AN ACT CONCERNING A PILOT PROGRAM TO TREAT CERTAIN MEDICAID PATIENTS AT A SHORT-TERM HOSPITAL SPECIAL HOSPICE.

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is July 1, 2026, but no specific funding amount has been appropriated yet in this document.

Pilot Program for Medicaid Hospice Care in Special Hospitals

This law creates a test program to pay for room and board costs when certain complex Medicaid patients receive hospice care at special short-term hospitals.

What This Bill Does

• Requires the Commissioner of Social Services to create a pilot program using licensed short-term hospital special hospices.
• Allows state medical assistance to cover room and board costs for qualifying patients in these facilities.
• Targets Medicaid patients with advanced illness who are clinically complex or high-acuity individuals that cannot be safely managed at home or in a skilled nursing facility.
• Requires the department to submit a report by January 15, 2027, on program development and potential savings.
• Sets a deadline of December 30, 2027, for starting the pilot program using funds specifically appropriated for this purpose.

Who It Names or Affects

• Medicaid patients with advanced illness who are clinically complex or high-acuity individuals that cannot be safely managed at home or in a skilled nursing facility.
• Short-term hospital special hospices licensed under state law.
• The Department of Social Services and its Commissioner.

Terms To Know

Pilot program

A test project used to try out a new idea before making it permanent or expanding it.

High-acuity individuals

Patients who have serious medical needs and require intense care that is hard to manage in standard settings like home or nursing facilities.

Short-term hospital special hospice

A specific type of licensed facility designed for short stays while providing end-of-life or palliative care.

Limits and Unknowns

• The law does not state the exact amount of money available to fund this program, only that it must come from funds specifically appropriated.
• It is unclear which specific hospitals will be chosen to participate in the pilot until the department selects them.

Official Summary Text

To provide state medical assistance to cover room and board costs for patients receiving hospice care at a short-term hospice specialty hospital or a hospice facility.

Current Bill Text

Substitute House Bill No. 5481

Public Act No. 26-71

AN ACT CONCERNING A PILOT PROGRAM TO TREAT CERTAIN
MEDICAID PATIENTS AT A SHORT -TERM HOSPITAL SPECIAL
HOSPICE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1 . (NEW) ( Effective July 1, 2026 ) (a) The Commissioner of
Social Services shall develop a pilot program to identify and utilize a
short-term hospital special hospice, licensed pursuant to section 19a-491
of the general statutes, to treat Medicaid patients with advanced illness
who qualif y for hospice and are clinically complex, high -acuity
individuals that cannot be safely managed at home or in a skilled
nursing facility, provided that such short -term hospital special hospice
does not practice outside of the scope of its license without obtaining the
appropriate license for the provision of care for such patients. Not later
than January 15, 2027, the commissioner or the commissioner's
designee, in accordance with the provisions of section 11 -4a of th e
general statutes, shall submit a report to the joint standing committees
of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to
appropriations, human services and public health on the development
of the pilot program, including any potential sa vings that may be
achieved and recommendations for funding or statutory changes.
(b) Within funds specifically appropriated for this purpose, the
Substitute House Bill No. 5481

Public Act No. 26-71 2 of 2

Department of Social Services shall implement such pilot program not
later than December 30, 2027.