Governor Lamont Provides Update on Connecticut’s Coronavirus Response Efforts

(HARTFORD, CT) – As the State of Connecticut continues taking actions in response to the global spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Governor Ned Lamont provided the following updates as of 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2020:

Data updates on testing in Connecticut

The following is a summary of the day-to-day newly reported data on cases, deaths, and tests in Connecticut. It is important to note that these newly reported updates include data that occurred over the last several days to a week. All data in this report are preliminary, and data for previous dates will be updated as new reports are received and data errors are corrected.

County-by-county breakdown:

For several additional graphs and tables containing more data, including a list of cases in every municipality, visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Updated list of nursing homes and assisted living facilities with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19

The following documents are updated lists of every nursing home and assisted living facility in Connecticut with residents who have tested positive for COVID-19, along with corresponding data regarding the number of related fatalities among residents in each facility. The data was reported to the state by each of the nursing homes and assisted living facilities. These lists are updated on a weekly basis.

Governor Lamont outlines phased-in approach to reopening Connecticut’s economy

During his daily news briefing today, Governor Lamont today presented an approach his administration is considering to reopen Connecticut’s economy in phases beginning May 20, 2020.

Here are several slides from his presentation today. To watch the full video of the governor’s news briefing, click here.

Governor Lamont signs 34^th executive order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19

Governor Lamont today signed another executive order – the 34^th since he enacted the emergency declarations – that builds upon his efforts to encourage mitigation strategies that slow down transmission of the virus. Executive Order No. 7GG enacts the following provisions:

• Extension of payment time for sealed ticket revenue due to the state: Allows sealed ticket distributors, who must make quarterly payments to the state, to provide uncollected money from this quarter in next quarter’s payment. Many sealed ticket purchases are nonprofit organizations that have closed as a result of the ongoing emergency, thereby making it difficult for sealed ticket distributors to collect revenue due to the distributor for the first quarter of 2020.
• Waiver of notarization requirement for embalmer’s affidavit accompanying death certificates: Permits licensed embalmers who are filing a death certificate for a person who had a communicable disease at the time of death to state on a form that the body has been disinfected in accordance with the Public Health Code by providing a signed statement under penalty of false statement instead of a notarized affidavit. This allows licensed embalmers to more quickly file death certificates with registrars of vital statistics without the in-person contact required for an affidavit.
• Temporary suspension of controlled substance registration: Temporarily suspends the controlled substance registration requirement for out-of-state health care workers who are rendering temporary assistance in Connecticut in accordance with an order from the Department of Public Health.
• Modification of state contracting statutes to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential services: Temporarily waives certain state contracting statutes in order to expedite the procurement of critical services, which may include diagnostic testing for COVID-19, that are urgently needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic or that will result in disruptions of care for vulnerable populations during this emergency period.
• Modification of state contracting authorities to facilitate the emergency procurement of essential services: Temporarily waives certain state contracting statutes in order to expedite the procurement of critical services, which may include diagnostic testing for COVID-19, that that are urgently needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic or its effects.
• Modification of state construction requirements to facilitate the emergency provision of construction and construction-related services: Temporarily waives the competitive solicitation requirement in order to expedite the provision of construction or construction-related services in response to emergency needs created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Extension of existing contracts to prevent gaps in necessary services: Permits the amendment or extension of the renewal deadline of any expiring contract for services until September 30, 2020, provided that the failure to provide an extension would compromise the continuity of state agency systems, operations, or critical services to vulnerable populations.

Department of Social Services preparing new Medicaid coverage for uninsured during COVID-19 public health emergency

The Connecticut Department of Social Services is preparing to implement new coverage for uninsured children and adults in the HUSKY Health program as part of the state’s response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. This will include:

• Medicaid for the Uninsured/COVID-19: Uninsured state residents of any income level may be eligible for free Medicaid coverage of COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits. This new federally-funded Medicaid coverage group will cover both citizens and qualifying non-citizens for testing and provider visits incurred between March 18, 2020 and the end of the public health emergency. HUSKY Health providers are advised to retain records regarding COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits for eligible individuals, starting March 18 and through the duration of the public health emergency, for purposes of Medicaid reimbursement. The Department of Social Services expects to issue more detailed guidance on this new coverage group, including processes for enrollment and claiming, by mid-May. At that point, individuals who received care on or after March 18 and were eligible for coverage at the time services were provided will be able to receive retroactive coverage.
• Emergency Medicaid for Non-Citizens/COVID-19: Connecticut residents who meet financial eligibility requirements but do not qualify for full Medicaid due to their immigration status, including undocumented individuals, are eligible to receive Medicaid to treat an emergency medical condition. COVID-19 testing and testing-related provider visits are emergency visits that will be covered by Emergency Medicaid. Emergency Medicaid is not a factor in federal immigration ‘public charge’ determinations. The Department of Social Services expects to issue more detailed guidance, including processes for enrollment and claiming for testing and testing-related services, by mid-May. At that point, individuals who received care within the prior three months and were eligible for coverage at the time services were provided will be able to receive retroactive coverage. HUSKY Health providers are advised that coverage for hospitalization will be handled through existing processes for Emergency Medicaid coverage.

