CT SB01111

Commissioner of Social Services shall appoint and convene an 8-member working group to review and evaluate excess licensed bed capacity and unused space in skilled nursing facilities, effective upon passage.

Working group shall survey licensed bed capacity, occupancy percentages, closed facility wings, voluntarily removed beds, and beds unavailable due to staffing shortages per section 19a-563h of general statutes.

Working group shall evaluate Medicaid payment policies affecting excess bed capacity, including minimum occupancy rate-setting requirements and price-based administrative reimbursement components based on peer group median spending.

Working group membership consists of 2 representatives from Department of Social Services, 2 from Department of Public Health, 2 from long-term care facility organizations, and 2 from nonprofit long-term care facility organizations, with one Department of Social Services representative and one member-elected chair.

First meeting must be scheduled within 60 days of passage; interim report due by December 31, 2023, and final report with findings and recommendations due by June 30, 2024, to the joint standing committee on human services.