1. (a) The Commissioner of Social Services shall amend the Medicaid state plan to include, on and after January 1, 2009, hospice services as optional services covered under the Medicaid program. Said state plan amendment shall supersede any regulations of Connecticut state agencies concerning such optional services. Hospice services covered under the Medicaid program for individuals who are residents in long-term care facilities shall be paid at a rate that is ninety-five per cent of the facility's per diem rate.
2. (b) Not later than October 1, 2011, the Commissioner of Social Services shall amend the Medicaid state plan to include podiatry as an optional service under the Medicaid program.

3. (c) Not later than October 1, 2014, the Commissioner of Social Services shall amend the Medicaid state plan to include services provided by the following licensed behavioral health clinicians in independent practice to Medicaid recipients who are twenty-one years of age or older:

   1. (1) Psychologists licensed under chapter 383, (2) clinical social workers licensed under subsection (c) or (e) of section 20-195n, (3) alcohol and drug counselors licensed under section 20-74s, (4) professional counselors licensed under sections 20-195cc and 20-195dd, and (5) marital and family therapists licensed under section 20-195c. The commissioner shall include such services as optional services covered under the Medicaid program and provide direct Medicaid reimbursements to such licensed behavioral health clinicians who are enrolled as Medicaid providers and who treat such Medicaid recipients in independent practice settings. The commissioner may implement policies and procedures necessary to implement this subsection in advance of regulations, provided the commissioner prints notice of intent to adopt the regulations in accordance with section 17b-10 not later than twenty days after the date of implementation of such policies and procedures. Such policies and procedures shall be valid until the time final regulations are adopted.

4. (d)

   1. (1) Not later than October 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Social Services shall provide Medicaid payments to an enrolled independent licensed behavioral health clinician in private practice for covered services performed by an associate licensed behavioral health clinician working within such associate clinician's scope of practice under the supervision of such independent clinician, provided such independent clinician is (A) authorized under state law to supervise such associate clinician, and (B) complies with any supervision and documentation requirements required by law. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to alter any requirement concerning such services, including, but not limited to, scope of practice, supervision and documentation requirements.
   2. (2) For purposes of this subsection, (A) “independent licensed behavioral health clinician” means a psychologist licensed under chapter 383, marital and family therapist licensed under chapter 383a, clinical social worker licensed under chapter 383b or professional counselor licensed under chapter 383c, (B) “associate licensed behavioral health clinician” means a marital and family therapy associate licensed under chapter 383a, master social worker licensed under chapter 383b or professional counselor associate licensed under chapter 383c, and (C) “private practice” means a practice setting that does not require a facility or institutional license and includes both solo and group practices of independent licensed behavioral health clinicians.
5. (e) Not later than October 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Social Services shall amend the Medicaid state plan to add services provided by a naturopath licensed pursuant to chapter 373 as a covered service.

(May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 104; P.A. 04-257, S. 31; P.A. 07-185, S. 1; P.A. 08-158, S. 1; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-5, S. 56; P.A. 10-179, S. 74; P.A. 11-44, S. 85, 169; Dec. Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 9; P.A. 13-234, S. 80; P.A. 14-217, S. 220; P.A. 22-81, S. 25; 22-118, S. 247.)

History: May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 effective August 15, 2002; P.A. 04-257 made a technical change, effective June 14, 2004; P.A. 07-185 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and added Subsec. (b) re amendment to Medicaid state plan to include foreign language interpreter services provided to a beneficiary with limited English proficiency as a covered service under Medicaid program, effective July 1, 2007; P.A. 08-158 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provision requiring commissioner to implement provisions of May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-1 re optional services and add requirement that commissioner amend Medicaid state plan to include hospice services as optional services on and after January 1, 2009, effective January 1, 2009; Sept. Sp. Sess. P.A. 09-5 amended Subsec. (b) by requiring the commissioner to amend Medicaid state plan and develop and implement medical billing codes by February 1, 2011, and added Subsec. (c) requiring managed care organizations providing interpreter services to report to department and requiring department to submit a copy of each report to Medicaid Managed Care Council, effective October 5, 2009; P.A. 10-179 amended Subsec. (c) by replacing reference to managed care organization with reference to care management organization and replacing reference to Medicaid Managed Care Council with reference to Council on Medicaid Care Management Oversight, effective July 1, 2010; P.A. 11-44 amended Subsec. (b) by changing dates from February 1, 2011, to July 1, 2013, and deleting provision re billing codes for HUSKY Plan and Medicaid programs, amended Subsec. (c) by deleting provision re department contracting with care management organization, adding date of July 1, 2013, adding provision requiring report in accordance with Sec. 11-4a, replacing provision requiring report to department with provision requiring report to Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight, deleting “Council on Medicaid Care Management Oversight” and making conforming changes, and added Subsec. (d) re podiatry services, effective July 1, 2011; Dec. Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1 amended Subsec. (a) to add provision re rate for hospice services from January 1, 2013, to June 30, 2013, and added Subsec. (e) re chiropractic services, effective December 21, 2012; P.A. 13-234 amended Subsec. (a) to delete “From January 1, 2013, to June 30, 2013, inclusive”, deleted former Subsecs. (b), (c) and (e) re Medicaid state plan amendments and related requirements for foreign language interpreter services and chiropractic coverage and redesignated existing Subsec. (d) as Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2013; P.A. 14-217 added Subsec. (c) re services provided by licensed behavioral health clinicians in independent practice, effective July 1, 2014; P.A. 22-81 added Subsec. (d) re Medicaid payments to independent licensed behavioral health clinicians for services of associate licensed behavioral health clinician, effective July 1, 2022; P.A. 22-118 added Subsec. (d) codified by the Revisors as Subsec. (e), re naturopaths, effective May 7, 2022.