patient may incur a financial 1655
liability greater than the patient would incur if the hospital -based 1656
facility was not hospital -based. On and after October 1, 2022, such 1657
notices shall include tag lines in at least the top fifteen languages spoken 1658
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 53

in the state indicating that the notice is available in each of those top 1659
fifteen languages. The fifteen languages shall be either the languages in 1660
the list published by the Department of Health and Human Services in 1661
connection with section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable 1662
Care Act, P.L. 111 -148, or, as determined by the hospital or health 1663
system, the top fifteen languages in the geographic area of the hospital-1664
based facility. Not later than October 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, 1665
each hospital -based facility shall submit a copy of the written notice 1666
required by this subsection to the Health Systems Planning Unit of the 1667
[Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health. 1668
(i) A hospital-based facility shall clearly hold itself out to the public 1669
and payers as being hospital-based, including, at a minimum, by stating 1670
the name of the hospital or health system in its signage, marketing 1671
materials, Internet web sites and stationery. 1672
(j) A hospital-based facility shall, when scheduling services for which 1673
a facility fee may be charged, inform the patient (1) that the hospital -1674
based facility is part of a hospital or health system, (2) of the name of the 1675
hospital or health system, (3) that the hospital or health system may 1676
charge a facility fee in addition to and separate from the professional fee 1677
charged by the provider, and (4) of the telephone number the patient 1678
may call for additional information regarding such patient's potential 1679
financial liability. 1680
(k) (1) If any transaction described in subsection (c) of section 19a -1681
486i results in the establishment of a hospital -based facility at which 1682
facility fees may be billed, the hospital or health system, that is the 1683
purchaser in such transaction shall, not later than thirty days after such 1684
transaction, provide written notice, by first class mail, of the transaction 1685
to each patient served within the three years preceding the date of the 1686
transaction by the health care facility that has been purchased as part of 1687
such transaction. 1688
(2) Such notice shall include the following information: 1689
(A) A statement that the health care facility is now a hospital -based 1690
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 54

facility and is part of a hospital or health system, the health care facility's 1691
full legal and business name and the date of such facility's acquisition 1692
by a hospital or health system; 1693
(B) The name, business address and phone number of the hospital or 1694
health system that is the purchaser of the health care facility; 1695
(C) A statement that the hospital-based facility bills, or is likely to bill, 1696
patients a facility fee that may be in addition to, and separate from, any 1697
professional fee billed by a health care provider at the hospital -based 1698
facility; 1699
(D) (i) A statement that the patient's actual financial liability will 1700
depend on the professional medical services actually provided to the 1701
patient, and (ii) an explanation that the patient may incur financial 1702
liability that is greater than the patient would incur if the hospital-based 1703
facility were not a hospital-based facility; 1704
(E) The estimated amount or range of amounts the hospital -based 1705
facility may bill for a facility fee or an example of the average facility fee 1706
billed at such hospital -based facility for the most common services 1707
provided at such hospital-based facility; and 1708
(F) A statement that, prior to seeking services at such hospital -based 1709
facility, a patient covered by a health insurance policy should contact 1710
the patient's health insurer for additional information regarding the 1711
hospital-based facility fees, including the patient's potential financial 1712
liability, if any, for such fees. 1713
(3) A copy of the written notice provided to patients in accordance 1714
with this subsection shall be filed with the Health Systems Planning 1715
Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health , 1716
established under section 19a -612, as amended by this act . Said unit 1717
shall post a link to such notice on its Internet web site. 1718
(4) A hospital, health system or hospital-based facility shall not collect 1719
a facility fee for services provided at a hospital -based facility that is 1720
subject to the provisions of this subsection from the date of the 1721
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 55

transaction until at least thirty days after the written notice required 1722
pursuant to this subsection is mailed to the patient or a copy of such 1723
notice is filed with the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of 1724
Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health , whichever is later. A 1725
violation of this subsection shall be considered an unfair trade practice 1726
pursuant to section 42-110b. 1727
(5) Not later than July [1, 2023, and] first annually, [thereafter,] each 1728
hospital-based facility that was the subject of a transaction, as described 1729
in subsection (c) of section 19a-486i, during the preceding calendar year 1730
shall report to the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health 1731
Strategy] Department of Public Health the number of patients served by 1732
such hospital-based facility in the preceding three years. 1733
(l) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, no hospital, 1734
health system or hospital-based facility shall collect a facility fee for (A) 1735
outpatient health care services that use a current procedural 1736
terminology evaluation and management (CPT E/M) code or 1737
assessment and management (CPT A/M) code and are provided at a 1738
hospital-based facility located off -site from a hospital campus, or (B) 1739
outpatient health care services provided at a hospital -based facility 1740
located off -site from a hospital campus received by a patient who is 1741
uninsured of more than the Medicare rate. 1742
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, on and after July 1743
1, 2024, no hospital or health system shall collect a facility fee for 1744
outpatient health care services that use a current procedural 1745
terminology evaluation and management (CPT E/M) code or 1746
assessment and management (CPT A/M) code and are provided on the 1747
hospital campus. The provisions of this subdivision shall not apply to 1748
(A) an emergency department located on a hospital campus, or (B) 1749
observation stays on a hospital campus and (CPT E/M) and (CPT A/M) 1750
codes when billed for the following services: (i) Wound care, (ii) 1751
orthopedics, (iii) anticoagulation, (iv) oncology, (v) obstetrics, and (vi) 1752
solid organ transplant. 1753
(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (1) and (2) of this 1754
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 56

subsection, in circumstances when an insurance contract that is in effect 1755
on July 1, 2016, provides reimbursement for facility fees prohibited 1756
under the provisions of subdivision (1) of this subsection, and in 1757
circumstances when an insurance contract that is in effect on July 1, 1758
2024, provides reimbursement for facility fees prohibited under the 1759
provisions of subdivision (2) of this subsection, a hospital or health 1760
system may continue to collect reimbursement from the health insurer 1761
for such facility fees until the applicable date of expiration, renewal or 1762
amendment of such contract, whichever such date is the earliest. 1763
(4) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to a freestanding 1764
emergency department. As used in this subdivision, "freestanding 1765
emergency department" means a freestanding facility that (A) is 1766
structurally separate and distinct from a hospital, (B) provides 1767
emergency care, (C) is a department of a hospital licensed under chapter 1768
368v, and (D) has been issued a certificate of need to operate as a 1769
freestanding emergency department pursuant to chapter 368z. 1770
(5) (A) On and after July 1, 2024, if the Commissioner of [Health 1771
Strategy] Public Health receives information and has a reasonable belief, 1772
after evaluating such information, that any hospital, health system or 1773
hospital-based facility charged facility fees, other than through isolated 1774
clerical or electronic billing errors, in violation of any provision of this 1775
section, or rule or regulation adopted thereunder, such hospital, health 1776
system or hospital-based facility shall be subject to a civil penalty of up 1777
to one thousand dollars. The commissioner may issue a notice of 1778
violation and civil penalty by first class mail or personal service. Such 1779
notice shall include: (i) A reference to the section of the general statutes, 1780
rule or section of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies believed 1781
or alleged to have been violated; (ii) a short and plain language 1782
statement of the matters asserted or charged; (iii) a description of the 1783
activity to cease; (iv) a statement of the amount of the civil penalty or 1784
penalties that may be imposed; (v) a statement concerning the right to a 1785
hearing; and (vi) a statement that such hospital, health system or 1786
hospital-based facility may, not later than ten business days after receipt 1787
of such notice, make a request for a hearing on the matters asserted. 1788
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(B) The hospital, health system or hospital -based facility to whom 1789
such notice is provided pursuant to subparagraph (A) of this 1790
subdivision may, not later than ten business days after receipt of such 1791
notice, make written application to the [Office of Health Strategy ] 1792
Department of Public Health to request a hearing to demonstrate that 1793
such violation did not occur. The failure to make a timely request for a 1794
hearing shall result in the issuance of a cease and desist order or civil 1795
penalty. All hearings held under this subsection shall be conducted in 1796
accordance with the provisions of chapter 54. 1797
(C) Following any hearing before the [Office of Health Strategy ] 1798
Department of Public Health pursuant to this subdivision, if said [office] 1799
department finds, by a preponderance of the evidence, that such 1800
hospital, health system or hospital-based facility violated or is violating 1801
any provision of this subsection, any rule or regulation adopted 1802
thereunder or any order issued by said [office] department, said [office] 1803
department shall issue a final cease and desist order in addition to any 1804
civil penalty said [office] department imposes. 1805
(6) A violation of this subsection shall be considered an unfair trade 1806
practice pursuant to section 42-110b. 1807
(m) (1) Each hospital and health system shall report not later than 1808
October 1, 2023, and thereafter not later than July 1, 2024, and annually 1809
thereafter, to the Commissioner of [Health Strategy] Public Health, on a 1810
form prescribed by the commissioner, concerning facility fees charged 1811
or billed during the preceding calendar year. Such report shall include, 1812
but need not be limited to, (A) the name and address of each facility 1813
owned or operated by the hospital or health system that provides 1814
services for which a facility fee is charged or billed, and an indication as 1815
to whether each facility is located on or outside of the hospital or health 1816
system campus, (B) the number of patient visits at each such facility for 1817
which a facility fee was charged or billed, (C) the number, total amount 1818
and range of allowable facility fees paid at each such facility 1819
disaggregated by payer mix, (D) for each facility, the total amount of 1820
facility fees charged and the total amount of revenue received by the 1821
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 58

hospital or health system derived from facility fees, (E) the total amount 1822
of facility fees charged and the total amount of revenue received by the 1823
hospital or health system from all facilities derived from facility fees, (F) 1824
a description of the ten procedures or services that generated the 1825
greatest amount of facility fee gross revenue, disaggregated by current 1826
procedural terminology (CPT) category code for each such procedure or 1827
service and, for each such procedure or service, patient volume and the 1828
total amount of gross and net revenue received by the hospital or health 1829
system derived from facility fees, disaggregated by on-campus and off-1830
campus, and (G) the top ten procedures or services for which facility 1831
fees are charged based on patient volume and the gross and net revenue 1832
received by the hospital or health system for each such procedure or 1833
service, disaggregated by on -campus and off-campus. For purposes of 1834
this subsection, "facility" means a hospital -based facility that is located 1835
on a hospital campus or outside a hospital campus. 1836
(2) The commissioner shall publish the information reported 1837
pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection, or post a link to such 1838
information, on the Internet web site of the [Office of Health Strategy ] 1839
Department of Public Health. 1840
Sec. 40. Subsection (c) of section 19a -509b of the general statutes is 1841
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1842
2026): 1843
(c) Each hospital that holds or administers one or more hospital bed 1844
funds shall make available in a place and manner allowing individual 1845
members of the public to easily obtain it, a one -page summary in 1846
English and Spanish describing hospital bed funds and how to apply for 1847
them. The summary shall also describe any other policies regarding the 1848
provision of charity care and reduced cost services for the indigent as 1849
reported by the hospital to the Health Systems Planning Unit of the 1850
[Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health pursuant to 1851
section 19a -649 and shall clearly distinguish hospital bed funds from 1852
other sources of financial assistance. The summary shall include 1853
notification that the patient is entitled to reapply upon rejection, and 1854
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 59

