CT House Grants Final Approval for Comprehensive Health Care Bill
TL/DR –
The House gave final approval to a comprehensive health care bill that will enforce additional protections for home care workers, strengthen preparedness for cyberattacks at medical facilities, and establish new rules for Connecticut’s health information exchange. The legislation, passed with a vote of 112-37, mandates that home health aide agencies gather certain client information and stipulates that these agencies conduct monthly safety assessments with staff, offer safety training, and report any verbal threats or abuses from clients to the state. The bill also makes changes to the statewide health information exchange, creates a home health worker safety grant program, requires the consumer protection department to study prescription drug shortages, and allows physicians and physician assistants to unionize under certain circumstances, among other changes.
Healthcare Bill Passed: New Protections for Home Care Workers, Cyberattack Readiness Provisions, and More
The House approved a comprehensive health care bill on Monday, incorporating protections for home care workers, preparations for cyberattacks on medical facilities, and new regulations for Connecticut’s health information exchange, among other provisions. The vote was primarily along party lines, with the bill passing 112-37.
The bill came in response to the tragic death of Joyce Grayson, a visiting nurse murdered in Willimantic, as reported by news outlets. The new law mandates home health aide agencies to collect and share with employees certain client information such as a history of violence, substance use and more. Importantly, agencies can’t deny services based on the collected data or a refusal to provide it.
In addition, the bill requires home health agencies to conduct monthly safety assessments with staff and establish a health and safety training curriculum. This includes an obligation to report any verbal threats or abuse from clients to the state, and for the health department to document the follow-up actions taken.
From January 1, 2025, hospitals will need to submit annual cyberattack readiness plans for independent auditing. This follows a cyberattack on three Connecticut hospitals that caused significant operational and financial challenges, as per The Connecticut Mirror.
Changes to the statewide health information exchange rules were also included in the bill. For instance, providers will not be required to share information with the exchange in certain circumstances, such as if doing so violates privacy and security laws. A working group will further explore issues of privacy and cybersecurity concerning the exchange.
Other key provisions of the bill include:
- The creation of a home health worker safety grant program.
- Establishing a definition of “direct care” for minimum nursing home staffing levels.
- Requirement for the mental health and addiction services commissioner to establish a peer-run respite center.
- Permission for physicians and physician assistants employed at state health department licensed facilities to unionize under certain conditions.
Congressional members expressed their views on the bill, with Rep. Susan Johnson, D-Windham, emphasizing the importance of protections for home care workers, and Rep. Farley Santos, D-Danbury, praising the examination of pediatric hospice services expansion.
However, Rep. Tammy Nuccio, R-Tolland, voiced concerns that some requirements could increase the overall cost of care, including the mandate for certain insurance policies to cover coronary calcium scans.
Sen. Saud Anwar, co-chair of the Public Health Committee, highlighted the urgency of cyberattack readiness in the wake of a technology outage affecting three Connecticut hospitals.
The bill, having passed the Senate last week with a vote of 34-1, will now proceed to Gov. Ned Lamont for a signature.
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