CT SB00289

Department of Social Services may establish a quality metrics program on or after October 1, 2026 to provide payments to nursing homes for high-quality outcomes and to incentivize quality services for Medicaid beneficiaries

Starting fiscal year ending June 30, 2029, DSS shall distribute $10 million annually in enhanced Medicaid quality performance payments to eligible nursing homes based on quality metric scores

Nursing homes identified by CMS as special focus facilities for serious quality issues or with abuse icons on Nursing Home Compare are ineligible for quality metrics payments

DSS shall implement a Medicaid utilization pool by July 1, 2026 providing enhanced payments to facilities with over 75% Medicaid residents, funded at $2.5 million for FY2027 and $5 million for subsequent years

DSS shall adopt the Patient Driven Payment Model for calculating Medicaid case-mix index scores effective July 1, 2026, with rates rebased using cost year ending September 30, 2024, phased in over three years