that additional funds may become available on an annual basis. The 1855
summary shall be available in the patient admissions office, emergency 1856
room, social services department and patient accounts or billing office, 1857
and from any collection agent. If during the admission process or during 1858
its review of the financial resources of the patient, the hospital 1859
reasonably believes the patient will have limited funds to pay for any 1860
portion of the patient's hospitalization not covered by insurance, the 1861
hospital shall provide the summary to each such patient. 1862
Sec. 41. Section 19a -612 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1863
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1864
[(a)] There is established, within the [Office of Health Strategy, 1865
established under section 19a-754a] Department of Public Health, a unit 1866
to be known as the Health Systems Planning Unit [. The unit, under ] 1867
that shall be under the direction of the Commissioner of [Health 1868
Strategy, shall constitute a successor to the former Office of Health Care 1869
Access, in accordance with the provisions of sections 4 -38d and 4 -39] 1870
Public Health. 1871
[(b) Any order, decision, agreed settlement or regulation of the 1872
former Office of Health Care Access which is in force on July 1, 2018 , 1873
shall continue in force and effect as an order or regulation of the Office 1874
of Health Strategy until amended, repealed or superseded pursuant to 1875
law. 1876
(c) If the words "Office of Health Care Access" are used or referred to 1877
in any public or special act of 2009 or in any section of the general 1878
statutes which is amended in 2009, such words shall be deemed to mean 1879
or refer to the Office of Health Care Access division within the 1880
Department of Public Health. If the words "Office of Health Care 1881
Access" are used or referred to in any public or special act of 2018 or in 1882
any section of the general statutes which is amended in 2018, such 1883
words shall be deemed to mean or refer to the Health Systems Planning 1884
Unit within the Office of Health Strategy.] 1885
Sec. 42. Section 19a -612d of the general statutes is repealed and the 1886
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following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1887
[(a)] The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health shall 1888
oversee the Health Systems Planning Unit and shall exercise 1889
independent decision -making authority over all certificate of need 1890
decisions. 1891
[(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, 1892
the Deputy Commissioner of Public Health shall retain independent 1893
decision-making authority over only the certificate of need applications 1894
that are pending before the Office of Health Care Access and have been 1895
deemed completed by said office on or before May 14, 2018. Following 1896
the issuance by the Deputy Commissioner of Public Health of a final 1897
decision on any such certificate of need application, the Commissioner 1898
of Health Strategy shall exercise independent authority on any further 1899
action required on such certificate of need application or the certificate 1900
of need issued pursuant to such application.] 1901
Sec. 43. Subsection (c) of section 19a -613 of the general statutes is 1902
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1903
2026): 1904
(c) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health , or any 1905
person the commissioner designates, may conduct a hearing and render 1906
a final decision in any case when a hearing is required or authorized 1907
under the provisions of any statute dealing with the Health Systems 1908
Planning Unit. 1909
Sec. 44. Section 19a -614 of the general statutes is repealed and the 1910
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 1911
The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health may employ 1912
and pay professional and support staff subject to the provisions of 1913
chapter 67 and contract with and engage consultants and other 1914
independent professionals as may be necessary or desirable to carry out 1915
the functions of the Health Systems Planning Unit. 1916
Sec. 45. Section 19a-630 of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes 1917
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is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1918
1, 2026): 1919
As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1920
(1) "Affiliate" means a person, entity or organization controlling, 1921
controlled by or under common control with another person, entity or 1922
organization. Affiliate does not include a medical foundation organized 1923
under chapter 594b. 1924
(2) "Applicant" means any person or health care facility that applies 1925
for a certificate of need pursuant to section 19a-639a, as amended by this 1926
act. 1927
(3) "Bed capacity" means the total number of inpatient beds in a 1928
facility licensed by the Department of Public Health under sections 19a-1929
490 to 19a-503, inclusive. 1930
(4) "Capital expenditure" means an expenditure that under generally 1931
accepted accounting principles consistently applied is not properly 1932
chargeable as an expense of operation or maintenance and includes 1933
acquisition by purchase, transfer, lease or comparable arrangement, or 1934
through donation, if the expenditure would have been considered a 1935
capital expenditure had the acquisition been by purchase. 1936
(5) "Certificate of need" means a certificate issued by the unit. 1937
(6) "Days" means calendar days. 1938
(7) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] 1939
Public Health. 1940
(8) "Free clinic" means a private, nonprofit community -based 1941
organization that provides medical, dental, pharmaceutical or mental 1942
health services at reduced cost or no cost to low-income, uninsured and 1943
underinsured individuals. 1944
(9) "Large group practice" means eight or more full -time equivalent 1945
physicians, legally organized in a partnership, professional corporation, 1946
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limited liability company formed to render professional services, 1947
medical foundation, not-for-profit corporation, faculty practice plan or 1948
other similar entity (A) in which each physician who is a member of the 1949
group provides substantially the full range of services that the physician 1950
routinely provides, including, but not limited to, medical care, 1951
consultation, diagnosis or treatment, through the joint use of shared 1952
office space, facilities, equipment or personnel; (B) for which 1953
substantially all of the services of the physicians who are members of 1954
the group are provided through the group and are billed in the name of 1955
the group practice and amounts so received are treated as receipts of the 1956
group; or (C) in which the overhead expenses of, and the income from, 1957
the group are distributed in accordance with methods previously 1958
determined by members of the group. An entity that otherwise meets 1959
the definition of group practice under this section shall be considered a 1960
group practice although its shareholders, partners or owners of the 1961
group practice include single -physician professional corporations, 1962
limited liability companies formed to render professional services or 1963
other entities in which beneficial owners are individual physicians. 1964
(10) "Health care facility" means (A) hospitals licensed by the 1965
Department of Public Health under chapter 368v; (B) specialty hospitals; 1966
(C) freestanding emergency departments; (D) outpatient surgical 1967
facilities, as defined in section 19a -493b, as amended by this act, and 1968
licensed under chapter 368v; (E) a hospital or other facility or institution 1969
operated by the state that provides services that are eligible for 1970
reimbursement under Title XVIII or XIX of the federal Social Security 1971
Act, 42 USC 301, as amended; (F) a central service facility; (G) mental 1972
health facilities; (H) substance abuse treatment facilities; and (I) any 1973
other facility requiring certificate of need review pursuant to subsection 1974
(a) of section 19a -638. "Health care facility" includes any parent 1975
company, subsidiary, affiliate or joint venture, or any combination 1976
thereof, of any such facility. 1977
(11) "Nonhospital based" means located at a site other than the main 1978
campus of the hospital. 1979
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(12) ["Office" means the Office of Health Strategy] "Department" 1980
means the Department of Public Health. 1981
(13) "Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, limited 1982
liability company, association, governmental subdivision, agency or 1983
public or private organization of any character, but does not include the 1984
agency conducting the proceeding. 1985
(14) "Physician" has the same meaning as provided in section 20-13a. 1986
(15) "Termination of services" means the cessation of any services for 1987
a combined total of greater than one hundred eighty days within any 1988
consecutive two-year period. 1989
(16) "Transfer of ownership" means a transfer that impacts or changes 1990
the governance or controlling body of a health care facility, institution 1991
or large group practice, including, but not limited to, all affiliations, 1992
mergers or any sale or transfer of net assets of a health care facility. 1993
(17) "Unit" means the Health Systems Planning Unit. 1994
Sec. 46. Subsection (b) of section 19a -631 of the general statutes is 1995
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 1996
2026): 1997
(b) Each hospital shall annually pay to the Commissioner of [Health 1998
Strategy] Public Health , for deposit in the General Fund, an amount 1999
equal to its share of the actual expenditures made by the unit during 2000
each fiscal year including the cost of fringe benefits for unit personnel 2001
as estimated by the Comptroller, the amount of expenses for central 2002
state services attributable to the unit for the fiscal year as estimated by 2003
the Comptroller, plus the expenditures made on behalf of the unit from 2004
the Capital Equipment Purchase Fund pursuant to section 4a-9 for such 2005
year. Payments shall be made by assessment of all hospitals of the costs 2006
calculated and collected in accordance with the provisions of this section 2007
and section 19a -632. If for any reason a hospital ceases operation, any 2008
unpaid assessment for the operations of the unit shall be reapportioned 2009
among the remaining hospitals to be paid in addition to any other 2010
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assessment. 2011
Sec. 47. Section 19a -632a of the general statutes is repealed and the 2012
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2013
(a) For purposes of this section, "electronic funds transfer" has the 2014
same meaning as provided in section 12-685. 2015
(b) The [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health may 2016
require a hospital to pay an assessment levied pursuant to section 19a -2017
632 by way of an approved method of electronic funds transfer. 2018
(c) A hospital making an electronic funds transfer pursuant to this 2019
section shall initiate such transfer in a timely fashion to ensure that a 2020
bank account designated by the department is credited by electronic 2021
funds transfer for the amount of the assessment required to be made by 2022
such method on or before the date such assessment is due. 2023
(d) Where an assessment is required to be made by electronic funds 2024
transfer, any payment made by a method other than electronic funds 2025
transfer shall be treated as an assessment not made in a timely manner, 2026
and any payment made by electronic funds transfer, where the bank 2027
account designated by the department is not credited for the amount of 2028
the assessment on or before the date such assessment is due, shall be 2029
treated as an assessment not made in a timely manner. Any assessment 2030
treated under this subsection as an assessment not made in a timely 2031
manner shall be subject to a penalty in accordance with subsection (e) of 2032
this section. 2033
(e) Where any assessment is treated under subsection (d) of this 2034
section as an assessment not made in a timely manner because it is made 2035
by means other than electronic funds transfer, [there shall be imposed] 2036
the department shall impose a penalty equal to ten per cent of the 2037
assessment required to be made by electronic funds transfer. Where any 2038
assessment made by electronic funds transfer is treated under 2039
subsection (d) of this section as an assessment not made in a timely 2040
manner because the bank account designated by the department is not 2041
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credited by electronic funds transfer for the amount of the assessment 2042
on or before the date such assessment is due, [there shall be imposed ] 2043
the department shall impose a penalty equal to (1) two per cent of the 2044
assessment required to be made by electronic funds transfer, if such 2045
failure to pay by electronic funds transfer is for not more than five days; 2046
(2) five per cent of the assessment required to be made by electronic 2047
funds transfer, if such failure to pay by electronic funds transfer is for 2048
more than five days but not more than fifteen days; or (3) ten per cent of 2049
the assessment required to be made by electronic funds transfer, if such 2050
failure to pay by electronic funds transfer is for more than fifteen days. 2051
(f) The [office] department shall deposit all payments received 2052
pursuant to this section with the State Treasurer. The moneys so 2053
deposited shall be credited to the General Fund and shall be accounted 2054
for as expenses recovered from hospitals. 2055
Sec. 48. Subsection (a) of section 19a -634 of the 2026 supplement to 2056
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2057
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2058
(a) The Health Systems Planning Unit shall conduct, on a biennial 2059
basis, within available appropriations, a state -wide health care facility 2060
utilization study. Such study may include an assessment of: (1) Current 2061
availability and utilization of acute hospital care, hospital emergency 2062
care, specialty hospital care, outpatient surgical care, primary care and 2063
clinic care; (2) geographic areas and subpopulations that may be 2064
underserved or have reduced access to specific types of health care 2065
services; and (3) other factors that the unit deems pertinent to health care 2066
facility utilization. Not later than June thirtieth of the year in which the 2067
biennial study is conducted, the Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] 2068
Public Health shall report, in accordance with section 11 -4a, to the 2069
Governor and the joint standing committees of the General Assembly 2070
having cognizance of matters relating to public health and human 2071
services on the findings of the study. Such report may also include the 2072
unit's recommendations for addressing identified gaps in the provision 2073
of health care services and recommendations concerning a lack of access 2074
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to health care services. 2075
Sec. 49. Subsections (d) and (e) of section 19a -638 of the general 2076
statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2077
(Effective July 1, 2026): 2078
(d) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health may 2079
implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the 2080
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies 2081
and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner holds a 2082
public hearing prior to implementing the policies and procedures and 2083
posts notice of intent to adopt regulations on the [office's] department's 2084
Internet web site and the eRegulations System not later than twenty 2085
days after the date of implementation. Policies and procedures 2086
implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the time final 2087
regulations are adopted. 2088
(e) On or before June 30, 2026, a mental health facility seeking to 2089
increase licensed bed capacity without applying for a certificate of need, 2090
as permitted pursuant to subdivision (23) of subsection (b) of this 2091
section, shall notify the [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public 2092
Health, in a form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, 2093
regarding (1) such facility's intent to increase licensed bed capacity, (2) 2094
the address of such facility, and (3) a description of all services that are 2095
being or will be provided at such facility. 2096
Sec. 50. Subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 19a-639 of the 2026 2097
supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is 2098
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2099
(1) Whether the proposed project is consistent with any applicable 2100
policies and standards adopted in regulations by the [Office of Health 2101
Strategy] Department of Public Health; 2102
Sec. 51. Subsection (a) of section 19a -639a of the general statutes is 2103
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2104
2026): 2105
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(a) An application for a certificate of need shall be filed with the unit 2106
in accordance with the provisions of this section and any regulations 2107
adopted by the [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health. 2108
The application shall address the guidelines and principles set forth in 2109
(1) subsection (a) of section 19a -639, as amended by this act , and (2) 2110
regulations adopted by the department. The applicant shall include 2111
with the application a nonrefundable application fee based on the cost 2112
of the project. The amount of the fee shall be as follows: (A) One 2113
thousand dollars for a project that will cost not greater than fifty 2114
thousand dollars; (B) two thousand dollars for a project that will cost 2115
greater than fifty thousand dollars but not greater than one hundred 2116
thousand dollars; (C) three thousand dollars for a project that will cost 2117
greater than one hundred thousand dollars but not greater than five 2118
hundred thousand dollars; (D) four thousand dollars for a project that 2119
will cost greater than five hundred thousand dollars but not greater than 2120
one million dollars; (E) five thousand dollars for a project that will cost 2121
greater than one million dollars but not greater than five million dollars; 2122
(F) eight thousand dollars for a project that will cost greater than five 2123
million dollars but not greater than ten million dollars; and (G) ten 2124
thousand dollars for a project that will cost greater than ten million 2125
dollars. 2126
Sec. 52. Subsection (h) of section 19a -639a of the general statutes is 2127
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2128
2026): 2129
(h) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health may 2130
implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the 2131
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies 2132
and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner holds a 2133
public hearing prior to implementing the policies and procedures and 2134
posts notice of intent to adopt regulations on the [office's] Department 2135
of Public Health's Internet web site and the eRegulations System not 2136
later than twenty days after the date of implementation. Policies and 2137
procedures implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the 2138
time final regulations are adopted. 2139
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Sec. 53. Subsection (e) of section 19a -639b of the general statutes is 2140
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2141
2026): 2142
(e) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health may 2143
implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the 2144
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies 2145
and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner holds a 2146
public hearing prior to implementing the policies and procedures and 2147
posts notice of intent to adopt regulations on the [office's] Department 2148
of Public Health's Internet web site and the eRegulations System not 2149
later than twenty days after the date of implementation. Policies and 2150
procedures implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the 2151
time final regulations are adopted. 2152
Sec. 54. Subsection (b) of section 19a -639c of the general statutes is 2153
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2154
2026): 2155
(b) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health may 2156
implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the 2157
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies 2158
and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner holds a 2159
public hearing prior to implementing the policies and procedures and 2160
posts notice of intent to adopt regulations on the [office's] Department 2161
of Public Health's Internet web site and the eRegulations System not 2162
later than twenty days after the date of implementation. Policies and 2163
procedures implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the 2164
time final regulations are adopted. 2165
Sec. 55. Subsection (d) of section 19a -639e of the general statutes is 2166
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2167
2026): 2168
(d) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health may 2169
implement policies and procedures necessary to administer the 2170
provisions of this section while in the process of adopting such policies 2171
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and procedures as regulation, provided the commissioner holds a 2172
public hearing prior to implementing the policies and procedures and 2173
posts notice of intent to adopt regulations on the [office's] Department 2174
of Public Health's Internet web site and the eRegulations System not 2175
later than twenty days after the date of implementation. Policies and 2176
procedures implemented pursuant to this section shall be valid until the 2177
time final regulations are adopted. 2178
Sec. 56. Subsection (a) of section 19a -639f of the general statutes is 2179
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2180
2026): 2181
(a) The Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health 2182
Strategy] Department of Public Health shall conduct a cost and market 2183
impact review in each case where (1) an application for a certificate of 2184
need filed pursuant to section 19a-638, as amended by this act, involves 2185
the transfer of ownership of a hospital, as defined in section 19a-639, as 2186
amended by this act , and (2) the purchaser is a hospital, as defined in 2187
section 19a-490, whether located within or outside the state, that had net 2188
patient revenue for fiscal year 2013 in an amount greater than one billion 2189
five hundred million dollars, or a hospital system, as defined in section 2190
19a-486i, as amended by this act, whether located within or outside the 2191
state, that had net patient revenue for fiscal year 2013 in an amount 2192
greater than one billion five hundred million dollars or any person that 2193
is organized or operated for profit. 2194
Sec. 57. Subsection (l) of section 19a -639f of the general statutes is 2195
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2196
2026): 2197
(l) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy] Public Health shall adopt 2198
regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, concerning 2199
cost and market impact reviews and to administer the provisions of this 2200
section. Such regulations shall include definitions of the following 2201
terms: "Dispersed service area", "health status adjusted total medical 2202
expense", "major service category", "relative prices", "total health care 2203
spending" and "health care services". The commissioner may implement 2204
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policies and procedures necessary to administer the provisions of this 2205
section while in the process of adopting such policies and procedures in 2206
regulation form, provided the commissioner publishes notice of 2207
intention to adopt the regulations on the [office's] Department of Public 2208
Health's Internet web site and the eRegulations System not later than 2209
twenty days after implementing such policies and procedures. Policies 2210
and procedures implemented pursuant to this subsection shall be valid 2211
until the time such regulations are effective. 2212
Sec. 58. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 19a -639g of the 2026 2213
supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is 2214
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2215
(a) Notwithstanding any provision of sections 19a -630 to 19a -639f, 2216
inclusive, as amended by this act , any transacting parties involved in 2217
any transfer of ownership, as defined in section 19a-630, as amended by 2218
this act, of a hospital requiring a certificate of need pursuant to section 2219
19a-638, as amended by this act, in which (1) the hospital subject to the 2220
transfer of ownership has filed for bankruptcy protection in any court 2221
of competent jurisdiction, and (2) a potential purchaser for such hospital 2222
has been or is required to be approved by a bankruptcy court, may, at 2223
the discretion of the Commissioner of [Health Strategy] Public Health, 2224
apply for an emergency certificate of need through the emergency 2225
certificate of need application process described in this section. An 2226
emergency certificate of need issued by the Health Systems Planning 2227
Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health 2228
pursuant to the provisions of this section and any conditions imposed 2229
on such issuance shall apply to the applicant applying for the 2230
emergency certificate of need, the hospital subject to the transfer of 2231
ownership and any subsidiary or group practice that would otherwise 2232
require a certificate of need pursuant to the provisions of section 19a -2233
638, as amended by this act, and that is also subject to the transfer of 2234
ownership as part of the bankruptcy proceeding. The availability of the 2235
emergency certificate of need application process described in this 2236
section shall not affect any existing certificate of need issued pursuant 2237
to the provisions of sections 19a -630 to 19a-639f, inclusive, as amended 2238
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by this act. 2239
(b) (1) The unit shall develop an emergency certificate of need 2240
application, which shall identify any data required to be submitted with 2241
such application that the unit deems necessary to analyze the effects of 2242
a hospital's transfer of ownership on health care costs, quality and access 2243
in the affected market. If a potential purchaser of a hospital, described 2244
in subsection (a) of this section, is a for -profit entity, the unit's 2245
emergency certificate of need application may require additional 2246
information or data intended to ensure that the ongoing operation of the 2247
hospital after the transfer of ownership will be maintained in the public 2248
interest. The commissioner shall post any emergency certificate of need 2249
application developed pursuant to the provisions of this subdivision on 2250
the [Office of Health Strategy's] Department of Public Health's Internet 2251
web site and may modify any data required to be submitted with an 2252
emergency certificate of need application, provided the commissioner 2253
posts any such modification to the [office's] department's Internet web 2254
site not later than fifteen days before such a modification becomes 2255
effective. 2256
(2) An applicant seeking an emergency certificate of need shall 2257
submit an emergency certificate of need application to the unit in a form 2258
and manner prescribed by the commissioner. 2259
(3) An emergency certificate of need application shall be deemed 2260
complete on the date the unit determines that an applicant has 2261
submitted a complete application, including data required by the unit 2262
pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. The unit shall determine 2263
whether an application is complete not later than three business days 2264
after an applicant submits an application. If, after making such a 2265
determination, the unit deems an application incomplete, the unit shall, 2266
not more than three business days after deeming such application 2267
incomplete, notify the applicant that such application is incomplete and 2268
identify any application or data elements that were not adequately 2269
addressed by the applicant. The unit shall not review such an 2270
application until the applicant submits any such application or data 2271
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elements to the unit. 2272
(4) The unit may hold a public hearing on an emergency certificate of 2273
need application, provided (A) the unit holds such public hearing not 2274
later than thirty days after such application is deemed complete, and (B) 2275
the unit notifies the applicant of such public hearing not less than five 2276
days before the date of the public hearing. Any such public hearing or 2277
any other proceeding related to the emergency certificate of need 2278
application process described in this section shall not be considered a 2279
contested case pursuant to the provisions of chapter 54. Members of the 2280
public may submit public comments at any time during the emergency 2281
certificate of need application process and may request the unit to 2282
exercise its discretion to hold a public hearing pursuant to the 2283
provisions of this subdivision. 2284
(5) When evaluating an emergency certificate of need application, the 2285
unit may consult any person and consider any relevant information, 2286
provided, unless prohibited by federal or state law, the unit includes 2287
any opinion or information gathered from consulting any such person 2288
and any such relevant information considered in the record relating to 2289
the emergency certificate of need application and cites any such opinion 2290
or information and any such relevant information considered in its final 2291
decision on the emergency certificate of need application. The unit may 2292
contract with one or more third-party consultants, at the expense of the 2293
applicant, to analyze (A) the anticipated effect of the hospital's transfer 2294
of ownership on access, cost and quality of health care in the affected 2295
community, and (B) any other issue arising from the application review 2296
process. The aggregate cost of any such third -party consultations shall 2297
not exceed two hundred thousand dollars. Any reports or analyses 2298
generated by any such third-party consultant that the unit considers in 2299
issuing its final decision on an emergency certificate of need application 2300
shall, unless otherwise prohibited by federal or state law, be included in 2301
the record relating to the emergency certificate of need application. The 2302
provisions of chapter 57 and sections 4 -212 to 4 -219, inclusive, and 4e -2303
19 shall not apply to any retainer agreement executed pursuant to this 2304
subsection. 2305
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Sec. 59. Section 19a -643 of the general statutes is repealed and the 2306
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2307
(a) The [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health shall 2308
adopt regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to 2309
carry out the provisions of sections 19a -630 to 19a -639e, inclusive , as 2310
amended by this act, and sections 19a-644, as amended by this act, and 2311
19a-645, as amended by this act, concerning the submission of data by 2312
health care facilities and institutions, including data on dealings 2313
between health care facilities and institutions and their affiliates, and, 2314
with regard to requests or proposals pursuant to sections 19a-638 to 19a-2315
639e, inclusive, as amended by this act, by state health care facilities and 2316
institutions, the ongoing inspections by the unit of operating budgets 2317
that have been approved by the health care facilities and institutions, 2318
standard reporting forms and standard accounting procedures to be 2319
utilized by health care facilities and institutions and the transferability 2320
of line items in the approved operating budgets of the health care 2321
facilities and institutions, except that any health care facility or 2322
institution may transfer any amounts among items in its operating 2323
budget. All such transfers shall be reported to the unit not later than 2324
thirty days after the transfer or transfers. 2325
(b) The [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health may 2326
adopt such regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, 2327
as are necessary to implement this chapter. 2328
Sec. 60. Subsections (a) and (b) of section 19a -644 of the general 2329
statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2330
(Effective July 1, 2026): 2331
(a) On or before February twenty -eighth annually, for the fiscal year 2332
ending on September thirtieth of the immediately preceding year, each 2333
short-term acute care general or children's hospital shall report to the 2334
unit with respect to its operations in such fiscal year, in such form as the 2335
unit may by regulation require. Such report shall include: (1) Salaries 2336
and fringe benefits for the ten highest paid hospital and health system 2337
employees; (2) the name of each joint venture, partnership, subsidiary 2338
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and corporation related to the hospital; (3) the salaries paid to hospital 2339
and health system employees by each such joint venture, partnership, 2340
subsidiary and related corporation and by the hospital to the employees 2341
of related corporations; and (4) information and data prescribed by the 2342
[Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health concerning 2343
charges for trauma activation fees. For purposes of this subsection, 2344
"health system" has the same meaning as provided in section 33-182aa. 2345
(b) The [Office of Health Strategy ] Commissioner of Public Health 2346
shall adopt regulations in accordance with chapter 54 to provide for the 2347
collection of data and information in addition to the annual report 2348
required in subsection (a) of this section. Such regulations shall provide 2349
for the submission of information about the operations of the following 2350
entities: Persons or parent corporations that own or control the health 2351
care facility, institution or provider; corporations, including limited 2352
liability corporations, in which the health care facility, institution, 2353
provider, its parent, any type of affiliate or any combination thereof, 2354
owns more than an aggregate of fifty per cent of the stock or, in the case 2355
of nonstock corporations, is the sole member; and any partnerships in 2356
which the person, health care facility, institution, provider, its parent or 2357
an affiliate or any combination thereof, or any combination of health 2358
care providers or related persons, owns a greater than fifty per cent 2359
interest. For purposes of this subsection, "affiliate" means any person 2360
that directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls 2361
or is controlled by or is under common control with any health care 2362
facility, institution, provider or person that is regulated in any way 2363
under this chapter. A person is deemed controlled by another person if 2364
the other person, or one of that other person's affiliates, officers, agents 2365
or management employees, acts as a general partner or manager of the 2366
person in question. 2367
Sec. 61. Section 19a -645 of the general statutes is repealed and the 2368
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2369
A nonprofit hospital, licensed by the Department of Public Health, 2370
[which] that provides lodging, care and treatment to members of the 2371
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 75

public, and [which] that wishes to enlarge its public facilities by adding 2372
contiguous land and buildings thereon, if any, the title to which it 2373
cannot otherwise acquire, may prefer a complaint for the right to take 2374
such land to the superior court for the judicial district in which such land 2375
is located, provided such hospital shall have received the approval of 2376
the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] 2377
Department of Public Health in accordance with the provisions of this 2378
chapter. Said court shall appoint a committee of three disinterested 2379
persons, who, after examining the premises and hearing the parties, 2380
shall report to the court as to the necessity and propriety of such 2381
enlargement and as to the quantity, boundaries and value of the land 2382
and buildings thereon, if any, [which] that they deem proper to be taken 2383
for such purpose and the damages resulting from such taking. If such 2384
committee reports that such enlargement is necessary and proper and 2385
the court accepts such report, the decision of said court thereon shall 2386
have the effect of a judgment and execution may be issued thereon 2387
accordingly, in favor of the person to whom damages may be assessed, 2388
for the amount thereof; and, on payment thereof, the title to the land and 2389
buildings thereon, if any, for such purpose shall be vested in the 2390
complainant, but such land and buildings thereon, if any, shall not be 2391
taken until such damages are paid to such owner or deposited with said 2392
court, for such owner's use, [within] not later than thirty days after such 2393
report is accepted. If such application is denied, the owner of the land 2394
shall recover costs of the applicant, to be taxed by said court, which may 2395
issue execution therefor. Land so taken shall be held by such hospital 2396
and used only for the public purpose stated in its complaint to the 2397
superior court. No land dedicated or otherwise reserved as open space 2398
or park land or for other recreational purposes and no land belonging 2399
to any town, city or borough shall be taken under the provisions of this 2400
section. 2401
Sec. 62. Subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 19a -646 of the 2402
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2403
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2404
(1) "Unit" means the Health Systems Planning Unit within the [Office 2405
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 76

of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health , established under 2406
section 19a-612, as amended by this act; 2407
Sec. 63. Subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, of section 19a -653 of the 2408
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2409
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2410
(a) Any person or health care facility or institution that is required to 2411
file a certificate of need for any of the activities described in section 19a-2412
638, and any person or health care facility or institution that is required 2413
to file data or information under any public or special act or under this 2414
chapter or sections 19a -486 to 19a -486h, inclusive, as amended by this 2415
act, or any regulation adopted or order issued under this chapter or said 2416
sections, and negligently fails to seek certificate of need approval for any 2417
of the activities described in section 19a -638, or to so file within 2418
prescribed time periods, and any person or health care facility or 2419
institution that has agreed to fully resolve a certificate of need 2420
application through settlement and negligently fails to comply with any 2421
term or condition enumerated in the settlement agreement, shall be 2422
subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars a day for each 2423
day such person or health care facility or institution conducts any of the 2424
described activities without certificate of need approval as required by 2425
section 19a-638, for each day such information is missing, incomplete or 2426
inaccurate or for each day any condition of a settlement agreement is 2427
not met. Any civil penalty authorized by this section shall be imposed 2428
by the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health in 2429
accordance with subsections (b) to (e), inclusive, of this section. 2430
(b) If the [Office of Health Strategy] Department of Public Health has 2431
reason to believe that a violation has occurred for which a civil penalty 2432
is authorized by subsection (a) of this section or subsection (e) of section 2433
19a-632, [it] the department shall notify the person or health care facility 2434
or institution by first -class mail or personal service. The notice shall 2435
include: (1) A reference to the sections of the statute, regulation or 2436
settlement agreement involved; (2) a short and plain statement of the 2437
matters asserted or charged; (3) a statement of the amount of the civil 2438
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 77

penalty or penalties to be imposed; (4) the initial date of the imposition 2439
of the penalty; and (5) a statement of the party's right to a hearing. 2440
(c) The person or health care facility or institution to whom the notice 2441
is addressed shall have fifteen business days [from] after the date of 2442
mailing of the notice to make written application to the unit to (1) 2443
request a hearing to contest the imposition of the penalty, (2) request an 2444
extension of time to file the required data, or (3) comply with 2445
enumerated conditions of an agreed settlement. A failure to make a 2446
timely request for a hearing or an extension of time to file the required 2447
data or a denial of a request for an extension of time shall result in a final 2448
order for the imposition of the penalty. All hearings under this section 2449
shall be conducted pursuant to sections 4 -176e to 4 -184, inclusive. The 2450
[Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health may grant an 2451
extension of time for filing the required data or mitigate or waive the 2452
penalty upon such terms and conditions as, in its discretion, it deems 2453
proper or necessary upon consideration of any extenuating factors or 2454
circumstances. 2455
(d) A final order of the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of 2456
Public Health assessing a civil penalty shall be subject to appeal as set 2457
forth in section 4 -183 after a hearing before the unit pursuant to 2458
subsection (c) of this section, except that any such appeal shall be taken 2459
to the superior court for the judicial district of New Britain. Such final 2460
order shall not be subject to appeal under any other provision of the 2461
general statutes. No challenge to any such final order shall be allowed 2462
as to any issue [which] that could have been raised by an appeal of an 2463
earlier order, denial or other final decision by the [office] department. 2464
Sec. 64. Subsections (b) to (g), inclusive, of section 19a -654 of the 2465
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2466
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2467
(b) Each short -term acute care general or children's hospital shall 2468
submit patient -identifiable inpatient discharge data and emergency 2469
department data to the [Health Systems Planning Unit of the Office of 2470
Health Strategy to fulfill the responsibilities of the unit ] Department of 2471
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 78