Connecticut Department of Labor launches new system today for self-employed to apply for federal unemployment benefits

The Connecticut Department of Labor today began accepting claim applications for the self-employed, many of whom are eligible to collect unemployment insurance benefits under the federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Program.

Federal guidelines require that self-employed individuals, including independent contractors and “gig” workers, first apply through the Connecticut unemployment system located at www.filectui.com. Applicants must receive a determination notice in the mail from the Connecticut Department of Labor before they can apply on the newly-designed Pandemic Unemployment Assistance online system that will also be located at www.filectui.com.

Self-employed individuals must follow this two-step application process:

• STEP ONE: Beginning April 30
  • File a regular state claim application with the Connecticut Department of Labor at www.filectui.com using the BLUE button to file.
  • NOTE: Self-employed individuals who already filed a claim application through this system should not file again. The agency has these original claims and a duplicate is not needed.
  • After completing and submitting an application, claimants should look for an email from the Connecticut Department of Labor stating, “Thank you for submitting your online application for unemployment compensation benefits with the Connecticut Department of Labor. … Please look for a CONFIRMATION EMAIL notifying you that your claim has been processed. This email will include your NEXT STEPS information including instructions for when to start filing your weekly claims.”
  • Claimants should then be on the lookout for a second email from the Connecticut Department of Labor stating, “Your claim for benefits has been processed! If this is a new claim then we are sending information regarding your claim via US mail.”
  • Claimants should then look for their eligibility determination (Form UC-58 Monetary Determination) that must be sent through the US mail service.
    • If the UC-58 Monetary Determination shows that the claimant has a “zero” weekly benefit rate (which means they do not have wage earnings in the state system) they are not eligible for state benefits and are eligible to file in the ReEmployCT system for self-employed individuals.
    • If the UC-58 Monetary Determination shows a weekly benefit rate, they have wage earnings in the state system and are entitled to collect state unemployment benefits.
• STEP TWO: Once the UC-58 has been received via US mail
  • Go to www.filectui.com and click the PUA button.
  • The PUA system will have a record of the claimant’s state benefit ineligibility status.
  • Complete the PUA application.
    • Applicants will need their 2019 IRS forms, 1099, 2019 W-2s, and Schedule C. Applicants will be asked to provide earnings for 2019, broken down by quarters. Those without tax records for 2019 can self-attest their earnings, but will be subject to audit.
    • Applicants will be asked the date when COVID-19 impacted their employment. Federal guidelines allow this to go back to February 2, 2020. If an unemployed status goes back to retroactive weeks, the system asks the claimant for weekly earnings through the current week filing.
  • Once the PUA application is completed, if applicants did not select a payment method when filing under the state unemployment system, they will select their method of payment (direct deposit or debit card – the agency recommends direct deposit for much faster payment). Payment selection is made by returning to www.filectui.com and selecting the “method of payment” green button.

A frequently asked questions document located on the Connecticut Department of Labor’s website is being updated to include a section on the PUA application process, guidelines, and additional details.

For more information, read the press release issued today by the Connecticut Department of Labor.

Connecticut Judicial Branch expands remote capabilities to include more family cases

The Connecticut Judicial Branch today announced that effective immediately, parties who have an agreement may have their family court cases resolved without having to come to court.

“This is a significant development considering that about 0- percent of our cases are resolved by agreement,” the Honorable Michael A. Albis, chief administrative judge of family matters, said. “We are looking forward to this expansion of cases that we can dispose of remotely, and most important, we are glad that a greater number of litigants will have the opportunity to resolve their cases without having to come to court.”

An executive order by Governor Lamont made the expansion possible. “We are pleased that the Governor’s Office paved the way for this development,” Judge Albis added.

Under the new procedures for family cases, parties with full written agreements in family court matters may request approval of their agreements without having to come to the courthouse for a hearing. The procedure is available to request the entry of final judgment in any action for custody, visitation between parents, dissolution of marriage or legal separation, or any final order on any motion in such a case, as long as the parties are in complete agreement and file all necessary documents.

For more information on how these procedures will work, check out the explanation on the Judicial Branch’s website.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.