§ 19a-127s — Centers of Excellence Program.

(a) As used in this section: (1) “Center of Excellence” means a nursing home licensed under section 19a-491 that provides services that are consistent with evidence-based best practices for the delivery of person-centered care; (2) “Centers of Excellence Program” means a program that sets the standards for a nursing home to be designated as a Center of Excellence; and (3) “nursing home” has the same meaning as provided in section 19a-490. (b) The Commissioner of Public Health shall design a state-wide Centers of Excellence Program to provide incentives to licensed nursing homes that provide services consistent with evidence-based best practices for the delivery of person-centered care. (c) When designing the program, the Commissioner of Public Health shall: (1) Study the extent to which a Centers of Excellence Program may improve the quality of care provided at nursing homes and what the best practices are in other similar programs nation-wide; and (2) Consult with (A) nursing home owners and operators; (B) hospitals; (C) nursing home residents and their advocates; (D) the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman; (E) the Commissioner of Social Services, or the commissioner's designee; (F) the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, or the secretary's designee; and (G) other relevant stakeholders as deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Public Health. (d) The design of the program shall, at a minimum, (1) identify evidence-based qualitative and quantitative standards for delivery of person-centered care a nursing home must meet to be designated as a Center of Excellence; (2) identify for each standard the measure or measures nursing homes must meet to qualify as a Center of Excellence; (3) identify a pathway through application, inspection or other means by which a nursing home may be designated as a Center of Excellence; (4) create a mechanism to designate nursing homes that meet or exceed the standards and qualify as a Center of Excellence; (5) determine potential incentives to nursing homes that meet the standards set for the Centers of Excellence Program; and (6) identify ways to maximize the use of available federal funding to support the Centers of Excellence Program. (e) The Centers of Excellence Program shall be designed as a voluntary program. No nursing home shall be required to participate in said program, and nursing homes that choose not to participate shall not be penalized by the state. (f) When developing the program, the Commissioner of Public Health may, within available appropriations, engage a consultant to identify best practices and design the Centers of Excellence Program. (g) Upon completion of designing the Centers of Excellence Program, or not later than January 1, 2026, the Commissioner of Public Health shall report to the Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management on the plan developed. (h) The Commissioner of Social Services may seek approval of an amendment to the state Medicaid plan or a waiver from federal law to provide incentives for the Centers of Excellence Program designees. The commissioner shall develop the incentives in a time frame and manner to ensure that such incentives do not duplicate other applicable federal or state funding.

Legislative History

(P.A. 24-39, S. 25.) History: P.A. 24-39 effective July 1, 2024.