Public Health (1) to assist the department in fulfilling its responsibilities 2472
under chapter 368z, and (2) for the purposes set forth in section 19a -25 2473
and the regulations promulgated thereunder . Such data shall include 2474
data taken from patient medical record abstracts and bills. The [unit] 2475
department shall specify the timing and format of such submissions. 2476
Data submitted pursuant to this section may be submitted through a 2477
contractual arrangement with an intermediary and such contractual 2478
arrangement shall [(1)] (A) comply with the provisions of the Health 2479
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 P.L. 104 -191 2480
(HIPAA), and [(2)] (B) ensure that such submission of data is timely and 2481
accurate. The [unit] department may conduct an audit of the data 2482
submitted through such intermediary in order to verify its accuracy. 2483
(c) An outpatient surgical facility, as defined in section 19a -493b, as 2484
amended by this act , a short -term acute care general or children's 2485
hospital, or a facility that provides outpatient surgical services as part of 2486
the outpatient surgery department of a short -term acute care hospital 2487
shall submit to the [unit] department the data identified in subsection 2488
(c) of section 19a -634. The [unit] department shall convene a working 2489
group consisting of representatives of outpatient surgical facilities, 2490
hospitals and other individuals necessary to develop recommendations 2491
that address current obstacles to, and proposed requirements for, 2492
patient-identifiable data reporting in the outpatient setting. [On or 2493
before February 1, 2012, the ] The working group shall report, in 2494
accordance with the provisions of section 11 -4a, on its findings and 2495
recommendations to the joint standing committees of the General 2496
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to public health and 2497
insurance and real estate [. Additional reporting of ] regarding such 2498
outpatient data as the [unit] department deems necessary. [shall begin 2499
not later than July 1, 2015. On or before July 1, 2018, and annually 2500
thereafter,] Not later than July first annually, the Connecticut 2501
Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers shall provide a progress 2502
report to the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health , 2503
until such time as all ambulatory surgery centers are in full compliance 2504
with the implementation of systems that allow for the reporting of 2505
outpatient data as required by the [commissioner] Commissioner of 2506
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 79

Public Health. Until such additional reporting requirements take effect 2507
on July 1, 2015, the department may work with the Connecticut 2508
Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers and the Connecticut 2509
Hospital Association on specific data reporting initiatives provided that 2510
no penalties shall be assessed under this chapter or any other provision 2511
of law with respect to the failure to submit such data. 2512
(d) Except as provided in this subsection and section 19a-25, and the 2513
regulations promulgated thereunder, patient-identifiable data received 2514
by the [unit] department shall be kept confidential by the department 2515
and shall not be considered public records or files subject to disclosure 2516
under the Freedom of Information Act, as defined in section 1 -200. The 2517
[unit] department may release de -identified patient data or aggregate 2518
patient data to the public in a manner consistent with the provisions of 2519
45 CFR 164.514. [Any de -identified patient data released by the unit 2520
shall exclude provider, physician and payer organization names or 2521
codes and shall be kept confidential by the recipient. The unit ] The 2522
department may release patient -identifiable data (1) for [medical and 2523
scientific research as provided for in section 19a -25-3 of the regulations 2524
of Connecticut state agencies, and (2) to (A) a state agency for the 2525
purpose of improving health care service delivery, (B)] the purposes set 2526
forth in and pursuant to section 19a-25 and the regulations promulgated 2527
thereunder, and (2) to (A) a federal agency or the office of the Attorney 2528
General for the purpose of investigating hospital mergers and 2529
acquisitions, [(C)] (B) another state's health data collection agency with 2530
which the [unit] department has entered into a reciprocal data -sharing 2531
agreement for the purpose of certificate of need review or evaluation of 2532
health care services, upon receipt of a request from such agency, 2533
provided, prior to the release of such patient -identifiable data, such 2534
agency enters into a written agreement with the [unit] department 2535
pursuant to which such agency agrees to protect the confidentiality of 2536
such patient-identifiable data and not to use such patient -identifiable 2537
data as a basis for any decision concerning a patient, or [(D)] (C) a 2538
consultant or independent professional contracted by the [Office of 2539
Health Strategy] Department of Public Health pursuant to section 19a -2540
614, as amended by this act, to carry out the functions of the [unit] 2541
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 80

department, including collecting, managing or organizing such patient-2542
identifiable data. [No] Except as provided under section 19a-25 and the 2543
regulations promulgated thereunder, no individual or entity receiving 2544
patient-identifiable data may release such data in any manner that may 2545
result in an individual patient, physician, provider or payer being 2546
identified. The [unit] department shall impose a reasonable, cost-based 2547
fee for any patient data provided to a nongovernmental entity. 2548
(e) Not later than October 1, 2018, the [Health Systems Planning Unit] 2549
department shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the 2550
Comptroller that shall permit the Comptroller to access the data set forth 2551
in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, provided the Comptroller 2552
agrees, in writing, to keep individual patient and provider data 2553
identified by proper name or personal identification code and submitted 2554
pursuant to this section confidential. 2555
(f) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy] Public Health shall adopt 2556
regulations, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out 2557
the provisions of this section. 2558
(g) The duties assigned to the [Office of Health Strategy] Department 2559
of Public Health under the provisions of this section shall be 2560
implemented within available appropriations. 2561
Sec. 65. Subdivision (1) of section 19a -659 of the general statutes is 2562
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2563
2026): 2564
(1) "Unit" means the Health Systems Planning Unit within the [Office 2565
of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health , established under 2566
section 19a-612, as amended by this act; 2567
Sec. 66. Section 19a -673a of the general statutes is repealed and the 2568
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2569
The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health shall adopt 2570
regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, to establish uniform debt 2571
collection standards for hospitals. 2572
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 81

Sec. 67. Subsection (c) of section 19a -681 of the general statutes is 2573
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2574
2026): 2575
(c) Upon the request of the [Office of Health Strategy, established 2576
under section 19a -754a] Department of Public Health , or a patient, a 2577
hospital shall provide to the [office] department or the patient a detailed 2578
patient bill. If the billing detail by line item on a detailed patient bill does 2579
not agree with the detailed schedule of charges on file with the unit for 2580
the date of service specified on the bill, the hospital shall be subject to a 2581
civil penalty of five hundred dollars per occurrence payable to the state 2582
not later than fourteen days after the date of notification. The penalty 2583
shall be imposed in accordance with section 19a-653, as amended by this 2584
act. The unit may issue an order requiring such hospital, not later than 2585
fourteen days after the date of notification of an overcharge to a patient, 2586
to adjust the bill to be consistent with the detailed schedule of charges 2587
on file with the unit for the date of service specified on the detailed 2588
patient bill. 2589
Sec. 68. Subsections (b) to (f), inclusive, of section 19a -754b of the 2590
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2591
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2592
(b) [Beginning on] On and after January 1, 2020, each sponsor shall 2593
submit to the [Office of Health Strategy, established in section 19a-754a] 2594
Department of Public Health , in a form and manner specified by the 2595
[office] department, written notice informing the [office] department 2596
that such sponsor has filed with the federal Food and Drug 2597
Administration: 2598
(1) A new drug application or biologics license application for a 2599
pipeline drug, not later than sixty days after such sponsor receives an 2600
action date from the federal Food and Drug Administration regarding 2601
such application; or 2602
(2) A biologics license application for a biosimilar drug, not later than 2603
sixty days after such sponsor's receipt of an action date from the federal 2604
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 82

Food and Drug Administration regarding such application. 2605
(c) (1) Beginning on January 1, 2020, the Commissioner of [Health 2606
Strategy] Public Health may conduct a study, with the assistance of the 2607
Comptroller and not more frequently than once annually, of each 2608
pharmaceutical manufacturer of a pipeline drug that, in the opinion of 2609
the commissioner in consultation with the Comptroller and the 2610
Commissioner of Social Services, may have a significant impact on state 2611
expenditures for outpatient prescription drugs. The [office] Department 2612
of Public Health may work with the Comptroller to utilize existing state 2613
resources and contracts, or contract with a third party, including, but 2614
not limited to, an accounting firm, to conduct such study. 2615
(2) Each pharmaceutical manufacturer that is the subject of a study 2616
conducted pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection shall submit to 2617
the [office] Department of Public Health, or any contractor engaged by 2618
the [office] department or the Comptroller to perform such study, the 2619
following information for the pipeline drug that is the subject of such 2620
study: 2621
(A) The primary disease, condition or therapeutic area studied in 2622
connection with such drug, and whether such drug is therapeutically 2623
indicated for such disease, condition or therapeutic area; 2624
(B) Each route of administration studied for such drug; 2625
(C) Clinical trial comparators, if applicable, for such drug; 2626
(D) The estimated year of market entry for such drug; 2627
(E) Whether the federal Food and Drug Administration has 2628
designated such drug as an orphan drug, a fast track product or a 2629
breakthrough therapy; and 2630
(F) Whether the federal Food and Drug Administration has 2631
designated such drug for accelerated approval and, if such drug 2632
contains a new molecular entity, for priority review. 2633
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 83

(d) (1) [On or before ] Not later than March [1, 2020, and ] first 2634
annually, [thereafter,] the Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public 2635
Health, in consultation with the Comptroller [,] and the Commissioner 2636
of Social Services, [and Commissioner of Public Health,] shall prepare a 2637
list of not more than ten outpatient prescription drugs that the 2638
Commissioner of [Health Strategy] Public Health, in the commissioner's 2639
discretion, determines are (A) provided at substantial cost to the state, 2640
considering the net cost of such drugs, or (B) critical to public health. 2641
The list shall include outpatient prescription drugs from different 2642
therapeutic classes of outpatient prescription drugs and not less than 2643
one generic outpatient prescription drug. 2644
(2) Prior to publishing the annual list pursuant to subdivision (1) of 2645
this subsection, the [commissioner] Commissioner of Public Health 2646
shall prepare a preliminary list that includes outpatient prescription 2647
drugs that the commissioner plans to include on such annual list. The 2648
commissioner shall make such preliminary list available for public 2649
comment for not less than thirty days. During the public comment 2650
period, any manufacturer of an outpatient prescription drug included 2651
on the preliminary list may produce documentation, as permitted by 2652
federal law, to the commissioner to establish that the wholesale 2653
acquisition cost of such drug, less all rebates paid to the state for such 2654
outpatient prescription drug during the immediately preceding 2655
calendar year, does not exceed the limits established in subdivision (3) 2656
of this subsection. If such documentation establishes, to the satisfaction 2657
of the commissioner, that the wholesale acquisition cost of the drug, less 2658
all rebates paid to the state for such drug during the immediately 2659
preceding calendar year, does not exceed the limits established in 2660
subdivision (3) of this subsection, the commissioner shall, not later than 2661
fifteen days after the closing of the public comment period, remove such 2662
drug from the preliminary list before publishing the annual list 2663
pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection. 2664
(3) The [commissioner] Commissioner of Public Health shall not list 2665
any outpatient prescription drugs under subdivision (1) or (2) of this 2666
subsection unless the wholesale acquisition cost of such outpatient 2667
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 84

prescription drug (A) increased by not less than sixteen per cent 2668
cumulatively during the immediately preceding two calendar years, 2669
and (B) was not less than forty dollars for a course of treatment. 2670
(4) (A) The pharmaceutical manufacturer of an outpatient 2671
prescription drug included on a list prepared by the [commissioner] 2672
Commissioner of Public Health pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 2673
subsection shall provide to the [office] Department of Public Health, in 2674
a form and manner specified by the commissioner, (i) a written, 2675
narrative description, suitable for public release, of all factors that 2676
caused the increase in the wholesale acquisition cost of the listed 2677
outpatient prescription drug, and (ii) aggregate, company-level research 2678
and development costs and such other capital expenditures that the 2679
commissioner, in the commissioner's discretion, deems relevant for the 2680
most recent year for which final audited data are available. 2681
(B) The quality and types of information and data that a 2682
pharmaceutical manufacturer submits to the [office] department under 2683
this subdivision shall be consistent with the quality and types of 2684
information and data that the pharmaceutical manufacturer includes in 2685
(i) such pharmaceutical manufacturer's annual consolidated report on 2686
Securities and Exchange Commission Form 10-K, or (ii) any other public 2687
disclosure. 2688
(5) The [office] Department of Public Health shall establish a 2689
standardized form for reporting information and data pursuant to this 2690
subsection after consulting with pharmaceutical manufacturers. The 2691
form shall be designed to minimize the administrative burden and cost 2692
of reporting on the [office] department and pharmaceutical 2693
manufacturers. 2694
(e) The [office] Department of Public Health may impose a penalty of 2695
not more than seven thousand five hundred dollars on a pharmaceutical 2696
manufacturer or sponsor for each violation of this section by the 2697
pharmaceutical manufacturer or sponsor. 2698
(f) The [office] Department of Public Health may adopt regulations, 2699
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 85

in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, to carry out the 2700
purposes of this section. 2701
Sec. 69. Subsections (a) to (c), inclusive, of section 19a -754c of the 2702
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2703
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2704
(a) For the purposes of this section: 2705
(1) "Affordable Care Act" has the same meaning as provided in 2706
section 38a-1080; 2707
(2) "Covered Connecticut program" means the program established 2708
under subsection (b) of this section; 2709
(3) "Exchange" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a-1080; 2710
(4) "Health carrier" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a-2711
1080; 2712
(5) "Individual market" has the same meaning as provided in 42 USC 2713
18024(a), as amended from time to time; and 2714
[(6) "Office of Health Strategy" means the Office of Health Strategy 2715
established under section 19a-754a; and] 2716
[(7)] (6) "Silver level" has the same meaning as provided in 42 USC 2717
18022(d), as amended from time to time. 2718
(b) There is established within the Department of Social Services the 2719
Covered Connecticut program for the purpose of reducing the state's 2720
uninsured rate. The Commissioner of Social Services shall administer 2721
said program in consultation with the [Office of Health Strategy, ] 2722
Insurance Commissioner and exchange, and, as part of said program, 2723
the Department of Social Services shall: 2724
(1) Provide premium and cost-sharing subsidies that are sufficient to 2725
ensure fully subsidized coverage: 2726
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 86

(A) On and after July 1, 2021, for parents and needy caretaker 2727
relatives, and their tax dependents not older than twenty -six years of 2728
age, who (i) are eligible for premium and cost -sharing subsidies for a 2729
qualified health plan, (ii) are ineligible for Medicaid because their 2730
income exceeds the Medicaid income limits under chapter 319v, (iii) 2731
have household income up to one hundred seventy -five per cent of the 2732
federal poverty level, (iv) are receiving coverage under a qualified 2733
health plan offered through the exchange in the individual market at a 2734
silver level of coverage, and (v) are utilizing the full amount of 2735
applicable premium subsidies for such plan; 2736
(B) On and after July 1, 2021, for the following additional family 2737
members of parents and caretaker relatives receiving coverage under 2738
such qualified health plan, provided the requirements of subparagraph 2739
(A) of subdivision (1) of this subsection are met: (i) A child over twenty-2740
six years of age who is permanently and totally disabled, as defined by 2741
the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to 26 USC 152, or (ii) a child who 2742
is over the age of twenty -six and is incapable of self -sustaining 2743
employment by reason of mental or physical handicap and is chiefly 2744
dependent upon the parent or caretaker relative for support and 2745
maintenance, as described in sections 38a -489 and 38a -512a, or (iii) a 2746
child or stepchild receiving coverage under such qualified health plan 2747
as described in sections 38a-497 and 38a-512b; 2748
(C) On and after July 1, 2022, for all parents, needy caretaker relatives 2749
and low-income adults who (i) are at least nineteen but not more than 2750
sixty-four years of age, (ii) are eligible for premium and cost -sharing 2751
subsidies for a qualified health plan, (iii) are ineligible for Medicaid 2752
because their income exceeds the Medicaid income limits under chapter 2753
319v, (iv) have household income up to one hundred seventy -five per 2754
cent of the federal poverty level, (v) are receiving coverage under a 2755
qualified health plan offered through the exchange in the individual 2756
market at a silver level of coverage, and (vi) are utilizing the full amount 2757
of applicable premium subsidies for such plan; and 2758
(D) On and after July 1, 2022, for the following additional family 2759
sHB5030 File No. 680

sHB5030 / File No. 680 87

members of parents, caretaker relatives, and adults receiving coverage 2760
under such qualified health plan, provided the requirements of 2761
subparagraph (C) of subdivision (1) of this subsection are met: (i) A 2762
child over twenty -six years of age who is permanently and totally 2763
disabled, as defined by the Internal Revenue Service pursuant to 26 USC 2764
152, or (ii) a child who is over the age of twenty -six and is incapable of 2765
self-sustaining employment by reason of mental or physical handicap 2766
and is chiefly dependent upon the parent or caretaker relative for 2767
support and maintenance, as described in sections 38a-489 and 38a-512a, 2768
or (iii) a child or stepchild, as described in sections 38a-497 and 38a-512b. 2769
(2) Not earlier than July 1, 2022, provide dental and nonemergency 2770
medical transportation services, as provided under chapter 319v, to all 2771
eligible individuals described in subdivision (1) of this subsection; 2772
(3) Establish procedures to, on a quarterly basis, pay in 2773
reimbursement to each health carrier offering the qualified health plan 2774
described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subdivision (1) of this 2775
subsection, as applicable, the premium and cost -sharing subsidies 2776
required under subdivision (1) of this subsection to ensure fully 2777
subsidized coverage; and 2778
(4) Consult with the [Office of Health Strategy and ] Insurance 2779
Commissioner for the purposes set forth in section 17b-312, as amended 2780
by this act. 2781
(c) (1) The [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Social Services 2782
may, subject to the approval required under subdivision (3) of this 2783
subsection, seek a waiver pursuant to Section 1332 of the Affordable 2784
Care Act, as amended from time to time, to advance the purpose of the 2785
Covered Connecticut program. The [Office of Health Strategy ] 2786
department shall implement such waiver if the federal government 2787
issues such waiver. 2788
(2) The [Office of Health Strategy ] Commissioner of Social Services 2789
shall submit a report, in accordance with section 11 -4a, to the joint 2790
standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of 2791
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 88

