Covered Connecticut Demonstration

Overview

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Annual Public Forum

The Department of Social Services (DSS), in collaboration with the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy (OHS) and Access Health Connecticut (AHCT) held a Post-Award Forum to seek public comments on the progress of the State of Connecticut’s Medicaid Section 1115 Covered Connecticut Demonstration.

A hybrid public meeting was held on June 12, 2023 from 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m. Members of the public were invited to join in person at the Department of Social Services, 55 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, CT., conference room 1011 or virtually using the sign-in information contained within the public notice and agenda below. Public comments were also submitted via email to jennifer.marsocci@ct.gov by June 19, 2023

Covered CT Post Award Public Forum Notice and Agenda

Covered CT Post Award Forum Presentation

Covered CT Public Forum - Minutes, Public Comment and State Response - 12-Jul-2023 

Federal Submission

On April 1, 2022, DSS formally submitted the following documents for the Covered CT section demonstration waiver application under section 1115 of the Social Security Act to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). On December 15, 2022, CMS approved the Covered Connecticut 1115 waiver demonstration. The approved Covered Connecticut waiver demonstration is funded through December 31, 2027.

Responses to Public Comments

After completion of the public comment period and public hearings described below, DSS has issued formal responses to comments, which is posted here:

Public Comment & Public Hearings – Covered CT Section 1115 Demonstration Waiver

The Department of Social Services (DSS), in collaboration with the Office of Health Strategy, Access Health CT, and the Connecticut Insurance Department, proposes the Covered CT demonstration waiver under section 1115 of the Social Security Act, described below.  For public review and comment, please see the following documents:

Public Comments: Written comments are accepted from February 3, 2022 through March 11, 2022. Please send comments to: Public.Comment.DSS@ct.gov (see public notice for more detail)

Public Hearings: There will be two electronic public hearings (accessible by electronic device and telephone).  Links and call-in information below.  Please check this webpage regularly for updates before logging onto the public hearing.

  1. Public Hearing hosted by the Medical Assistance Program Oversight Council (MAPOC) on Thursday, February 10, 2022, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., link and call-in as follows:

    Join Zoom Meeting:     https://zoom.us/j/98132837501?pwd=M3pJd2RuR0VJUENlaS9vUTcrMGovdz09

    Meeting ID: 981 3283 7501

    Passcode: 228615 

    One tap mobile:

    +13126266799,,98132837501#,,,,*228615# US (Chicago)

    +19292056099,,98132837501#,,,,*228615# US (New York)

    Dial by your location:

    +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

    +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

    +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

    +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

    +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

    +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) 

    Meeting ID: 981 3283 7501

    Passcode: 228615 

    Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/atRVPaMKQ

  2. Public Hearing hosted by DSS, on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., link and call-in as follows:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84197267498?pwd=U1dMNDVEcStXY2UyZFByM2JyZURpdz09

Meeting ID: 841 9726 7498

Passcode: 8L2ihU 

One tap mobile

+13126266799,,84197267498#,,,,*266666# US (Chicago)

+19292056099,,84197267498#,,,,*266666# US (New York) 

Dial by your location

+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)

+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)

+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)

+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) 

Meeting ID: 841 9726 7498

Passcode: 266666

Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdDU0mhNIs

Summary of Covered CT

Covered CT was established by state legislation in sections 15 through 19, inclusive, of Public Act 21-2 of the June 2021 special session.  The intent of this Demonstration is to help close the health insurance affordability gap in a cost-effective manner for low-income individuals who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but not enough to afford coverage through the state’s Health Insurance Marketplace, Access Health Connecticut (Access Health).  The law further directs the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) to submit a demonstration waiver application pursuant to section 1115 of the Social Security Act (Demonstration) to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide federal matching funding for the program.  DSS is working in collaboration with various state partners in the design and implementation this program, including the Office of Health Strategy, Access Health Connecticut, and the Connecticut Insurance Department.

After federal approval and upon implementation, this Demonstration will provide eligible individuals with free Qualified Health Plan (QHP) coverage available through Access Health. The State will directly reimburse the plan for the monthly premium and the cost sharing amounts that the enrollee would normally have to pay with the plan, such as out-of-pocket costs for deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. Enrollees will also receive free dental care and non-emergency transportation (NEMT) services, comparable to the benefits under Connecticut Medicaid and provided through the Medicaid delivery and payment system, also known as HUSKY Health. No cost sharing requirements will apply to benefits provided under the Demonstration.  This Demonstration will be available to parents and needy caretaker relatives, and their tax dependents under age 26, and non-pregnant childless adults ages 19 to 64 who have income that is above the Medicaid limit but does not exceed 175% of the federal poverty level (FPL) and enroll in a silver-level QHP available through Access Health using federal premium subsides and cost-sharing reductions.

General information about section 1115 demonstrations is posted to the CMS website at this link: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demonstrations/index.html.  In addition, after the demonstration waiver for Covered Connecticut has been formally submitted to CMS (which will not occur until after the state’s public comment process and any additional analysis has been completed), the Covered Connecticut 1115 application will be accessible from this webpage: https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/index.html (select the appropriate filters within the webpage to find the relevant waiver application).