State Senator Toni Nathaniel Harp
May 2, 2008
Harp Welcomes Senate Expansion of ‘Money Follows Person’ Care For Elderly
State Senator Toni N. Harp (D-New Haven), the Senate Chair of the legislature's Appropriations Committee, today voted with a Senate majority to significantly expand the state's participation in a federal program through which Medicaid funding 'follows the person' from institutionalized care for the elderly to home and community-based care.
Under provisions of the bill, Connecticut's participation in the two-year old program would incrementally grow from 700 residents to 5,000. The state is eligible for a higher rate of federal reimbursement--from 50% to 75%--for each patient enrolled in the program.
"While our elderly population climbs there are more and more seniors who won't want or need 'round-the-clock nursing home care after they've had a period of convalescence or recuperation from surgery, and they used to be required to stay in the nursing home to remain eligible for Medicaid," Senator Harp said. "But we've had such success with this program on a limited basis in its first couple years we're convinced we can better serve the needs of patients and improve the state's reimbursement rate all at once with this program expansion."
Senator Harp said the bill received overwhelming support from the Human Services Committee, which has cognizance over the federal/state Medicaid partnership as well as the state Department of Social Services, which administers the specific programs of that partnership. She said the bill was passed unanimously by the Appropriations Committee.
"It's important for Connecticut to have this planned expansion in place so it can complete the federal requirements necessary to qualify for the federal funding and maximize its reimbursements," Senator Harp added. "I'm delighted by the support this measure earned in the Senate today; I urge the House to consider this bill with all due haste and act on it favorably, to the benefit of elderly patients in our state and to improve its financial standing."
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