matters relating to appropriations, human services and insurance 2792
containing any proposed waiver described in subdivision (1) of this 2793
subsection before seeking such waiver from the federal government. 2794
(3) Not later than thirty days after the [Office of Health Strategy ] 2795
Commissioner of Social Services submits a report under subdivision (2) 2796
of this subsection, the joint standing committees of the General 2797
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations, 2798
human services and insurance shall convene a joint public hearing on 2799
the proposed waiver contained in the report submitted pursuant to 2800
subdivision (2) of this subsection, separately vote to approve or reject 2801
such proposed waiver and advise the [Office of Health Strategy ] 2802
commissioner of their approval or rejection of such proposed waiver. If 2803
any committee takes no action on such proposed waiver within the 2804
thirty-day period, the proposed waiver shall be deemed rejected. 2805
Sec. 70. Section 19a -754d of the general statutes is repealed and the 2806
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2807
(a) [On and after January 1, 2022, any ] Any state agency, board or 2808
commission that directly, or by contract with another entity, collects 2809
demographic data concerning the ancestry or ethnic origin, ethnicity, 2810
race or primary language of residents of the state in the context of health 2811
care or for the provision or receipt of health care services or for any 2812
public health purpose shall: 2813
(1) Collect such data in a manner that allows for aggregation and 2814
disaggregation of data; 2815
(2) Expand race and ethnicity categories to include subgroup 2816
identities as specified by the [Community and Clinical Integration 2817
Program of the Office of Health Strategy ] Office of Policy and 2818
Management and follow the hierarchical mapping to align with United 2819
States Office of Management and Budget standards; 2820
(3) Provide the option to individuals of selecting one or more ethnic 2821
or racial designations and include an "other" designation with the ability 2822
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 89

to write in identities not represented by other codes; 2823
(4) Provide the option to individuals to refuse to identify with any 2824
ethnic or racial designations; 2825
(5) Collect primary language data employing language codes set by 2826
the International Organization for Standardization; and 2827
(6) Ensure, in cases where data concerning an individual's ethnic 2828
origin, ethnicity or race is reported to any other state agency, board or 2829
commission, that such data is neither tabulated nor reported without all 2830
of the following information: (A) The number or percentage of 2831
individuals who identify with each ethnic or racial designation as their 2832
sole ethnic or racial designation and not in combination with any other 2833
ethnic or racial designation; (B) the number or percentage of individuals 2834
who identify with each ethnic or racial designation, whether as their sole 2835
ethnic or racial designation or in combination with other ethnic or racial 2836
designations; (C) the number or percentage of individuals who identify 2837
with multiple ethnic or racial designations; and (D) the number or 2838
percentage of individuals who do not identify or refuse to identify with 2839
any ethnic or racial designations. 2840
(b) Each health care provider with an electronic health record system 2841
capable of connecting to and participating in the State -wide Health 2842
Information Exchange as specified in section 17b -59e, as amended by 2843
this act, shall, collect and include in its electronic health record system 2844
self-reported patient demographic data including, but not limited to, 2845
race, ethnicity, primary language, insurance status and disability status 2846
based upon the implementation plan developed [under subsection (c) of 2847
this section ] in consultation with consumer advocates, health equity 2848
experts, state agencies and health care providers for the changes 2849
required by this section . Race and ethnicity data shall adhere to 2850
standard categories as determined in subsection (a) of this section. 2851
[(c) Not later than August 1, 2021, the Office of Health Strategy shall 2852
consult with consumer advocates, health equity experts, state agencies 2853
and health care providers, to create an implementation plan for the 2854
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 90

changes required by this section.] 2855
[(d)] (c) The Office of [Health Strategy] Policy and Management shall 2856
(1) review (A) demographic changes in race and ethnicity, as 2857
determined by the U.S. Census Bureau, and (B) health data collected by 2858
the state, and (2) reevaluate the standard race and ethnicity categories 2859
from time to time, in consultation with health care providers, consumers 2860
and the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having 2861
cognizance of matters relating to public health. 2862
Sec. 71. Section 19a -754f of the general statutes is repealed and the 2863
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 2864
For the purposes of this section and sections 19a -754g to 19a -754k, 2865
inclusive, as amended by this act: 2866
(1) "Drug manufacturer" means the manufacturer of a drug that is: 2867
(A) Included in the information and data submitted by a health carrier 2868
pursuant to section 38a -479qqq, (B) studied or listed pursuant to 2869
subsection (c) or (d) of section 19a -754b, as amended by this act , or (C) 2870
in a therapeutic class of drugs that the [Commissioner of Health 2871
Strategy] Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management determines, 2872
through public or private reports, has had a substantial impact on 2873
prescription drug expenditures, net of rebates, as a percentage of total 2874
health care expenditures; 2875
[(2) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Health Strategy;] 2876
[(3)] (2) "Health care cost growth benchmark" means the annual 2877
benchmark established pursuant to section 19a -754g, as amended by 2878
this act; 2879
[(4)] (3) "Health care quality benchmark" means an annual 2880
benchmark established pursuant to section 19a -754g, as amended by 2881
this act; 2882
[(5)] (4) "Health care provider" has the same meaning as provided in 2883
subdivision (1) of subsection (a) of section 19a-17b; 2884
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 91

[(6)] (5) "Net cost of private health insurance" means the difference 2885
between premiums earned and benefits incurred, and includes insurers' 2886
costs of paying bills, advertising, sales commissions, and other 2887
administrative costs, net additions or subtractions from reserves, rate 2888
credits and dividends, premium taxes and profits or losses; 2889
[(7)] (6) "Office" means the Office of [Health Strategy established 2890
under section 19a-754a] Policy and Management; 2891
[(8)] (7) "Other entity" means a drug manufacturer, pharmacy 2892
benefits manager or other health care provider that is not considered a 2893
provider entity; 2894
[(9)] (8) "Payer" means a payer, including Medicaid, Medicare and 2895
governmental and nongovernment health plans, and includes any 2896
organization acting as payer that is a subsidiary, affiliate or business 2897
owned or controlled by a payer that, during a given calendar year, pays 2898
health care providers for health care services or pharmacies or provider 2899
entities for prescription drugs designated by the [Commissioner of 2900
Health Strategy] Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management; 2901
[(10)] (9) "Performance year" means the most recent calendar year for 2902
which data were submitted for the applicable health care cost growth 2903
benchmark, primary care spending target or health care quality 2904
benchmark; 2905
[(11)] (10) "Pharmacy benefits manager" has the same meaning as 2906
provided in subdivision (10) of section 38a-479ooo; 2907
[(12)] (11) "Primary care spending target" means the annual target 2908
established pursuant to section 19a-754g, as amended by this act; 2909
[(13)] (12) "Provider entity" means an organized group of clinicians 2910
that come together for the purposes of contracting, or are an established 2911
billing unit that, at a minimum, includes primary care providers, and 2912
that collectively, during any given calendar year, has enough attributed 2913
lives to participate in total cost of care contracts, even if they are not 2914
engaged in a total cost of care contract; 2915
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 92

[(14)] (13) "Potential gross state product" means a forecasted measure 2916
of the economy that equals the sum of the (A) expected growth in 2917
national labor force productivity, (B) expected growth in the state's labor 2918
force, and (C) expected national inflation, minus the expected state 2919
population growth; 2920
(14) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 2921
Management; 2922
(15) "Total health care expenditures" means the sum of all health care 2923
expenditures in this state from public and private sources for a given 2924
calendar year, including: (A) All claims -based spending paid to 2925
providers, net of pharmacy rebates, (B) all patient cost-sharing amounts, 2926
and (C) the net cost of private health insurance; and 2927
(16) "Total medical expense" means the total cost of care for the 2928
patient population of a payer or provider entity for a given calendar 2929
year, where cost is calculated for such year as the sum of (A) all claims-2930
based spending paid to providers by public and private payers, and net 2931
of pharmacy rebates, (B) all nonclaims payments for such year, 2932
including, but not limited to, incentive payments and care coordination 2933
payments, and (C) all patient cost -sharing amounts expressed on a per 2934
capita basis for the patient population of a payer or provider entity in 2935
this state. 2936
Sec. 72. Section 19a -754g of the 2026 supplement to the general 2937
statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof 2938
(Effective July 1, 2026): 2939
[(a) Not later than July 1, 2022, the commissioner shall publish (1) the 2940
health care cost growth benchmarks and annual primary care spending 2941
targets as a percentage of total medical expenses for the calendar years 2942
2021 to 2025, inclusive, and (2) the annual health care quality 2943
benchmarks for the calendar years 2022 to 2025, inclusive, on the office's 2944
Internet web site.] 2945
[(b)] (a) (1) (A) Not later than July 1, 2025, and every five years 2946
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 93

thereafter, the [commissioner] secretary shall develop and adopt annual 2947
health care cost growth benchmarks and annual primary care spending 2948
targets for the succeeding five calendar years for provider entities and 2949
payers. 2950
(B) In developing the health care cost growth benchmarks and 2951
primary care spending targets pursuant to this subdivision, the 2952
[commissioner] secretary shall consider (i) any historical and forecasted 2953
changes in median income for individuals in the state and the growth 2954
rate of potential gross state product, (ii) the rate of inflation, and (iii) the 2955
most recent report prepared by the [commissioner] secretary pursuant 2956
to subsection (b) of section 19a-754h, as amended by this act. 2957
(C) (i) The [commissioner] secretary shall hold at least one 2958
informational public hearing prior to adopting the health care cost 2959
growth benchmarks and primary care spending targets for each 2960
succeeding five -year period described in this subdivision. The 2961
[commissioner] secretary may hold informational public hearings 2962
concerning any annual health care cost growth benchmark and primary 2963
care spending target set pursuant to [subsection (a) of this section or ] 2964
this subdivision. [(1) of subsection (b) of this section. ] Such 2965
informational public hearings shall be held at a time and place 2966
designated by the [commissioner] secretary in a notice prominently 2967
posted by the [commissioner] secretary on the office's Internet web site 2968
and in a form and manner prescribed by the [commissioner] secretary. 2969
The [commissioner] secretary shall make available on the office's 2970
Internet web site a summary of any such informational public hearing 2971
and include the [commissioner's] secretary's recommendations, if any, 2972
to modify or not to modify any such annual benchmark or target. 2973
(ii) If the [commissioner] secretary determines, after any 2974
informational public hearing held pursuant to this subparagraph, that a 2975
modification to any health care cost growth benchmark or annual 2976
primary care spending target is, in the [commissioner's] secretary's 2977
discretion, reasonably warranted, the [commissioner] secretary may 2978
modify such benchmark or target. 2979
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 94

(iii) The [commissioner] secretary shall annually (I) review the 2980
current and projected rate of inflation, and (II) include on the office's 2981
Internet web site the [commissioner's] secretary's findings of such 2982
review, including the reasons for making or not making a modification 2983
to any applicable health care cost growth benchmark. If the 2984
[commissioner] secretary determines that the rate of inflation requires 2985
modification of any health care cost growth benchmark adopted under 2986
this section, the [commissioner] secretary may modify such benchmark. 2987
In such event, the [commissioner] secretary shall not be required to hold 2988
an informational public hearing concerning such modified health care 2989
cost growth benchmark. 2990
(D) The [commissioner] secretary shall post each adopted health care 2991
cost growth benchmark and annual primary care spending target on the 2992
office's Internet web site. 2993
(E) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraphs (A) to (D), 2994
inclusive, of this subdivision, if the average annual health care cost 2995
growth benchmark for a succeeding five -year period described in this 2996
subdivision differs from the average annual health care cost growth 2997
benchmark for the five-year period preceding such succeeding five-year 2998
period by more than one -half of one per cent, the [commissioner] 2999
secretary shall submit the annual health care cost growth benchmarks 3000
developed for such succeeding five -year period to the joint standing 3001
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 3002
relating to insurance for the committee's review and approval. The 3003
committee shall be deemed to have approved such annual health care 3004
cost growth benchmarks for such succeeding five -year period, except 3005
upon a vote to reject such benchmarks by the majority of committee 3006
members at a meeting of such committee called for the purpose of 3007
reviewing such benchmarks and held not later than thirty days after the 3008
[commissioner] secretary submitted such benchmarks to such 3009
committee. If the committee votes to reject such benchmarks, the 3010
[commissioner] secretary may submit to the committee modified annual 3011
health care cost growth benchmarks for such succeeding five -year 3012
period for the committee's review and approval in accordance with the 3013
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 95

provisions of this subparagraph. The [commissioner] secretary shall not 3014
be required to hold an informational public hearing concerning such 3015
modified benchmarks. Until the joint standing committee of the General 3016
Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to insurance approves 3017
annual health care cost growth benchmarks for the succeeding five-year 3018
period, such benchmarks shall be deemed to be equal to the average 3019
annual health care cost growth benchmark for the preceding five -year 3020
period. 3021
(2) (A) Not later than July 1, 2025, and every five years thereafter, the 3022
[commissioner] secretary shall develop and adopt annual health care 3023
quality benchmarks for the succeeding five calendar years for provider 3024
entities and payers. 3025
(B) In developing annual health care quality benchmarks pursuant to 3026
this subdivision, the [commissioner] secretary shall consider (i) quality 3027
measures endorsed by nationally recognized organizations, including, 3028
but not limited to, the National Quality Forum, the National Committee 3029
for Quality Assurance, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, 3030
the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Joint 3031
Commission and expert organizations that develop health equity 3032
measures, and (ii) measures that: (I) Concern health outcomes, 3033
overutilization, underutilization and patient safety, (II) meet standards 3034
of patient -centeredness and ensure consideration of differences in 3035
preferences and clinical characteristics within patient subpopulations, 3036
and (III) concern community health or population health. 3037
(C) (i) The [commissioner] secretary shall hold at least one 3038
informational public hearing prior to adopting the health care quality 3039
benchmarks for each succeeding five -year period described in this 3040
subdivision. The [commissioner] secretary may hold informational 3041
public hearings concerning the quality measures the [commissioner] 3042
secretary proposes to adopt as health care quality benchmarks. Such 3043
informational public hearings shall be held at a time and place 3044
designated by the [commissioner] secretary in a notice prominently 3045
posted by the [commissioner] secretary on the office's Internet web site 3046
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 96

and in a form and manner prescribed by the [commissioner] secretary. 3047
The [commissioner] secretary shall make available on the office's 3048
Internet web site a summary of any such informational public hearing 3049
and include the recommendations, if any, to modify or not modify any 3050
such health care quality benchmark. 3051
(ii) If the [commissioner] secretary determines, after any 3052
informational public hearing held pursuant to this subparagraph, that 3053
modifications to any health care quality benchmarks are, in the 3054
[commissioner's] secretary's discretion, reasonably warranted, the 3055
[commissioner] secretary may modify such quality benchmarks. The 3056
[commissioner] secretary shall not be required to hold an additional 3057
informational public hearing concerning such modified quality 3058
benchmarks. 3059
(D) The [commissioner] secretary shall post each adopted health care 3060
quality benchmark on the office's Internet web site. 3061
[(c)] (b) The [commissioner] secretary may enter into such contractual 3062
agreements as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, 3063
including, but not limited to, contractual agreements with actuarial, 3064
economic and other experts and consultants. 3065
Sec. 73. Section 19a -754h of the general statutes is repealed and the 3066
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3067
(a) Not later than August [15, 2022, and ] fifteenth annually, 3068
[thereafter,] each payer shall report to the [commissioner] secretary, in 3069
a form and manner prescribed by the [commissioner] secretary, for the 3070
preceding or prior years, if the [commissioner] secretary so requests 3071
based on material changes to data previously submitted, aggregated 3072
data, including aggregated self-funded data as applicable, necessary for 3073
the [commissioner] secretary to calculate total health care expenditures, 3074
primary care spending as a percentage of total medical expenses and net 3075
cost of private health insurance. Each payer shall also disclose, as 3076
requested by the [commissioner] secretary, payer data required for 3077
adjusting total medical expense calculations to reflect changes in the 3078
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 97

patient population. 3079
(b) Not later than March [31, 2023, and ] thirty-first annually, 3080
[thereafter, the commissioner] the secretary shall prepare and post on 3081
the office's Internet web site, a report concerning the total health care 3082
expenditures utilizing the total aggregate medical expenses reported by 3083
payers pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, including, but not 3084
limited to, a breakdown of such population -adjusted total medical 3085
expenses by payer and provider entities. The report may include, but 3086
[shall] need not be limited to, information regarding the following: 3087
(1) Trends in major service category spending; 3088
(2) Primary care spending as a percentage of total medical expenses; 3089
(3) The net cost of private health insurance by payer by market 3090
segment, including individual, small group, large group, self -insured, 3091
student and Medicare Advantage markets; and 3092
(4) Any other factors the [commissioner] secretary deems relevant to 3093
providing context on such data, which shall include, but not be limited 3094
to, the following factors: (A) The impact of the rate of inflation and rate 3095
of medical inflation; (B) impacts, if any, on access to care; and (C) 3096
responses to public health crises or similar emergencies. 3097
(c) The [commissioner] secretary shall annually submit a request to 3098
the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for the 3099
unadjusted total medical expenses of Connecticut residents. 3100
(d) Not later than August [15, 2023, and ] fifteenth annually, 3101
[thereafter,] each payer or provider entity shall report to the 3102
[commissioner] secretary, in a form and manner prescribed by the 3103
[commissioner] secretary, for the preceding year, and for prior years if 3104
the [commissioner] secretary so requests based on material changes to 3105
data previously submitted, on the health care quality benchmarks 3106
adopted pursuant to section 19a-754g, as amended by this act. 3107
(e) Not later than March [31, 2024, and ] thirty-first annually, 3108
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 98

