Press Releases

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• 3/16/2018 Notice of Intent to Seek Renewal and Amendment of Medicaid Waivers Operated by the Department of Developmental Services

  In accordance with the provisions of section 17b-8(c) of the Connecticut General Statutes, notice is hereby given that the Commissioner of Social Services intends to submit the following three applications to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

• 1/24/2018 Governor Malloy Announces $1.6 Million Federal Bonus for SNAP Food Aid Program

  “The Department of Social Services and its partners have done a great job in bringing food assistance to eligible residents through the federally-funded SNAP program,” Governor Malloy said. “The award of federal performance bonus dollars in recognition of this success will be reinvested to make the program even stronger.”

• 10/11/2017 State Files False Claims Act Lawsuit against Waterbury Behavioral Health Provider

  Attorney General George Jepsen and state Department of Social Services Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby announced today that the state has filed a False Claims Act lawsuit against a Waterbury behavioral health provider alleging that he engaged in a long-term scheme to defraud the state's Medicaid program.

• 9/21/2017 State Files False Claims Act Lawsuit against Fairfield Dentist

  Attorney General George Jepsen and state Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby today announced that the state has filed a False Claims Act lawsuit against a Fairfield dentist alleging that he engaged in a long-term, pervasive scheme to defraud the state's Medicaid program.

• 9/18/2017 Connecticut Plans for the federal Social Services and Community Services Block Grants for Federal Fiscal Year 2018

  Public hearings on both block grant allocation plans are to be scheduled soon. Once the logistics are finalized, this information will be updated to include the date, time and location.

• 9/7/2017 Connecticut Reaches Settlement with Hartford Dispensary to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

  The Hartford Dispensary will pay $627,000 through a federal-state settlement to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by falsely certifying to federal and state officials that it had a current medical director that was performing his duties in accordance with federal and state law, Attorney General George Jepsen and state Department of Social Services Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby said today.

• 7/14/2017 Connecticut Medicaid Best in Nation For Curbing Per-Enrollee Cost Trend

  A new cross-state comparison of Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance spending, published by Health Affairs and based on federal data, shows that Connecticut's Medicaid program led the nation in controlling cost trends, when measured per enrollee during the 2010-14 reporting period. Connecticut is reported as having reduced its per-person spending by a greater percentage (5.7%) than any other state in the country. Overall, Medicaid tracked lower nationally than both private health insurance and Medicare in the cost trend comparisons.

• 7/13/2017 State Initiates False Claims Act Laws against Norwalk family Practitioner over Medicaid Fraud Allegations

  The state has initiated a False Claims Act lawsuit alleging that a Norwalk-based family practitioner engaged in a pervasive and illegal scheme to defraud Connecticut's Medicaid program by submitting false claims for services never provided, Attorney General George Jepsen and state Department of Social Services Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby said today. (July 13, 2017).

• 6/6/2017 Attorney General, DSS: State Reaches Settlement with Stamford-based Dentist Resolving False Claims Act Lawsuits

  A Stamford-based dentist will be excluded from participation in the state's Medicaid program for 10 years and will agree not to renew his expired dental license as part of a settlement resolving allegations that he engaged in a long-running and substantial scheme to submit false claims for dental services provided to residents of long-term care facilities in the state, Attorney General George Jepsen and state Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby announced today (June 6, 2017).

• 5/3/2017 Gov. Malloy Reminds Connecticut Residents the Deadline to Apply for Home Heating Assistance is May 1; Those Seeking Assistance Should Call 2-1-1 or Visit www.ct.gov/staywarm for Guidance

  Governor Dannel P. Malloy today is reminding Connecticut residents who need help paying their home heating bills for the 2016-2017 winter season that there is still time to apply for assistance under the Connecticut Energy Assistance Program. The general deadline for applications is May 1, 2017, however eligible households that are subject to a shut-off notice by a utility for heating bills have an extended deadline of May 15.

• 3/22/2017 Lt. Gov. Wyman. Dept of Social Services, Access Health CT Commemorate 7th Anniversary of Affordable Care Act

  Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, Department of Social Services Commissioner Roderick Bremby, and Access Health CT CEO Jim Wadleigh released statements in advance of the seventh anniversary of the federal Affordable Care Act. In Connecticut, the ACA is credted with reducing the state’s uninsured rate by half to 3.8 percent, among the lowest in the nation. It has also spurred other major reform initiatives currently underway to improve the healthcare system and control costs.

• 1/12/2017 State-Federal Settlement Reached with Home Health Agency and its Owners to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

  A Stratford-based home health agency and its owners have reached a $5.25 million settlement with the state of Connecticut and the federal government to resolve allegations that the company submitted false claims to Connecticut's Medicaid program, Attorney General George Jepsen said today. The settlement stems from a three-year investigation led by the Office of the Connecticut Attorney General after an audit by the Department of Social Services… DSS Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby said, "This major investigation and settlement further indicate the need for strong financial oversight in our public medical assistance programs. I thank Attorney General Jepsen and his staff, as well as our other state and federal partners, for their outstanding work to safeguard fiscal integrity and protect taxpayer interests. I am also pleased to note that the investigation was based on a fraud referral following a regular audit by DSS Quality Assurance staff."

• 8/30/2016 State Settles Joint State-Federal False Claims Act Investigation with Pediatric Dental Provider

  A pediatric dental provider with practices in Milford and West Haven will pay more than $1.3 million to the state and federal government to resolve allegations that he submitted false claims to Connecticut's Medicaid program for x-ray services that did not comply with state law, Attorney General George Jepsen said today. The investigation was conducted jointly with the Connecticut U.S. Attorney's Office, federal agents with the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General/Office of Investigations and the Connecticut Department of Social Services Office of Quality Assurance.

• 8/10/2016 Court Orders Restitution, Civil Penalties against Dentist, Dental Practice in Illegal Medicaid Billing Case

  A Winsted dentist and his practice were ordered to pay $717,046 in restitution and civil penalties after a Superior Court judge found his conduct violated the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act, also known as CUTPA, Attorney General George Jepsen said today… DSS Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby said, "Overall, dental and medical providers in Connecticut's Medicaid program are dedicated practitioners whose treatment services and reimbursement billings are conducted in a professional, above-board manner. Unfortunately, there are some outliers who cause the need for vigilant quality assurance and anti-fraud enforcement. I am pleased to acknowledge and thank the Attorney General's Office, the Department of Consumer Protection and our other state and federal partners for their continuing work with DSS quality assurance investigators in this crucial area."

• 7/12/2016 State Settles with Psychiatrist who Allegedly Submitted False Claims to the Connecticut Medicaid Program

  A New Haven and Fairfield-based psychiatrist and her husband will pay $400,000 to settle a civil False Claims Act lawsuit originally filed by the Attorney General in June 2015 alleging that the couple engaged in a long term scheme to submit false claims for services provided to Medicaid patients in Connecticut. The settlement agreement was approved last week by a Hartford Superior Court judge, Attorney General George Jepsen said. DSS Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby said, "While not representing Medicaid-enrolled providers as a whole, this is a disturbing reminder that anti-fraud and program integrity measures are absolutely necessary to protect taxpayer investments in public health coverage.”