[thereafter, the commissioner] the secretary shall prepare and post on 3109
the office's Internet web site, a report concerning health care quality 3110
benchmarks reported by payers and provider entities pursuant to 3111
subsection (d) of this section. 3112
(f) The commissioner may enter into such contractual agreements as 3113
may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this section, including, 3114
but not limited to, contractual agreements with actuarial, economic and 3115
other experts and consultants. 3116
Sec. 74. Section 19a -754i of the general statutes is repealed and the 3117
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3118
(a) (1) For each calendar year, beginning on January 1, 2023, the 3119
[commissioner] secretary shall, if the payer or provider entity subject to 3120
the cost growth benchmark or primary care spending target [so] 3121
requests [,] a meeting, the secretary shall meet with such payer or 3122
provider entity to review and validate the total medical expenses data 3123
collected pursuant to section 19a-754h, as amended by this act, for such 3124
payer or provider entity. The [commissioner] secretary shall review 3125
information provided by the payer or provider entity and, if deemed 3126
necessary, amend findings for such payer or provider prior to the 3127
identification of payer or provider entities that exceeded the health care 3128
cost growth benchmark or failed to meet the primary care spending 3129
target for the performance year as set forth in section 19a -754h, as 3130
amended by this act . The [commissioner] secretary shall identify, not 3131
later than May first of such calendar year, each payer or provider entity 3132
that exceeded the health care cost growth benchmark or failed to meet 3133
the primary care spending target for the performance year. 3134
(2) For each calendar year beginning on or after January 1, 2024, the 3135
[commissioner] secretary shall, if the payer or provider entity subject to 3136
the health care quality benchmarks for the performance year [so] 3137
requests [,] a meeting, the secretary shall meet with such payer or 3138
provider entity to review and validate the quality data collected 3139
pursuant to section 19a-754h, as amended by this act, for such payer or 3140
provider entity. The [commissioner] secretary shall review information 3141
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 99

provided by the payer or provider entity and, if deemed necessary, 3142
amend findings for such payer or provider prior to the identification of 3143
payer or provider entities that exceeded the health care quality 3144
benchmark as set forth in section 19a-754h, as amended by this act. The 3145
[commissioner] secretary shall identify, not later than May first of such 3146
calendar year, each payer or provider entity that exceeded the health 3147
care quality benchmark for the performance year. 3148
(3) Not later than thirty days after the [commissioner] secretary 3149
identifies each payer or provider entity pursuant to subdivisions (1) and 3150
(2) of this subsection, the [commissioner] secretary shall send a notice to 3151
each such payer or provider entity. Such notice shall be in a form and 3152
manner prescribed by the [commissioner] secretary, and shall disclose 3153
to each such payer or provider entity: 3154
(A) That the [commissioner] secretary has identified such payer or 3155
provider entity pursuant to subdivision (1) or (2) of this subsection; and 3156
(B) The factual basis for the [commissioner's] secretary's 3157
identification of such payer or provider entity pursuant to subdivision 3158
(1) or (2) of this subsection. 3159
(b) (1) For each calendar year beginning on and after January 1, 2023, 3160
if the [commissioner] secretary determines that the annual percentage 3161
change in total health care expenditures for the performance year 3162
exceeded the health care cost growth benchmark for such year, the 3163
[commissioner] secretary shall identify, not later than May first of such 3164
calendar year, any other entity that significantly contributed to 3165
exceeding such benchmark. Each identification shall be based on: 3166
(A) The report prepared by the [commissioner] secretary pursuant to 3167
subsection (b) of section 19a -754h, as amended by this act, for such 3168
calendar year; 3169
(B) The report filed pursuant to section 38a-479ppp for such calendar 3170
year; 3171
(C) The information and data reported to the office pursuant to 3172
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 100

subsection (d) of section 19a -754b, as amended by this act, for such 3173
calendar year; 3174
(D) Information obtained from the all -payer claims database 3175
established under section 19a-755a, as amended by this act; and 3176
(E) Any other information that the [commissioner] secretary, in the 3177
[commissioner's] secretary's discretion, deems relevant for the purposes 3178
of this section. 3179
(2) The [commissioner] secretary shall account for costs, net of rebates 3180
and discounts, when identifying other entities pursuant to this section. 3181
Sec. 75. Section 19a -754j of the general statutes is repealed and the 3182
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3183
(a) (1) Not later than June [30, 2023, and ] thirtieth annually, 3184
[thereafter, the commissioner] the secretary shall hold an informational 3185
public hearing to compare the growth in total health care expenditures 3186
in the performance year to the health care cost growth benchmark 3187
established pursuant to section 19a -754g, as amended by this act, for 3188
such year. Such hearing shall involve an examination of: 3189
(A) The report most recently prepared by the [commissioner] 3190
secretary pursuant to subsection (b) of section 19a-754h, as amended by 3191
this act; 3192
(B) The expenditures of provider entities and payers, including, but 3193
not limited to, health care cost trends, primary care spending as a 3194
percentage of total medical expenses and the factors contributing to 3195
such costs and expenditures; and 3196
(C) Any other matters that the [commissioner] secretary, in the 3197
[commissioner's] secretary's discretion, deems relevant for the purposes 3198
of this section. 3199
(2) The [commissioner] secretary may require any payer or provider 3200
entity that, for the performance year, is found to be a significant 3201
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 101

contributor to health care cost growth in the state or has failed to meet 3202
the primary care spending target, to participate in such hearing. Each 3203
such payer or provider entity that is required to participate in such 3204
hearing shall provide testimony on issues identified by the 3205
[commissioner] secretary and provide additional information on actions 3206
taken to reduce such payer's or entity's contribution to future state-wide 3207
health care costs and expenditures or to increase such payer's or 3208
provider entity's primary care spending as a percentage of total medical 3209
expenses. 3210
(3) The [commissioner] secretary may require that any other entity 3211
that is found to be a significant contributor to health care cost growth in 3212
this state during the performance year participate in such hearing. Any 3213
other entity that is required to participate in such hearing shall provide 3214
testimony on issues identified by the [commissioner] secretary and 3215
provide additional information on actions taken to reduce such other 3216
entity's contribution to future state-wide health care costs. If such other 3217
entity is a drug manufacturer, and the [commissioner] secretary requires 3218
that such drug manufacturer participate in such hearing with respect to 3219
a specific drug or class of drugs, such hearing may, to the extent 3220
possible, include representatives from at least one brand -name 3221
manufacturer, one generic manufacturer and one innovator company 3222
that is less than ten years old. 3223
(4) Not later than October [15, 2023, and ] fifteenth annually, 3224
[thereafter, the commissioner] the secretary shall prepare and submit a 3225
report, in accordance with section 11 -4a, to the joint standing 3226
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 3227
relating to insurance and public health. Such report shall be based on 3228
the [commissioner's] secretary's analysis of the information submitted 3229
during the most recent informational public hearing conducted 3230
pursuant to this subsection and any other information that the 3231
[commissioner] secretary, in the [commissioner's] secretary's discretion, 3232
deems relevant for the purposes of this section, and shall: 3233
(A) Describe health care spending trends in this state, including, but 3234
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 102

not limited to, trends in primary care spending as a percentage of total 3235
medical expense, and the factors underlying such trends; 3236
(B) Include the findings from the report prepared pursuant to 3237
subsection (b) of section 19a-754h, as amended by this act; 3238
(C) Describe a plan for monitoring any unintended adverse 3239
consequences resulting from the adoption of cost growth benchmarks 3240
and primary care spending targets and the results of any findings from 3241
the implementation of such plan; and 3242
(D) Disclose the [commissioner's] secretary's recommendations, if 3243
any, concerning strategies to increase the efficiency of the state's health 3244
care system, including, but not limited to, any recommended legislation 3245
concerning the state's health care system. 3246
(b) (1) Not later than June [30, 2024, and ] thirtieth annually, 3247
[thereafter, the commissioner] the secretary shall hold an informational 3248
public hearing to compare the performance of payers and provider 3249
entities in the performance year to the quality benchmarks established 3250
for such year pursuant to section 19a-754g, as amended by this act. Such 3251
hearing shall include an examination of: 3252
(A) The report most recently prepared by the [commissioner] 3253
secretary pursuant to subsection (e) of section 19a-754h, as amended by 3254
this act; and 3255
(B) Any other matters that the [commissioner] secretary, in the 3256
[commissioner's] secretary's discretion, deems relevant for the purposes 3257
of this section. 3258
(2) The [commissioner] secretary may require any payer or provider 3259
entity that failed to meet any health care quality benchmarks in this state 3260
during the performance year to participate in such hearing. Each such 3261
payer or provider entity that is required to participate in such hearing 3262
shall provide testimony on issues identified by the [commissioner] 3263
secretary and provide additional information on actions taken to 3264
improve such payer's or provider entity's quality benchmark 3265
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 103

performance. 3266
(3) Not later than October [15, 2024, and ] fifteenth annually, 3267
[thereafter, the commissioner] the secretary shall prepare and submit a 3268
report, in accordance with section 11 -4a, to the joint standing 3269
committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 3270
relating to insurance and public health. Such report shall be based on 3271
the [commissioner's] secretary's analysis of the information submitted 3272
during the most recent informational public hearing conducted 3273
pursuant to this subsection and any other information that the 3274
[commissioner] secretary, in the [commissioner's] secretary's discretion, 3275
deems relevant for the purposes of this section, and shall: 3276
(A) Describe health care quality trends in this state and the factors 3277
underlying such trends; 3278
(B) Include the findings from the report prepared pursuant to 3279
subsection (e) of section 19a-754h, as amended by this act; and 3280
(C) Disclose the [commissioner's] secretary's recommendations, if 3281
any, concerning strategies to improve the quality of the state's health 3282
care system, including, but not limited to, any recommended legislation 3283
concerning the state's health care system. 3284
Sec. 76. Section 19a -754k of the general statutes is repealed and the 3285
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3286
The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 3287
Policy and Management may adopt regulations, in accordance with 3288
chapter 54, to implement the provisions of [section 19a -754a and ] 3289
sections 19a-754f to 19a-754j, inclusive, as amended by this act. 3290
Sec. 77. Section 19a -755a of the general statutes is repealed and the 3291
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3292
(a) As used in this section: 3293
(1) "All-payer claims database" means a database that receives and 3294
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 104

stores data from a reporting entity relating to medical insurance claims, 3295
dental insurance claims, pharmacy claims and other insurance claims 3296
information from enrollment and eligibility files. 3297
(2) (A) "Reporting entity" means: 3298
(i) An insurer, as described in section 38a -1, licensed to do health 3299
insurance business in this state; 3300
(ii) A health care center, as defined in section 38a-175; 3301
(iii) An insurer or health care center that provides coverage under 3302
Part C or Part D of Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, as amended 3303
from time to time, to residents of this state; 3304
(iv) A third-party administrator, as defined in section 38a-720; 3305
(v) A pharmacy benefits manager, as defined in section 38a-479aaa; 3306
(vi) A hospital service corporation, as defined in section 38a-199; 3307
(vii) A nonprofit medical service corporation, as defined in section 3308
38a-214; 3309
(viii) A fraternal benefit society, as described in section 38a -595, that 3310
transacts health insurance business in this state; 3311
(ix) A dental plan organization, as defined in section 38a-577; 3312
(x) A preferred provider network, as defined in section 38a -479aa; 3313
and 3314
(xi) Any other person that administers health care claims and 3315
payments pursuant to a contract or agreement or is required by statute 3316
to administer such claims and payments. 3317
(B) "Reporting entity" does not include an employee welfare benefit 3318
plan, as defined in the federal Employee Retirement Income Security 3319
Act of 1974, as amended from time to time, that is also a trust established 3320
pursuant to collective bargaining subject to the federal Labor 3321
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 105

Management Relations Act. 3322
(3) "Medicaid data" means the Medicaid provider registry, health 3323
claims data and Medicaid recipient data maintained by the Department 3324
of Social Services. 3325
(4) "CHIP data" means the provider registry, health claims data and 3326
recipient data maintained by the Department of Social Services to 3327
administer the Children's Health Insurance Program. 3328
(b) (1) There is established an all-payer claims database program. The 3329
Office of [Health Strategy] Policy and Management shall: (A) Oversee 3330
the planning, implementation and administration of the all-payer claims 3331
database program for the purpose of collecting, assessing and reporting 3332
health care information relating to safety, quality, cost -effectiveness, 3333
access and efficiency for all levels of health care; (B) ensure that data 3334
received is securely collected, compiled and stored in accordance with 3335
state and federal law; (C) conduct audits of data submitted by reporting 3336
entities in order to verify its accuracy; and (D) in consultation with the 3337
Health Information Technology Advisory Council established under 3338
section 17b-59f, as amended by this act, maintain written procedures for 3339
the administration of such all-payer claims database. Any such written 3340
procedures shall include (i) reporting requirements for reporting 3341
entities, and (ii) requirements for providing notice to a reporting entity 3342
regarding any alleged failure on the part of such reporting entity to 3343
comply with such reporting requirements. 3344
(2) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 3345
Policy and Management shall seek funding from the federal 3346
government, other public sources and other private sources to cover 3347
costs associated with the planning, implementation and administration 3348
of the all-payer claims database program. 3349
(3) (A) Upon the adoption of reporting requirements as set forth in 3350
subdivision (1) of this subsection, a reporting entity shall report health 3351
care information for inclusion in the all-payer claims database in a form 3352
and manner prescribed by the [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] 3353
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 106

Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management. The [commissioner] 3354
secretary may, after notice and hearing, impose a civil penalty on any 3355
reporting entity that fails to report health care information as prescribed. 3356
Such civil penalty shall not exceed one thousand dollars per day for each 3357
day of violation and shall not be imposed as a cost for the purpose of 3358
rate determination or reimbursement by a third-party payer. 3359
(B) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy] Secretary of the Office of 3360
Policy and Management may provide the name of any reporting entity 3361
on which such penalty has been imposed to the Insurance 3362
Commissioner. After consultation with the [Commissioner of Health 3363
Strategy] secretary, the Insurance Commissioner may request the 3364
Attorney General to bring an action in the superior court for the judicial 3365
district of Hartford to recover any penalty imposed pursuant to 3366
subparagraph (A) of this subdivision. 3367
(4) The Commissioner of Social Services shall submit Medicaid and 3368
CHIP data to the [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the 3369
Office of Policy and Management for inclusion in the all -payer claims 3370
database only for purposes related to administration of the State 3371
Medicaid and CHIP Plans, in accordance with 42 CFR 431.301 to 42 CFR 3372
431.306, inclusive. 3373
(5) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 3374
Policy and Management shall: (A) Utilize data in the all -payer claims 3375
database to provide health care consumers in the state with information 3376
concerning the cost and quality of health care services for the purpose 3377
of allowing such consumers to make economically sound and medically 3378
appropriate health care decisions; and (B) make data in the all -payer 3379
claims database available to any state agency, insurer, employer, health 3380
care provider, consumer of health care services or researcher for the 3381
purpose of allowing such person or entity to review such data as it 3382
relates to health care utilization, costs or quality of health care services. 3383
If health information, as defined in 45 CFR 160.103, as amended from 3384
time to time, is permitted to be disclosed under the Health Insurance 3385
Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, P.L. 104 -191, as amended 3386
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 107

from time to time, or regulations adopted thereunder, any disclosure 3387
thereof made pursuant to this subdivision shall have identifiers 3388
removed, as set forth in 45 CFR 164.514, as amended from time to time. 3389
Any disclosure made pursuant to this subdivision of information other 3390
than health information shall be made in a manner to protect the 3391
confidentiality of such other information as required by state and 3392
federal law. The [Commissioner of Health Strategy] secretary may set a 3393
fee to be charged to each person or entity requesting access to data 3394
stored in the all-payer claims database. 3395
(6) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the Office of 3396
Policy and Management may (A) in consultation with the All -Payer 3397
Claims Database Advisory Group set forth in section 17b -59f, as 3398
amended by this act, enter into a contract with a person or entity to plan, 3399
implement or administer the all -payer claims database program, (B) 3400
enter into a contract or take any action that is necessary to obtain data 3401
that is the same data required to be submitted by reporting entities 3402
under Medicare Part A or Part B, (C) enter into a contract for the 3403
collection, management or analysis of data received from reporting 3404
entities, and (D) in accordance with subdivision (4) of this subsection, 3405
enter into a contract or take any action that is necessary to obtain 3406
Medicaid and CHIP data. Any such contract for the collection, 3407
management or analysis of such data shall expressly prohibit the 3408
disclosure of such data for purposes other than the purposes described 3409
in this subsection. 3410
(c) Unless otherwise specified, nothing in this section and no action 3411
taken by the [Commissioner of Health Strategy] Secretary of the Office 3412
of Policy and Management pursuant to this section or section 19a-755b, 3413
as amended by this act, shall be construed to preempt, supersede or 3414
affect the authority of the Insurance Commissioner to regulate the 3415
business of insurance in the state. 3416
Sec. 78. Section 19a -755b of the general statutes is repealed and the 3417
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3418
(a) For purposes of this section and sections 19a -904a, 19a-904b and 3419
sHB5030 File No. 680

sHB5030 / File No. 680 108

38a-477d to 38a-477f, inclusive: 3420
(1) "Allowed amount" means the maximum reimbursement dollar 3421
amount that an insured's health insurance policy allows for a specific 3422
procedure or service; 3423
(2) "Consumer health information Internet web site" means an 3424
Internet web site developed and operated by the Office of [Health 3425
Strategy] Policy and Management to assist consumers in making 3426
informed decisions concerning their health care and informed choices 3427
among health care providers; 3428
(3) "Episode of care" means all health care services related to the 3429
treatment of a condition or a service category for such treatment and, 3430
for acute conditions, includes health care services and treatment 3431
provided from the onset of the condition to its resolution or a service 3432
category for such treatment and, for chronic conditions, includes health 3433
care services and treatment provided over a given period of time or a 3434
service category for such treatment; 3435
[(4) "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Health Strategy;] 3436
[(5)] (4) "Health care provider" means any individual, corporation, 3437
facility or institution licensed by this state to provide health care 3438
services; 3439
[(6)] (5) "Health carrier" means any insurer, health care center, 3440
hospital service corporation, medical service corporation, fraternal 3441
benefit society or other entity delivering, issuing for delivery, renewing, 3442
amending or continuing any individual or group health insurance 3443
policy in this state providing coverage of the type specified in 3444
subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469; 3445
[(7)] (6) "Hospital" has the same meaning as provided in section 19a-3446
490; 3447
[(8)] (7) "Out-of-pocket costs" means costs that are not reimbursed by 3448
a health insurance policy and includes deductibles, coinsurance and 3449
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 109

copayments for covered services and other costs to the consumer 3450
associated with a procedure or service; 3451
[(9)] (8) "Outpatient surgical facility" has the same meaning as 3452
provided in section 19a-493b, as amended by this act; [and] 3453
[(10)] (9) "Public or private third party" means the state, the federal 3454
government, employers, a health carrier, third -party administrator, as 3455
defined in section 38a-720, or managed care organization; and 3456
(10) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 3457
Management. 3458
(b) (1) Within available resources, the consumer health information 3459
Internet web site shall: (A) Contain information comparing the quality, 3460
price and cost of health care services, including, to the extent practicable, 3461
(i) comparative price and cost information for the health care services 3462
and procedures reported pursuant to subsection (c) of this section 3463
categorized by payer or listed by health care provider, (ii) links to 3464
Internet web sites and consumer tools where consumers may obtain 3465
comparative cost and quality information, including The Joint 3466
Commission and Medicare hospital compare tool, (iii) definitions of 3467
common health insurance and medical terms so consumers may 3468
compare health coverage and understand the terms of their coverage, 3469
and (iv) factors consumers should consider when choosing an insurance 3470
product or provider group, including provider network, premium, cost 3471
sharing, covered services and tier information; (B) be designed to assist 3472
consumers and institutional purchasers in making informed decisions 3473
regarding their health care and informed choices among health care 3474
providers and, to the extent practicable, provide reference pricing for 3475
services paid by various health carriers to health care providers; (C) 3476
present information in language and a format that is understandable to 3477
the average consumer; and (D) be publicized to the general public. All 3478
information outlined in this section shall be posted on an Internet web 3479
site established, or to be established, by the [Commissioner of Health 3480
Strategy] secretary in a manner and time frame as may be 3481
organizationally and financially reasonable in [his or her] the secretary's 3482
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 110

sole discretion. 3483
(2) Information collected, stored and published by the Office of 3484
[Health Strategy ] Policy and Management pursuant to this section is 3485
subject to the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability 3486
Act of 1996, P.L. 104-191, as amended from time to time. 3487
(3) The [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] secretary may consider 3488
adding quality measures to the consumer health information Internet 3489
web site. 3490
(c) Not later than January [1, 2018, and] first annually, [thereafter, the 3491
Commissioner of Health Strategy ] the secretary shall, to the extent the 3492
information is available, make available to the public on the consumer 3493
health information Internet web site a list of: (1) The fifty most 3494
frequently occurring inpatient services or procedures in the state; (2) the 3495
fifty most frequently provided outpatient services or procedures in the 3496
state; (3) the twenty -five most frequent surgical services or procedures 3497
in the state; (4) the twenty -five most frequent imaging services or 3498
procedures in the state; and (5) the twenty -five most frequently used 3499
pharmaceutical products and medical devices in the state. Such lists 3500
may (A) be expanded to include additional admissions and procedures, 3501
(B) be based upon those services and procedures that are most 3502
commonly performed by volume or that represent the greatest 3503
percentage of related health care expenditures, or (C) be designed to 3504
include those services and procedures most likely to result in out -of-3505
pocket costs to consumers or include bundled episodes of care. 3506
(d) Not later than January [1, 2018, and] first annually, [thereafter,] to 3507
the extent practicable, the [Commissioner of Health Strategy] secretary 3508
shall issue a report, in a form and manner prescribed by the 3509
[commissioner] secretary, that includes the (1) billed and allowed 3510
amounts paid to health care providers in each health carrier's network 3511
for each service and procedure included pursuant to subsection (c) of 3512
this section, and (2) out -of-pocket costs for each such service and 3513
procedure. 3514
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 111

(e) (1) [On and after January 1, 2018, each ] Each hospital shall, at the 3515
time of scheduling a service or procedure for nonemergency care that is 3516
included in the report prepared by the [Commissioner of Health 3517
Strategy] secretary pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, regardless 3518
of the location or setting where such services are delivered, notify the 3519
patient of the patient's right to make a request for cost and quality 3520
information. Upon the request of a patient for a diagnosis or procedure 3521
included in such report, the hospital shall, not later than three business 3522
days after scheduling such service or procedure, provide written notice, 3523
electronically or by mail, to the patient who is the subject of the service 3524
or procedure concerning: (A) If the patient is uninsured, the amount to 3525
be charged for the service or procedure if all charges are paid in full 3526
without a public or private third party paying any portion of the 3527
charges, including the amount of any facility fee, or, if the hospital is not 3528
able to provide a specific amount due to an inability to predict the 3529
specific treatment or diagnostic code, the estimated maximum allowed 3530
amount or charge for the service or procedure, including the amount of 3531
any facility fee; (B) the corresponding Medicare reimbursement amount 3532
or, if there is no corresponding Medicare reimbursement amount for 3533
such diagnosis or procedure, (i) the approximate amount Medicare 3534
would have paid the hospital for the services on the billing statement, 3535
or (ii) the percentage of the hospital's charges that Medicare would have 3536
paid the hospital for the services; (C) if the patient is insured, the 3537
allowed amount, the toll -free telephone number and the Internet web 3538
site address of the patient's health carrier where the patient can obtain 3539
information concerning charges and out -of-pocket costs; (D) The Joint 3540
Commission's composite accountability rating and the Medicare 3541
hospital compare star rating for the hospital, as applicable; and (E) the 3542
Internet web site addresses for The Joint Commission and the Medicare 3543
hospital compare tool where the patient may obtain information 3544
concerning the hospital. 3545
(2) If the patient is insured and the hospital is out -of-network under 3546
the patient's health insurance policy, such written notice shall include a 3547
statement that the service or procedure will likely be deemed out -of-3548
network and that any out-of-network applicable rates under such policy 3549
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 112

may apply. 3550
Sec. 79. Subsection (b) of section 19a -911 of the general statutes is 3551
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 3552
2026): 3553
(b) The Council on Protecting Women's Health shall be comprised of 3554
(1) the following ex -officio voting members: (A) The Commissioner of 3555
Public Health, or the commissioner's designee; (B) the Commissioner of 3556
Mental Health and Addiction Services, or the commissioner's designee; 3557
(C) the Insurance Commissioner, or the commissioner's designee; (D) 3558
[the Commissioner of Health Strategy, or the commissioner's designee; 3559
(E)] the Healthcare Advocate, or the Healthcare Advocate's designee; 3560
and [(F)] (E) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or 3561
the secretary's designee; and (2) fourteen public members, three of 3562
whom shall be appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, 3563
three of whom shall be appointed by the speaker of the House of 3564
Representatives, two of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader 3565
of the Senate, two of whom shall be appointed by the majority leader of 3566
the House of Representatives, two of whom shall be appointed by the 3567
minority leader of the Senate and two of whom shall be appointed by 3568
the minority leader of the House of Representatives, and all of whom 3569
shall be knowledgeable on issues relative to women's health care in the 3570
state. The membership of the council shall fairly and adequately 3571
represent women who have had issues accessing quality health care in 3572
the state. 3573
Sec. 80. Subsections (b) and (c) of section 20 -195ttt of the 2026 3574
supplement to the general statutes are repealed and the following is 3575
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3576
(b) There is established within the [Office of Health Strategy ] 3577
Department of Public Health a Community Health Worker Advisory 3578
Body. Said body shall (1) advise [said office and the Department of 3579
Public Health ] the department on matters relating to the educational 3580
and certification requirements for training programs for community 3581
health workers, including the minimum number of hours and 3582
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 113

internship requirements for certification of community health workers, 3583
(2) conduct a continuous review of such educational and certification 3584
programs, and (3) provide the department with a list of approved 3585
educational and certification programs for community health workers. 3586
(c) The Commissioner of [Health Strategy ] Public Health , or the 3587
commissioner's designee, shall act as the chair of the Community Health 3588
Worker Advisory Body and shall appoint the following members to said 3589
body: 3590
(1) Six members who are actively practicing as community health 3591
workers in the state; 3592
(2) A member of the Community Health Workers Association of 3593
Connecticut or any successor or comparable professional organization 3594
that represents community health workers in the state; 3595
(3) A representative of a community-based community health worker 3596
training organization; 3597
(4) A representative of the Connecticut State Community College; 3598
(5) An employer of community health workers; 3599
(6) A representative of a health care organization that employs 3600
community health workers; and 3601
(7) A health care provider who works directly with community health 3602
workers. [; and] 3603
[(8) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's 3604
designee.] 3605
Sec. 81. Subsection (b) of section 28 -33 of the 2026 supplement to the 3606
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 3607
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3608
(b) The task force shall consist of the following members: 3609
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 114

(1) Two appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives, 3610
one of whom has expertise in prescription drug supply chains and one 3611
of whom has expertise in federal law concerning prescription drug 3612
shortages; 3613
(2) Two appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, one of 3614
whom represents hospitals and one of whom represents health care 3615
providers who treat patients with rare diseases; 3616
(3) One appointed by the majority leader of the House of 3617
Representatives, who represents one of the two federally recognized 3618
Indian tribes in the state; 3619
(4) One appointed by the majority leader of the Senate, who 3620
represents one of the two federally recognized Indian tribes in the state; 3621
(5) One appointed by the minority leader of the House of 3622
Representatives, who represents health insurance companies; 3623
(6) One appointed by the minority leader of the Senate, who is a 3624
representative of the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange; 3625
[(7) The Commissioner of Health Strategy, or the commissioner's 3626
designee;] 3627
[(8)] (7) The Commissioner of Consumer Protection, or the 3628
commissioner's designee; 3629
[(9)] (8) The Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's 3630
designee; 3631
[(10)] (9) The Commissioner of Public Health, or the commissioner's 3632
designee; 3633
[(11)] (10) The chief executive officer of The University of Connecticut 3634
Health Center, or the chief executive officer's designee; 3635
[(12)] (11) The Insurance Commissioner, or the commissioner's 3636
designee; 3637
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 115

[(13)] (12) The Commissioner of Economic and Community 3638
Development, or the commissioner's designee; and 3639
[(14)] (13) Any other members as deemed necessary by the 3640
chairpersons of the task force. 3641
Sec. 82. Subsections (e) to (g), inclusive, of section 33 -182bb of the 3642
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 3643
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3644
(e) Any medical foundation organized on or after July 1, 2009, shall 3645
file a copy of its certificate of incorporation and any amendments to its 3646
certificate of incorporation with the Health Systems Planning Unit of the 3647
[Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public Health not later than 3648
ten business days after the medical foundation files such certificate of 3649
incorporation or amendment with the Secretary of the State pursuant to 3650
chapter 602. 3651
(f) Any medical group clinic corporation formed under chapter 594 3652
of the general statutes, revision of 1958, revised to 1995, which amends 3653
its certificate of incorporation pursuant to subsection (a) of section 33 -3654
182cc, shall file with the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of 3655
Health Strategy] Department of Public Health a copy of its certificate of 3656
incorporation and any amendments to its certificate of incorporation, 3657
including any amendment to its certificate of incorporation that 3658
complies with the requirements of subsection (a) of section 33-182cc, not 3659
later than ten business days after the medical foundation files its 3660
certificate of incorporation or any amendments to its certificate of 3661
incorporation with the Secretary of the State. 3662
(g) Any medical foundation, regardless of when organized, shall file 3663
notice with the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health 3664
Strategy] Department of Public Health and the Secretary of the State of 3665
its liquidation, termination, dissolution or cessation of operations not 3666
later than ten business days after a vote by its board of directors or 3667
members to take such action. A medical foundation shall, annually, 3668
provide the office with (1) a statement of its mission, (2) the name and 3669
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 116

address of the organizing members, (3) the name and specialty of each 3670
physician employed by or acting as an agent of the medical foundation, 3671
(4) the location or locations where each such physician practices, (5) a 3672
description of the services provided at each such location , (6) a 3673
description of any significant change in its services during the preceding 3674
year, (7) a copy of the medical foundation's governing documents and 3675
bylaws, (8) the name and employer of each member of the board of 3676
directors, and (9) other financial information as reported on the medical 3677
foundation's most recently filed Internal Revenue Service return of 3678
organization exempt from income tax form, or any replacement form 3679
adopted by the Internal Revenue Service, or, if such medical foundation 3680
is not required to file such form, information substantially similar to that 3681
required by such form. The Health Systems Planning Unit shall make 3682
such forms and information available to members of the public and 3683
accessible on said unit's Internet web site. 3684
Sec. 83. Subdivisions (2) and (3) of subsection (a) of section 38a -47 of 3685
the general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 3686
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3687
(2) The amount appropriated to the Office of [Health Strategy] Policy 3688
and Management from the Insurance Fund for the fiscal year, [including 3689
the cost of fringe benefits for office personnel as estimated by the 3690
Comptroller,] which shall be reduced by the amount of federal 3691
reimbursement received for allowable Medicaid administrative 3692
expenses; 3693
(3) The expenditures made on behalf of the department and said 3694
offices from the Capital Equipment Purchase Fund pursuant to section 3695
4a-9 for such year, but excluding such estimated expenditures made on 3696
behalf of the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health 3697
Strategy] Department of Public Health; and 3698
Sec. 84. Subsections (b) to (f), inclusive, of section 38a -48 of the 3699
general statutes are repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 3700
thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3701
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 117

(b) On or before July thirty -first, annually, the Insurance 3702
Commissioner shall render to each domestic insurance company or 3703
other domestic entity liable for payment under section 38a -47, as 3704
amended by this act: 3705
(1) A statement that includes (A) the amount appropriated to the 3706
Insurance Department, the Office of the Healthcare Advocate and the 3707
Office of [Health Strategy] Policy and Management from the Insurance 3708
Fund established under section 38a-52a for the fiscal year beginning July 3709
first of the same year, (B) the cost of fringe benefits for department and 3710
office personnel for such year, as estimated by the Comptroller, (C) the 3711
estimated expenditures on behalf of the department and the offices from 3712
the Capital Equipment Purchase Fund pursuant to section 4a-9 for such 3713
year, not including such estimated expenditures made on behalf of the 3714
Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] 3715
Department of Public Health , and (D) the amount appropriated to the 3716
Department of Aging and Disability Services for the fall prevention 3717
program established in section 17a-859 from the Insurance Fund for the 3718
fiscal year; 3719
(2) A statement of the total amount of taxes reported in the annual 3720
statement rendered to the Insurance Commissioner pursuant to 3721
subsection (a) of this section; and 3722
(3) The proposed assessment against that company or entity, 3723
calculated in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c) of this 3724
section, provided for the purposes of this calculation the amount 3725
appropriated to the Insurance Department, the Office of the Healthcare 3726
Advocate and the Office of [Health Strategy] Policy and Management 3727
from the Insurance Fund plus the cost of fringe benefits for department 3728
and office personnel and the estimated expenditures on behalf of the 3729
department and said offices from the Capital Equipment Purchase Fund 3730
pursuant to section 4a -9, not including such expenditures made on 3731
behalf of the Health Systems Planning Unit of the [Office of Health 3732
Strategy] Department of Public Health shall be deemed to be the actual 3733
expenditures of the department and said offices, and the amount 3734
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appropriated to the Department of Aging and Disability Services from 3735
the Insurance Fund for the fiscal year for the fall prevention program 3736
established in section 17a -859 shall be deemed to be the actual 3737
expenditures for the program. 3738
(c) (1) The proposed assessments for each domestic insurance 3739
company or other domestic entity shall be calculated by (A) allocating 3740
twenty per cent of the amount to be paid under section 38a -47, as 3741
amended by this act, among the domestic entities organized under 3742
sections 38a-199 to 38a-209, inclusive, and 38a-214 to 38a-225, inclusive, 3743
in proportion to their respective shares of the total amount of taxes 3744
reported in the annual statement rendered to the Insurance 3745
Commissioner pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, and (B) 3746
allocating eighty per cent of the amount to be paid under section 38a-47, 3747
as amended by this act, among all domestic insurance companies and 3748
domestic entities other than those organized under sections 38a -199 to 3749
38a-209, inclusive, and 38a -214 to 38a -225, inclusive, in proportion to 3750
their respective shares of the total amount of taxes reported in the 3751
annual statement rendered to the Insurance Commissioner pursuant to 3752
subsection (a) of this section, provided if there are no domestic entities 3753
organized under sections 38a -199 to 38a -209, inclusive, and 38a -214 to 3754
38a-225, inclusive, at the time of assessment, one hundred per cent of 3755
the amount to be paid under section 38a-47, as amended by this act, shall 3756
be allocated among such domestic insurance companies and domestic 3757
entities. 3758
(2) When the amount any such company or entity is assessed 3759
pursuant to this section exceeds twenty -five per cent of the actual 3760
expenditures of the Insurance Department, the Office of the Healthcare 3761
Advocate and the Office of [Health Strategy] Policy and Management 3762
from the Insurance Fund, such excess amount shall not be paid by such 3763
company or entity but rather shall be assessed against and paid by all 3764
other such companies and entities in proportion to their respective 3765
shares of the total amount of taxes reported in the annual statement 3766
rendered to the Insurance Commissioner pursuant to subsection (a) of 3767
this section, except that for purposes of any assessment made to fund 3768
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payments to the Department of Public Health to purchase vaccines, such 3769
company or entity shall be responsible for its share of the costs, 3770
notwithstanding whether its assessment exceeds twenty-five per cent of 3771
the actual expenditures of the Insurance Department, the Office of the 3772
Healthcare Advocate and the Office of [Health Strategy ] Policy and 3773
Management from the Insurance Fund. The provisions of this 3774
subdivision shall not be applicable to any corporation that has 3775
converted to a domestic mutual insurance company pursuant to section 3776
38a-155 upon the effective date of any public act that amends said 3777
section to modify or remove any restriction on the business such a 3778
company may engage in, for purposes of any assessment due from such 3779
company on and after such effective date. 3780
(d) Each annual payment determined under section 38a -47, as 3781
amended by this act, and each annual assessment determined under this 3782
section shall be calculated based on the total amount of taxes reported 3783
in the annual statement rendered to the Insurance Commissioner 3784
pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. 3785
(e) On or before September first, annually, for each fiscal year, the 3786
Insurance Commissioner, after receiving any objections to the proposed 3787
assessments and making such adjustments as in the commissioner's 3788
opinion may be indicated, shall assess each such domestic insurance 3789
company or other domestic entity an amount equal to its proposed 3790
assessment as so adjusted. Each domestic insurance company or other 3791
domestic entity shall pay to the Insurance Commissioner (1) on or before 3792
June thirtieth, annually, an estimated payment against its assessment for 3793
the following year equal to twenty-five per cent of its assessment for the 3794
fiscal year ending such June thirtieth, (2) on or before September 3795
thirtieth, annually, twenty -five per cent of its assessment adjusted to 3796
reflect any credit or amount due from the preceding fiscal year as 3797
determined by the commissioner under subsection (f) of this section, 3798
and (3) on or before the following December thirty -first and March 3799
thirty-first, annually, each domestic insurance company or other 3800
domestic entity shall pay to the Insurance Commissioner the remaining 3801
fifty per cent of its proposed assessment to the department in two equal 3802
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installments. 3803
(f) If the actual expenditures for the fall prevention program 3804
established in section 17a -859 are less than the amount allocated, the 3805
Commissioner of Aging and Disability Services shall notify the 3806
Insurance Commissioner. Immediately following the close of the fiscal 3807
year, the Insurance Commissioner shall recalculate the proposed 3808
assessment for each domestic insurance company or other domestic 3809
entity in accordance with subsection (c) of this section using the actual 3810
expenditures made during the fiscal year by the Insurance Department 3811
, the Office of the Healthcare Advocate and the Office of [Health 3812
Strategy] Policy and Management from the Insurance Fund, the actual 3813
expenditures made on behalf of the department and said offices from 3814
the Capital Equipment Purchase Fund pursuant to section 4a -9, not 3815
including such expenditures made on behalf of the Health Systems 3816
Planning Unit of the [Office of Health Strategy ] Department of Public 3817
Health, and the actual expenditures for the fall prevention program. On 3818
or before July thirty -first, annually, the Insurance Commissioner shall 3819
render to each such domestic insurance company and other domestic 3820
entity a statement showing the difference between their respective 3821
recalculated assessments and the amount they have previously paid. On 3822
or before August thirty -first, the Insurance Commissioner, after 3823
receiving any objections to such statements, shall make such 3824
adjustments that in the commissioner's opinion may be indicated, and 3825
shall render an adjusted assessment, if any, to the affected companies. 3826
Any such domestic insurance company or other domestic entity may 3827
pay to the Insurance Commissioner the entire assessment required 3828
under this subsection in one payment when the first installment of such 3829
assessment is due. 3830
Sec. 85. Subsection (a) of section 38a -477e of the general statutes is 3831
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 3832
2026): 3833
(a) [On and after January 1, 2017, each] Each health carrier, as defined 3834
in section 19a -755b, as amended by this act , shall maintain an Internet 3835
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web site and toll -free telephone number that enables consumers to 3836
request and obtain: (1) Information on in -network costs for inpatient 3837
admissions, health care procedures and services, including (A) the 3838
allowed amount for, at a minimum, admissions and procedures 3839
reported to the [Commissioner of Health Strategy ] Secretary of the 3840
Office of Policy and Management pursuant to section 19a -755b, as 3841
amended by this act, for each health care provider in the state; (B) the 3842
estimated out-of-pocket costs that a consumer would be responsible for 3843
paying for any such admission or procedure that is medically necessary, 3844
including any facility fee, coinsurance, copayment, deductible or other 3845
out-of-pocket expense; and (C) data or other information concerning (i) 3846
quality measures for the health care provider, (ii) patient satisfaction, to 3847
the extent such information is available, (iii) a directory of participating 3848
providers, as defined in section 38a -472f, in accordance with the 3849
provisions of section 38a -477h; and (2) information on out -of-network 3850
costs for inpatient admissions, health care procedures and services. 3851
Sec. 86. Subdivision (2) of subsection (c) of section 38a -477ee of the 3852
2026 supplement to the general statutes is repealed and the following is 3853
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3854
(2) The Attorney General [,] and Healthcare Advocate . [and 3855
Commissioner of Health Strategy.] 3856
Sec. 87. Subdivisions (13) to (17), inclusive, of subsection (c) of section 3857
38a-1083 of the general statutes are repealed and the following is 3858
substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 3859
(13) Make and enter into any contract or agreement necessary or 3860
incidental to the performance of its duties and execution of its powers, 3861
including, but not limited to, an agreement with the Office of [Health 3862
Strategy] Policy and Management to use funds collected under this 3863
section for the operation of the all -payer claims database established 3864
under section 19a-755a, as amended by this act, and to receive data from 3865
such database. The contracts entered into by the exchange shall not be 3866
subject to the approval of any other state department, office or agency, 3867
provided copies of all contracts of the exchange shall be maintained by 3868
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the exchange as public records, subject to the proprietary rights of any 3869
party to the contract, except any agreement with the Office of [Health 3870
Strategy] Policy and Management shall be subject to approval by said 3871
office [and the Office of Policy and Management] and no portion of such 3872
agreement shall be considered proprietary; 3873
(14) To the extent permitted under its contract with other persons, 3874
consent to any termination, modification, forgiveness or other change of 3875
any term of any contractual right, payment, royalty, contract or 3876
agreement of any kind to which the exchange is a party; 3877
(15) Award grants to trained and certified individuals and 3878
institutions that will assist individuals, families and small employers 3879
and their employees in enrolling in appropriate coverage through the 3880
exchange. Applications for grants from the exchange shall be made on 3881
a form prescribed by the board; 3882
(16) Limit the number of plans offered, and use selective criteria in 3883
determining which plans to offer, through the exchange, provided 3884
individuals and employers have an adequate number and selection of 3885
choices; 3886
(17) Evaluate [jointly with the Health Care Cabinet established 3887
pursuant to section 19a -725] the feasibility of implementing a basic 3888
health program option as set forth in Section 1331 of the Affordable Care 3889
Act; 3890
Sec. 88. Subdivision (26) of section 38a-1084 of the general statutes is 3891
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 3892
2026): 3893
(26) Consult with the Commissioner of Social Services, Insurance 3894
Commissioner and Office of [Health Strategy, established under section 3895
19a-754a] Policy and Management for the purposes set forth in section 3896
19a-754c, as amended by this act; 3897
Sec. 89. Subsection (d) of section 3 -123ddd of the general statutes is 3898
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 3899
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 123

2026): 3900
(d) Nothing in sections 3-123aaa to 3 -123hhh, inclusive, 19a -654, as 3901
amended by this act , [19a-725,] 19a-755a, as amended by this act , 38a-3902
513f or 38a -513g shall diminish any right to retiree health insurance 3903
pursuant to a collective bargaining agreement or any other provision of 3904
the general statutes. 3905
Sec. 90. Subsection (b) of section 3 -123hhh of the general statutes is 3906
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 3907
2026): 3908
(b) Nothing in this section or sections 3-123aaa to 3-123ggg, inclusive, 3909
19a-654, as amended by this act, [19a-725,] 19a-755a, as amended by this 3910
act, 38a-513f or 38a -513g shall modify the state employee plan in any 3911
way without the written consent of the State Employees Bargaining 3912
Agent Coalition and the Secretary of the Office of Policy and 3913
Management. 3914
Sec. 91. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026 ) (a) The Department of Public 3915
Health shall constitute a successor agency, in accordance with the 3916
provisions of sections 4-38d, 4-38e and 4-39 of the general statutes, to the 3917
Office of Health Strategy with respect to all functions, powers and 3918
duties of the Office of Health Strategy concerning (1) the Health Systems 3919
Planning Unit established pursuant to section 19a -612 of the general 3920
statutes, as amended by this act, and (2) the certificate of need process 3921
set forth in sections 19a-638 to 19a-641, inclusive, of the general statutes, 3922
as amended by this act. Any order, decision, agreed settlement or 3923
regulation of the former Office of Health Strategy concerning any of the 3924
functions described in subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection that is 3925
in force on July 1, 2026, shall continue in force and effect as an order, 3926
decision, agreed settlement or regulation of the Department of Public 3927
Health until amended, repealed or superseded pursuant to law. Where 3928
any order, decision, agreed settlement or regulation of said department 3929
and said former office conflict, the Commissioner of Public Health may 3930
implement policies and procedures consistent with the provisions of 3931
chapters 368v and 368z of the general statutes while in the process of 3932
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 124

adopting the policies or procedures in regulation form, provided the 3933
commissioner shall publish notice of intention to adopt regulations on 3934
the Department of Public Health's Internet web site and the 3935
eRegulations System not later than twenty days after implementation of 3936
such policies and procedures. Any such policies or procedures shall be 3937
valid until such regulations are adopted. 3938
(b) If the words "Office of Health Strategy" or "Commissioner of 3939
Health Strategy" are used or referred to in any public or special act of 3940
2026, or in any section of the general statutes that is amended in 2026 3941
that concerns said office's or commissioner's functions with regard to (1) 3942
the Health Systems Planning Unit established pursuant to section 19a -3943
612 of the general statutes, as amended by this act, or (2) the certificate 3944
of need process set forth in sections 19a-638 to 19a-641, inclusive, of the 3945
general statutes, as amended by this act, such words shall be deemed to 3946
mean or refer to the Department of Public Health or the Commissioner 3947
of Public Health, respectively. 3948
Sec. 92. (NEW) ( Effective July 1, 2026 ) (a) The Office of Policy and 3949
Management shall constitute a successor agency, in accordance with the 3950
provisions of sections 4-38d, 4-38e and 4-39 of the general statutes, to the 3951
Office of Health Strategy with respect to all functions, powers and 3952
duties of the Office of Health Strategy concerning (1) the State -wide 3953
Health Information Exchange, established pursuant to section 17b -59d 3954
of the general statutes, as amended by this act, (2) the all -payer claims 3955
database program, established pursuant to section 19a -755a of the 3956
general statutes, as amended by this act, and (3) the development, 3957
publication and modification of health care cost growth benchmarks 3958
and health care quality benchmarks required pursuant to sections 19a -3959
754f to 19a-754k, inclusive, of the general statutes, as amended by this 3960
act. Any order, decision, agreed settlement or regulation of the former 3961
Office of Health Strategy concerning any of the functions described in 3962
subdivisions (1) to (3), inclusive, of this subsection that is in force on July 3963
1, 2026, shall continue in force and effect as an order, decision, agreed 3964
settlement or regulation of the Office of Policy and Management until 3965
amended, repealed or superseded pursuant to law. Where any order, 3966
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 125

decision, agreed settlement or regulation of said offices conflict, the 3967
Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management may implement 3968
policies and procedures consistent with the provisions of part III of 3969
chapter 319o and chapter 368ee of the general statutes while in the 3970
process of adopting the policies or procedures in regulation form, 3971
provided the secretary shall publish notice of intention to adopt 3972
regulations on the Office of Policy and Management's Internet web site 3973
and the eRegulations System not later than twenty days after 3974
implementation of such policies and procedures. Any such policy or 3975
procedure shall be valid until such regulations are adopted. 3976
(b) If the words "Office of Health Strategy" or "Commissioner of 3977
Health Strategy" are used or referred to in any public or special act of 3978
2026, or in any section of the general statutes that is amended in 2026 3979
that concerns said office's or commissioner's functions with regard to (1) 3980
the State -wide Health Information Exchange, established pursuant to 3981
section 17b-59d of the general statutes, as amended by this act, (2) the 3982
all-payer claims database program, established pursuant to section 19a-3983
755a of the general statutes, as amended by this act, or (3) the 3984
development, publication and modification of health care cost growth 3985
benchmarks and health care quality benchmarks required pursuant to 3986
sections 19a -754f to 19a -754k, inclusive, of the general statutes, as 3987
amended by this act, such words shall be deemed to mean or refer to the 3988
Office of Policy and Management or the Secretary of the Office of Policy 3989
and Management, respectively. 3990
Sec. 93. (NEW) ( Effective July 1, 2026 ) (a) The Department of Social 3991
Services shall constitute a successor agency, in accordance with the 3992
provisions of sections 4-38d, 4-38e and 4-39 of the general statutes, to the 3993
Office of Health Strategy with respect to all functions, powers and 3994
duties of the Office of Health Strategy concerning hospital financial 3995
health reporting by hospitals pursuant to section 19a-486 of the general 3996
statutes, as amended by this act. Any order, decision, agreed settlement 3997
or regulation of the former Office of Health Strategy concerning such 3998
functions that is in force on July 1, 2026, shall continue in force and effect 3999
as an order, decision, agreed settlement or regulation of the Department 4000
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 126

of Social Services until amended, repealed or superseded pursuant to 4001
law. Where any order, decision, agreed settlement or regulation of said 4002
offices conflict, the Commissioner of Social Services may implement 4003
policies and procedures consistent with the provisions of part III of 4004
chapter 319o and chapter 368ee of the general statutes while in the 4005
process of adopting the policies or procedures in regulation form, 4006
provided the secretary shall publish notice of intention to adopt 4007
regulations on the Department of Social Services' Internet web site and 4008
the eRegulations System not later than twenty days after 4009
implementation of such policies and procedures. Any such policy or 4010
procedure shall be valid until such regulations are adopted. 4011
(b) If the words "Office of Health Strategy" or "Commissioner of 4012
Health Strategy" are used or referred to in any public or special act of 4013
2026, or in any section of the general statutes that is amended in 2026 4014
that concerns said office's or commissioner's functions with regard to 4015
hospital financial health reporting by hospitals pursuant to section 19a-4016
486j of the general statutes, as amended by this act, such terms shall be 4017
deemed to mean or refer to the Department of Social Services or the 4018
Commissioner of Social Services, respectively. 4019
Sec. 94. (NEW) (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) The Office of the Healthcare 4020
Advocate shall constitute a successor agency, in accordance with the 4021
provisions of sections 4-38d, 4-38e and 4-39 of the general statutes, to the 4022
Office of Health Strategy with respect to all functions, powers and 4023
duties of the Office of Health Strategy concerning community benefit 4024
program reporting by hospitals pursuant to section 19a -127k of the 4025
general statutes, as amended by this act. Any order, decision, agreed 4026
settlement or regulation of the former Office of Health Strategy 4027
concerning such functions that is in force on July 1, 2026, shall continue 4028
in force and effect as an order, decision, agreed settlement or regulation 4029
of the Office of the Healthcare Advocate until amended, repealed or 4030
superseded pursuant to law. Where any order, decision, agreed 4031
settlement or regulation of said offices conflict, the Office of the 4032
Healthcare Advocate may implement policies and procedures 4033
consistent with the provisions of part III of chapter 319o and chapter 4034
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368ee of the general statutes while in the process of adopting the policies 4035
or procedures in regulation form, provided the secretary shall publish 4036
notice of intention to adopt regulations on the Office of the Healthcare 4037
Advocate's Internet web site and the eRegulations System not later than 4038
twenty days after implementation of such policies and procedures. Any 4039
such policy or procedure shall be valid until such regulations are 4040
adopted. 4041
(b) If the words "Office of Health Strategy" or "Commissioner of 4042
Health Strategy" are used or referred to in any public or special act of 4043
2026, or in any section of the general statutes that is amended in 2026 4044
that concerns said office's or commissioner's functions with regard to 4045
community benefit program reporting by hospitals pursuant to section 4046
19a-127k of the general statutes, as amended by this act, such terms shall 4047
be deemed to mean or refer to the Office of the Healthcare Advocate or 4048
the Healthcare Advocate, respectively. 4049
Sec. 95. Section 19a-2a of the 2026 supplement to the general statutes 4050
is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 4051
1, 2026): 4052
The Commissioner of Public Health shall employ the most efficient 4053
and practical means for the prevention and suppression of disease and 4054
shall administer all laws under the jurisdiction of the Department of 4055
Public Health and the Public Health Code. The commissioner shall have 4056
responsibility for the overall operation and administration of the 4057
Department of Public Health. The commissioner shall have the power 4058
and duty to: (1) Administer, coordinate and direct the operation of the 4059
department; (2) adopt and enforce regulations, in accordance with 4060
chapter 54, as are necessary to carry out the purposes of the department 4061
as established by statute; (3) establish rules for the internal operation 4062
and administration of the department; (4) establish and develop 4063
programs and administer services to achieve the purposes of the 4064
department as established by statute; (5) enter into a contract, including, 4065
but not limited to, a contract with another state, for facilities, services 4066
and programs to implement the purposes of the department as 4067
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established by statute; (6) designate a deputy commissioner or other 4068
employee of the department to sign any license, certificate or permit 4069
issued by said department; (7) conduct a hearing, issue subpoenas, 4070
administer oaths, compel testimony and render a final decision in any 4071
case when a hearing is required or authorized under the provisions of 4072
any statute dealing with the Department of Public Health; (8) with the 4073
health authorities of this and other states, secure information and data 4074
concerning the prevention and control of epidemics and conditions 4075
affecting or endangering the public health, and compile such 4076
information and statistics and shall disseminate among health 4077
authorities and the people of the state such information as may be of 4078
value to them; (9) annually issue a list of reportable diseases, emergency 4079
illnesses and health conditions and a list of reportable laboratory 4080
findings and amend such lists as the commissioner deems necessary and 4081
distribute such lists as well as any necessary forms to each licensed 4082
physician, licensed physician assistant, licensed advanced practice 4083
registered nurse and clinical laboratory in this state. The commissioner 4084
shall prepare printed forms for reports and returns, with such 4085
instructions as may be necessary, for the use of directors of health, 4086
boards of health and registrars of vital statistics; [and] (10) specify 4087
uniform methods of keeping statistical information by public and 4088
private agencies, organizations and individuals, including a client 4089
identifier system, and collect and make available relevant statistical 4090
information, including the number of persons treated, frequency of 4091
admission and readmission, and frequency and duration of treatment. 4092
The client identifier system shall be subject to the confidentiality 4093
requirements set forth in section 17a -688 and regulations adopted 4094
thereunder; and (11) direct and oversee the Health Systems Planning 4095
Unit, established under section 19a-612, as amended by this act, and all 4096
of its duties and responsibilities concerning the certificate of need 4097
process as set forth in chapter 368z . The commissioner may designate 4098
any person to perform any of the duties listed in subdivision (7) of this 4099
section. The commissioner shall have authority over directors of health 4100
and may, for cause, remove any such director; but any person claiming 4101
to be aggrieved by such removal may appeal to the Superior Court 4102
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which may affirm or reverse the action of the commissioner as the public 4103
interest requires. The commissioner shall assist and advise local 4104
directors of health and district directors of health in the performance of 4105
their duties, and may require the enforcement of any law, regulation or 4106
ordinance relating to public health. In the event the commissioner 4107
reasonably suspects impropriety on the part of a local director of health 4108
or district director of health, or employee of such director, in the 4109
performance of his or her duties, the commissioner shall provide 4110
notification and any evidence of such impropriety to the appropriate 4111
governing authority of the municipal health authority, established 4112
pursuant to section 19a -200, or the district department of health, 4113
established pursuant to section 19a -244, for purposes of reviewing and 4114
assessing a director's or an employee's compliance with such duties. 4115
Such governing authority shall provide a written report of its findings 4116
from the review and assessment to the commissioner not later than 4117
ninety days after such review and assessment. When requested by local 4118
directors of health or district directors of health, the commissioner shall 4119
consult with them and investigate and advise concerning any condition 4120
affecting public health within their jurisdiction. The commissioner shall 4121
investigate nuisances and conditions affecting, or that he or she has 4122
reason to suspect may affect, the security of life and health in any 4123
locality and, for that purpose, the commissioner, or any person 4124
authorized by the commissioner, may enter and examine any ground, 4125
vehicle, apartment, building or place, and any person designated by the 4126
commissioner shall have the authority conferred by law upon 4127
constables. Whenever the commissioner determines that any provision 4128
of the general statutes or regulation of the Public Health Code is not 4129
being enforced effectively by a local health department or health district, 4130
he or she shall forthwith take such measures, including the performance 4131
of any act required of the local health department or health district, to 4132
ensure enforcement of such statute or regulation and shall inform the 4133
local health department or health district of such measures. In 4134
September of each year the commissioner shall certify to the Secretary 4135
of the Office of Policy and Management the population of each 4136
municipality. The commissioner may solicit and accept for use any gift 4137
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of money or property made by will or otherwise, and any grant of or 4138
contract for money, services or property from the federal government, 4139
the state, any political subdivision thereof, any other state or any private 4140
source, and do all things necessary to cooperate with the federal 4141
government or any of its agencies in making an application for any grant 4142
or contract. The commissioner may enter into any contracts or 4143
agreements, in accordance with any established procedures, as may be 4144
necessary for the distribution or use of such money, services or property 4145
in accordance with any requirements to fulfill any conditions of a gift, 4146
grant or contract. The commissioner may establish state -wide and 4147
regional advisory councils. For purposes of this section, "employee of 4148
such director" means an employee of, a consultant employed or retained 4149
by or an independent contractor retained by a local director of health, a 4150
district director of health, a local health department or a health district. 4151
Sec. 96. Section 4 -66 of the general statutes is repealed and the 4152
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 4153
The Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management shall have the 4154
following functions and powers: 4155
(1) To keep on file information concerning the state's general 4156
accounts; 4157
(2) To furnish all accounting statements relating to the financial 4158
condition of the state as a whole, to the condition and operation of state 4159
funds, to appropriations, to reserves and to costs of operations; 4160
(3) To furnish such statements as and when they are required for 4161
administrative purposes and, at the end of each fiscal period, to prepare 4162
and publish such financial statements and data as will convey to the 4163
General Assembly the essential facts as to the financial condition, the 4164
revenues and expenditures and the costs of operations of the state 4165
government; 4166
(4) To furnish to the State Comptroller on or before the twentieth day 4167
of each month cumulative monthly statements of revenues and 4168
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expenditures to the end of the last -completed month together with (A) 4169
a statement of estimated revenue by source to the end of the fiscal year, 4170
at least in the same detail as appears in the budget act, and (B) a 4171
statement of appropriation requirements of the state's General Fund to 4172
the end of the fiscal year itemized as far as practicable for each budgeted 4173
agency, including estimates of lapsing appropriations, unallocated 4174
lapsing balances and unallocated appropriation requirements; 4175
(5) To transmit to the Office of Fiscal Analysis a copy of monthly 4176
position data and monthly bond project run; 4177
(6) To inquire into the operation of, and make or recommend 4178
improvement in, the methods employed in the preparation of the 4179
budget and the procedure followed in determining whether the funds 4180
expended by the departments, boards, commissions and institutions 4181
supported in whole or in part by the state are wisely, judiciously and 4182
economically expended and to submit such findings and 4183
recommendations to the General Assembly at each regular session, 4184
together with drafts of proposed legislation, if any; 4185
(7) To examine each department, state college, state hospital, state -4186
aided hospital, reformatory and prison and each other institution or 4187
other agency supported in whole or in part by the state , except public 4188
schools, for the purpose of determining the effectiveness of its policies, 4189
management, internal organization and operating procedures and the 4190
character, amount, quality and cost of the service rendered by each such 4191
department, institution or agency; 4192
(8) To recommend, and to assist any such department, institution or 4193
agency to effect, improvements in organization, management methods 4194
and procedures and to report its findings and recommendations and 4195
submit drafts of proposed legislation, if any, to the General Assembly at 4196
each regular session; 4197
(9) To consider and devise ways and means whereby comprehensive 4198
plans and designs to meet the needs of the several departments and 4199
institutions with respect to physical plant and equipment and whereby 4200
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financial plans and programs for the capital expenditures involved may 4201
be made in advance and to make or assist in making such plans; 4202
(10) To devise and prescribe the form of operating reports that shall 4203
be periodically required from the several departments, boards, 4204
commissions, institutions and agencies supported in whole or in part by 4205
the state; 4206
(11) To require the several departments, boards, commissions, 4207
institutions and agencies to make such reports for such periods as said 4208
secretary may determine; [and] 4209
(12) To verify the correctness of, and to analyze, all such reports and 4210
to take such action as may be deemed necessary to remedy 4211
unsatisfactory conditions disclosed by such reports; 4212
(13) To (A) coordinate the state's health information technology 4213
initiatives, (B) seek funding for and oversee the planning, 4214
implementation and development of policies and procedures for the 4215
administration of the all -payer claims database program established 4216
under section 19a -775a, (C) establish and maintain a consumer health 4217
information Internet web site under section 19a -755b, as amended by 4218
this act, and (D) designate an unclassified individual from the office to 4219
perform the duties of a health information technology officer as set forth 4220
in sections 17b-59f and 17b-59g, as amended by this act; and 4221
(14) To (A) set an annual health care cost growth benchmark and 4222
primary care spending target pursuant to section 19a-754g, as amended 4223
by this act, (B) develop and adopt health care quality benchmarks 4224
pursuant to section 19a -754g, as amended by this act, (C) develop 4225
strategies, in consultation with stakeholders, to meet such benchmarks 4226
and targets developed pursuant to section 19a-754g, as amended by this 4227
act, (D) enhance the transparency of provider entities, as defined in 4228
subdivision (13) of section 19a-754f, as amended by this act, (E) monitor 4229
the development of accountable care organizations and patient-centered 4230
medical homes in the state, and (F) monitor the adoption of alternative 4231
payment methodologies in the state. 4232
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 133

Sec. 97. Subsection (a) of section 17b -3 of the general statutes is 4233
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 4234
2026): 4235
(a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall administer all law 4236
under the jurisdiction of the Department of Social Services. The 4237
commissioner shall have the power and duty to do the following: (1) 4238
Administer, coordinate and direct the operation of the department; (2) 4239
adopt and enforce such regulations, in accordance with chapter 54, as 4240
are necessary to implement the purposes of the department as 4241
established by statute; (3) establish rules for the internal operation and 4242
administration of the department; (4) establish and develop programs 4243
and administer services to achieve the purposes of the department as 4244
established by statute; (5) enter into a contract, including, but not limited 4245
to, up to five contracts with other states, for facilities, services and 4246
programs to implement the purposes of the department as established 4247
by statute; (6) process applications and requests for services promptly; 4248
(7) with the approval of the Comptroller and in accordance with such 4249
procedures as may be specified by the Comptroller, make payments to 4250
providers of services for individuals who are eligible for benefits from 4251
the department as appropriate; (8) make no duplicate awards for items 4252
of assistance once granted, except for replacement of lost or stolen 4253
checks on which payment has been stopped; (9) promote economic self-4254
sufficiency where appropriate in the department's programs, policies, 4255
practices and staff interactions with recipients; (10) act as advocate for 4256
the need of more comprehensive and coordinated programs for persons 4257
served by the department; (11) plan services and programs for persons 4258
served by the department; (12) coordinate outreach activities by public 4259
and private agencies assisting persons served by the department; (13) 4260
consult and cooperate with area and private planning agencies; (14) 4261
advise and inform municipal officials and officials of social service 4262
agencies about social service programs and collect and disseminate 4263
information pertaining thereto, including information about federal, 4264
state, municipal and private assistance programs and services; (15) 4265
encourage and facilitate effective communication and coordination 4266
among federal, state, municipal and private agencies; (16) inquire into 4267
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the utilization of state and federal government resources which offer 4268
solutions to problems of the delivery of social services; (17) conduct, 4269
encourage and maintain research and studies relating to social services 4270
development; (18) prepare, review and encourage model 4271
comprehensive social service programs; (19) maintain an inventory of 4272
data and information and act as a clearing house and referral agency for 4273
information on state and federal programs and services; [and] (20) 4274
conduct, encourage and maintain research and studies and advise 4275
municipal officials and officials of social service agencies about forms of 4276
intergovernmental cooperation and coordination between public and 4277
private agencies designed to advance social service programs ; (21) 4278
develop an annual summary and analysis of community benefit 4279
reporting by hospitals pursuant to section 19a-127k, as amended by this 4280
act; and (22) receive reports from each hospital regarding its financial 4281
health pursuant to section 19a -486j, as amended by this act . The 4282
commissioner may require notice of the submission of all applications 4283
by municipalities, any agency thereof, and social service agencies, for 4284
federal and state financial assistance to carry out social services. The 4285
commissioner shall establish state-wide and regional advisory councils. 4286
Sec. 98. Subsection (a) of section 19a -7p of the general statutes is 4287
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 4288
2026): 4289
(a) Not later than September first, annually, the Secretary of the Office 4290
of Policy and Management, in consultation with the Commissioner of 4291
Public Health, shall (1) determine the amounts appropriated from the 4292
Insurance Fund for the Health Systems Planning Unit, established 4293
pursuant to section 19a -612, as amended by this act, syringe services 4294
program, AIDS services, breast and cervical cancer detection and 4295
treatment, x-ray screening and tuberculosis care, sexually transmitted 4296
disease control and children's health initiatives; and (2) inform the 4297
Insurance Commissioner of such amounts. 4298
Sec. 99. Section 38a -477jj of the general statutes is repealed and the 4299
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective July 1, 2026): 4300
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 135

(a) For the purposes of this section: 4301
(1) "Affordable Care Act" has the same meaning as provided in 4302
section 38a-1080; 4303
(2) "Exchange" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a-1080; 4304
(3) "Health benefit plan" has the same meaning as provided in section 4305
38a-1080, except that such term shall not include a grandfathered health 4306
plan as such term is used in the Affordable Care Act; 4307
(4) "Health carrier" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a-4308
1080; 4309
(5) "Office of Health Strategy" means the Office of Health Strategy 4310
established under section 19a-754a; and 4311
(6) "Qualified health plan" has the same meaning as provided in 4312
section 38a-1080. 4313
(b) Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes and except 4314
as provided in subsection (c) of this section, no health carrier offering a 4315
health benefit plan in this state on or after January 1, 2022, that includes 4316
a pharmacy benefit and uses a drug formulary or list of covered drugs 4317
may: 4318
(1) Remove a prescription drug from the drug formulary or list of 4319
covered drugs during a plan year; or 4320
(2) Move a prescription drug from a cost -sharing tier that imposes a 4321
lesser coinsurance, copayment or deductible for the prescription drug to 4322
a cost -sharing tier that imposes a greater coinsurance, copayment or 4323
deductible for the prescription drug during a plan year, unless the 4324
prescription drug is subject to an in-network coinsurance, copayment or 4325
deductible that is not greater than forty dollars per prescription per 4326
month in any tier. 4327
(c) A health carrier offering a health benefit plan in this state on or 4328
after January 1, 2022, that includes a pharmacy benefit and uses a drug 4329
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 136

formulary or list of covered drugs may: 4330
(1) Remove a prescription drug from the drug formulary or list of 4331
covered drugs, upon at least ninety days' advance notice to a covered 4332
person and the covered person's treating physician, if: 4333
(A) The federal Food and Drug Administration issues an 4334
announcement, guidance, notice, warning or statement concerning the 4335
prescription drug that calls into question the clinical safety of the 4336
prescription drug, unless the covered person's treating physician states, 4337
in writing, that the prescription drug remains medically necessary 4338
despite such announcement, guidance, notice, warning or statement; or 4339
(B) The prescription drug is approved by the federal Food and Drug 4340
Administration for use without a prescription; and 4341
(2) Move a brand -name prescription drug from a cost -sharing tier 4342
that imposes a lesser coinsurance, copayment or deductible for the 4343
brand-name prescription drug to a cost -sharing tier that imposes a 4344
greater coinsurance, copayment or deductible for the brand -name 4345
prescription drug if the health carrier adds to the drug formulary or list 4346
of covered drugs a generic prescription drug that is: 4347
(A) Approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration for use 4348
as an alternative to such brand-name prescription drug; and 4349
(B) In a cost -sharing tier that imposes a coinsurance, copayment or 4350
deductible for the generic prescription drug that is lesser than the 4351
coinsurance, copayment or deductible that is imposed for such brand -4352
name prescription drug. 4353
(d) Nothing in this section shall prevent or prohibit a health carrier 4354
from adding a prescription drug to a formulary or list of covered drugs 4355
at any time. 4356
[(e) (1) The Office of Health Strategy shall, at least annually, conduct 4357
a study to determine the impact that the requirements established in 4358
subsections (a) to (d), inclusive, of this section have on the cost of health 4359
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benefit plans offered, delivered, issued for delivery, renewed, amended 4360
or continued in this state and qualified health plans offered and sold 4361
through the exchange. 4362
(2) Not later than January 31, 2023, and annually thereafter, the Office 4363
of Health Strategy shall submit a report, in accordance with the 4364
provisions of section 11 -4a, to the commissioner and the joint standing 4365
committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters 4366
relating to insurance. Such report shall disclose the results of the study 4367
conducted pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection for the 4368
preceding year.] 4369
Sec. 100. Sections 19a -754a and 19a -754e of the 2026 supplement to 4370
the general statutes are repealed. (Effective July 1, 2026) 4371
Sec. 101. Sections 19a-725 and 20 -195sss of the general statutes are 4372
repealed. (Effective July 1, 2026) 4373
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 2 from passage 29-1r(a)
Sec. 3 July 1, 2026 14-21cc(d)
Sec. 4 from passage 4-65a(a)
Sec. 5 July 1, 2026 7-74(b)
Sec. 6 July 1, 2026 46a-52
Sec. 7 July 1, 2026 1-84(d)
Sec. 8 July 1, 2026 1-84b(c)
Sec. 9 July 1, 2026 2-137(b)
Sec. 10 July 1, 2026 4-5
Sec. 11 July 1, 2026 4-101a(b)
Sec. 12 July 1, 2026 8-37vvv(b)
Sec. 13 July 1, 2026 10-222tt(c)(8)
Sec. 14 July 1, 2026 10-532(b) to (d)
Sec. 15 July 1, 2026 12-34h(b)
Sec. 16 July 1, 2026 12-263q(c)(1)(B)
Sec. 17 July 1, 2026 17b-59a
Sec. 18 July 1, 2026 17b-59d(d) to (g)
Sec. 19 July 1, 2026 17b-59e(f)
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 138

Sec. 20 July 1, 2026 17b-59f
Sec. 21 July 1, 2026 17b-59g(a) and (b)
Sec. 22 July 1, 2026 17b-312
Sec. 23 July 1, 2026 17b-337(c)
Sec. 24 July 1, 2026 17b-340(f)(3)
Sec. 25 July 1, 2026 17b-356
Sec. 26 July 1, 2026 19a-6q
Sec. 27 July 1, 2026 19a-7(b)
Sec. 28 July 1, 2026 19a-7h(l)
Sec. 29 July 1, 2026 19a-75a(a)
Sec. 30 July 1, 2026 19a-127k
Sec. 31 July 1, 2026 19a-486
Sec. 32 July 1, 2026 19a-486g
Sec. 33 July 1, 2026 19a-486h
Sec. 34 July 1, 2026 19a-486i(d) to (i)
Sec. 35 July 1, 2026 19a-486j
Sec. 36 July 1, 2026 19a-490ii(b)
Sec. 37 July 1, 2026 19a-493b(b) and (c)
Sec. 38 July 1, 2026 19a-507(a)
Sec. 39 July 1, 2026 19a-508c(d) to (m)
Sec. 40 July 1, 2026 19a-509b(c)
Sec. 41 July 1, 2026 19a-612
Sec. 42 July 1, 2026 19a-612d
Sec. 43 July 1, 2026 19a-613(c)
Sec. 44 July 1, 2026 19a-614
Sec. 45 July 1, 2026 19a-630
Sec. 46 July 1, 2026 19a-631(b)
Sec. 47 July 1, 2026 19a-632a
Sec. 48 July 1, 2026 19a-634(a)
Sec. 49 July 1, 2026 19a-638(d) and (e)
Sec. 50 July 1, 2026 19a-639(a)(1)
Sec. 51 July 1, 2026 19a-639a(a)
Sec. 52 July 1, 2026 19a-639a(h)
Sec. 53 July 1, 2026 19a-639b(e)
Sec. 54 July 1, 2026 19a-639c(b)
Sec. 55 July 1, 2026 19a-639e(d)
Sec. 56 July 1, 2026 19a-639f(a)
Sec. 57 July 1, 2026 19a-639f(l)
Sec. 58 July 1, 2026 19a-639g(a) and (b)
Sec. 59 July 1, 2026 19a-643
Sec. 60 July 1, 2026 19a-644(a) and (b)
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Sec. 61 July 1, 2026 19a-645
Sec. 62 July 1, 2026 19a-646(a)(1)
Sec. 63 July 1, 2026 19a-653(a) to (d)
Sec. 64 July 1, 2026 19a-654(b) to (g)
Sec. 65 July 1, 2026 19a-659(1)
Sec. 66 July 1, 2026 19a-673a
Sec. 67 July 1, 2026 19a-681(c)
Sec. 68 July 1, 2026 19a-754b(b) to (f)
Sec. 69 July 1, 2026 19a-754c(a) to (c)
Sec. 70 July 1, 2026 19a-754d
Sec. 71 July 1, 2026 19a-754f
Sec. 72 July 1, 2026 19a-754g
Sec. 73 July 1, 2026 19a-754h
Sec. 74 July 1, 2026 19a-754i
Sec. 75 July 1, 2026 19a-754j
Sec. 76 July 1, 2026 19a-754k
Sec. 77 July 1, 2026 19a-755a
Sec. 78 July 1, 2026 19a-755b
Sec. 79 July 1, 2026 19a-911(b)
Sec. 80 July 1, 2026 20-195ttt(b) and (c)
Sec. 81 July 1, 2026 28-33(b)
Sec. 82 July 1, 2026 33-182bb(e) to (g)
Sec. 83 July 1, 2026 38a-47(a)(2) and (3)
Sec. 84 July 1, 2026 38a-48(b) to (f)
Sec. 85 July 1, 2026 38a-477e(a)
Sec. 86 July 1, 2026 38a-477ee(c)(2)
Sec. 87 July 1, 2026 38a-1083(c)(13) to (17)
Sec. 88 July 1, 2026 38a-1084(26)
Sec. 89 July 1, 2026 3-123ddd(d)
Sec. 90 July 1, 2026 3-123hhh(b)
Sec. 91 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 92 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 93 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 94 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 95 July 1, 2026 19a-2a
Sec. 96 July 1, 2026 4-66
Sec. 97 July 1, 2026 17b-3(a)
Sec. 98 July 1, 2026 19a-7p(a)
Sec. 99 July 1, 2026 38a-477jj
Sec. 100 July 1, 2026 Repealer section
Sec. 101 July 1, 2026 Repealer section
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 140

Statement of Legislative Commissioners:
In Sections 52(h), 53(e), 54(b), 55(d) and 57(l), " department's" was
changed to "Department of Public Health's" for clarity, in Section 64(c),
"regarding" was inserted before " such outpatient data" for clarity, in
Section 64(c) and (d), "unit" was bracketed in several places and
"department" was inserted after the closing bracket in each place for
consistency, in Section 68(b), "Beginning on" was bracketed and "On and
after" was inserted after the closing bracket for consistency with
standard drafting conventions, and in Section 68(d)(4)(A), "department"
was changed to "Department of Public Health" for clarity.

APP Joint Favorable Subst.

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sHB5030 / File No. 680 141

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. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. 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:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Department of Motor Vehicles ZPM24 - Revenue
Gain
See Below See Below
Department of Motor Vehicles TF - Revenue Loss See Below See Below
Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection
GF - Cost 150,000 200,000
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits1
GF - Cost 67,730 83,640
Human Rights & Opportunities,
Com.
GF - Cost 282,680 275,180
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits
GF - Cost 115,080 115,080
Resources of the General Fund GF - Cost/Savings See Below See Below
Resources of the Insurance Fund IF - Cost/Savings See Below See Below
Note: TF=Transportation Fund; GF=General Fund; ZPM24=Pizza State commemorative account;
IF=Insurance Fund

Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill results in a variety of fiscal impacts to various agencies as
described below.
Section 1 formally establishes the "Pizza State" license plate and
results in a revenue gain to the newly established “Pizza State
commemorative account” and a revenue loss to the Special
Transportation Fund (STF), as described below.

1The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 41.82% of payroll in FY 27.
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 142

The bill results in a revenue gain to the Pizza State commemorative
account from the following: (1) $50 from each Pizza State license plate
fee, (2) any voluntary private donations, and (3) proceeds from allowing
for the plate image to be used for various products and programs, as
outlined in the bill.
The bill also results in a revenue loss to the STF by directing a portion
of the revenues from the Pizza State license plate fee, currently
deposited into the STF, into the new Pizza State commemorative
account.2 These fiscal impacts will depend on the number of plates
issued and volume of donations and other proceeds received.
Section 2 results in a cost of approximately $283,640 annually
beginning in FY 27 for salary and fringe costs associated with
authorizing a third deputy commissioner within the Department of
Emergency Services and Public Protection. sHB 5032, “An Act
Adjusting the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 20, 2027”
provides funding for these costs.
Section 3 changes the distribution of funds from quarterly to
annually from the Hispanic American Veterans of Connecticut Account
which has no fiscal impact.
Section 4 removes energy policy determination and evaluation from
the list of responsibilities under the Office of Policy and Management
which does not have a fiscal impact.
Section 5 requires the Commissioner of Public Health to report
financial data to the Office of Policy and Management, which does not
result in a fiscal impact.
Section 6 removes the Commission on Human Rights and
Opportunities (CHRO) from the Department of Labor for

2 DMV established the Pizza State plate administratively in July 2025 and has issued
988 plates through the end of March 2026. Currently, all proceeds are directed to the
STF, which is standard practice for plate revenue that does not have statutory language
directing it to a specific account. Section 1 changes this by creating the Pizza State
commemorative account and directing part of the fee to that account.
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administrative purposes only, which requires CHRO to establish a
business office. This results in a General Fund cost of $397,760 in FY 27
and an ongoing General Fund cost of $390,260 beginning in FY 28.
The cost to CHRO is associated with three additional positions 3 and
an ongoing salary cost of $275,180, with an annual associated fringe cost
of $115,080 beginning in FY 27. There is additionally a one -time cost of
$7,500 in FY 27 to support equipment for the new positions.
Sections 7 -101 change references to the Office of Health Strategy
(OHS) in the General Statutes to reflect the elimination of the agency
and transfer its functions to various successor agencies. These agencies
include the Office of Policy and Management (OPM), the Department of
Public Health (DPH), the Department of Social Services (DSS), and the
Office of the Healthcare Advocate (OHA). These changes result in
annual costs in the General and Insurance Fund beginning in FY 27 for
these agencies as they take on the functions of OHS, and savings to OHS
in the General and Insurance Fund as the agency is eliminated.
sHB 5032, “An Act Adjusting the State Budget for the Biennium
Ending June 20, 2027” proposes transferring $ 4.4 million and 41
positions in the General Fund and $10.9 million and one position4 in the
Insurance Fund from OHS to various agencies in FY 27 to account for
costs related to the functions and positions that each agency is taking on
due to the elimination of OHS.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to inflation and the number of pizza
state plates issued.

3 The positions include two Fiscal Administrative Officers and one EEO 2 Specialist.
4 sHB 5032 moves 11 positions and $1.2 million in Personal Services funding from the
Insurance Fund to the General Fund.
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OFA Bill Analysis
HB 5030

AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR GENERAL GOVERNMENT.

SUMMARY:
The bill makes various changes regarding specialty license plates,
DESPP deputy commissioners, LAUREN, the administration of the
CHRO, DPH financial reporting, and the elimination of OHS.
§ 1 — PIZZA STATE LICENSE PLATES
Requires the DMV commissioner to issue commemorative Pizza State license plates and
gives a portion of the fee and any related donations and proceeds to Connecticut Foodshare
The bill requires the Commissioner of the Department of Motor
Vehicles (DMV), by July 1, 2026, to issue "Pizza State" commemorative
license plates.
The bill requires a $65 fee for this plate, in addition to the regular fees
for registering a motor vehicle. Under the bill:
1. $15 of the fee must be deposited in an account controlled by the
DMV for the cost of producing, issuing, renewing, and replacing
the license plates; and
2. $50 of the fee must be deposited into the Pizza State
commemorative account.
The plates must have numbers and letters selected by DMV, but the
commissioner may charge a higher fee for license plates that have (1) the
numbers and letters from a previously issued plate or (2) letters instead
of numbers or are low number plates, in addition to the fees set for these
registrations by law.
The bill establishes the Pizza State commemorative account as a
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 145

separate, non-lapsing account to receive (1) all of the fees other than the
money designated for DMV's costs, (2) any private donations including
any voluntary donation of $15 made when renewing Pizza State plate
related registrations, and (3) proceeds from allowing for the plate image
to be used on various products and programs deemed suitable as a
means of supporting the account. Under the bill, funds in the account
must be distributed annually by DMV to Connecticut Foodshare.
The bill allows DMV to adopt regulations to set standards and
procedures for issuing, renewing, and replacing these license plates.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026

§ 2 — THIRD DEPUTY COMMISSIONER AT DESPP
The bill expands, from two to three, the number of deputy
commissioners the Commissioner of the Department of Emergency
Services and Public Protection (DESPP) shall appoint.
Background — Related Bill
sHB 5456, favorably reported by the Public Safety and Security
Committee, contains similar provisions.
EFFECTIVE DATE: From passage

§ 3 — HISPANIC AMERICAN VETERANS OF CONNECTICUT
ACCOUNT DISTRIBUTION
The bill changes the distribution of funds from quarterly to annually
from the Hispanic American Veterans of Connecticut Account. Under
current law, this is a nonlapsing account that is funded via private
donations. These funds are distributed by the Offic e of Policy and
Management to the Hispanic American Veterans of Connecticut, Inc.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026

§ 4 — ENERGY POLICY DETERMINATION AND EVALUATION
The bill removes energy policy determination and evaluation from
the list of responsibilities under the Office of Policy and Management
related to state staff planning and analysis. Under current law, these
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sHB5030 / File No. 680 146

responsibilities already fall to the Department of Energy and
Environmental Protection.
EFFECTIVE DATE: From passage

§ 5 — QUARTERLY CERTIFICATION OF DEATH CERTIFICATE
FEES AND NEGLECTED CEMETARY ACCOUNT BALANCE
No later than October 31, 2026, the Commissioner of Public Health is
required to submit a quarterly certification to the Secretary of the Office
of Policy and Management specifying: (1) the total amount of death
certificate fees collected during the previous calendar quarter; and (2)
the total remaining balance in the neglected cemetery account as of the
last day of the preceding calendar quarter.
Under current law, all death certificate fees ($20 per copy) collected
by DPH are deposited in the neglected cemetery account. Using these
funds, OPM provides grants to eligible municipalities for the purpose
of municipal maintenance of neglected burial grounds and cemeteries.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026

§ 6 - REMOVING THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND
OPPORTUNITIES FROM ADMINISTRATIVE OPERATIONS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR.
This section removes the Commission on Human Rights and
Opportunities (CHRO) from the Department of Labor (DOL) for
administrative purposes only.
Under current law, CHRO's business operations are managed by
DOL.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026
§ 7-101 — ELIMINATING THE OFFICE OF HEALTH STRATEGY
Sections 7 -90 and 95 -101 of the bill change or repeal statutory
references to the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) to reflect the
elimination of the agency . The agency’s duties and programs are
sHB5030 File No. 680

sHB5030 / File No. 680 147

reassigned to various agencies in these changes, including the Office of
Policy and Management (OPM), the Department of Public Health
(DPH), the Department of Social Services (DSS), and the Office of the
Healthcare Advocate (OHA).
Four new sections (Sec. 91 -94) name the following agencies as
successors to OHS in regards to particular functions : OPM in matters
concerning the State-wide Health Information Exchange , the all-payer
claims database program, and the health care cost growth benchmarks;
DPH in matters concerning the Health Systems Planning Unit and the
certificate of need process; DSS in matters concerning financial health
reporting done by hospitals ; and OHA in matters concerning
community benefit program reporting done by hospitals.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2026

COMMITTEE ACTION
Appropriations Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 35 Nay 15