Sec. 17b-276. (Formerly Sec. 17-134s). Competitive bidding process for nonemergency transportation services. Fee schedules.
Sec. 17b-276. (Formerly Sec. 17-134s). Competitive bidding process for nonemergency transportation services. Fee schedules. (a) The Commissioner of Social
Services shall identify geographic areas of the state where competitive bidding for nonemergency transportation services provided to medical assistance recipients to access
covered medical services would result in cost savings to the state. For the identified
areas, the Commissioner of Social Services, in consultation with the Commissioner of
Transportation, the Commissioner of Public Health and the Secretary of the Office of
Policy and Management, shall purchase such nonemergency transportation services
through a competitive bidding process. Any transportation providers awarded a contract
or subcontract for the direct provision of such services shall meet state licensure or
certification requirements and the nonemergency transportation requirements established by the Department of Social Services, and shall provide the most cost effective
transportation service, provided any contractor awarded a contract solely for coordinating such transportation services shall not be required to meet such licensure or certification requirements and provided the first such contracts for the purchase of such services
shall not exceed one year. Prior to awarding a contract pursuant to this section, the
Commissioner of Social Services shall consider the effect of the contract on the emergency ambulance primary service areas and volunteer ambulance services affected by
the contract. The commissioner may limit the geographic areas to be served by a contractor and may limit the amount of services to be performed by a contractor. The commissioner may operate one or more pilot programs prior to state-wide operation of a competitive bidding program for nonemergency transportation services. By enrolling in the
Medicaid program or participating in the competitively bid contract for nonemergency
transportation services, providers of nonemergency transportation services agree to offer to recipients of medical assistance all types or levels of transportation services for
which they are licensed or certified. Effective October 1, 1991, payment for such services
shall be made only for services provided to an eligible recipient who is actually transported. A contract entered into pursuant to this section may include services provided
by another state agency. Notwithstanding any provision of the general statutes, a contract
entered into pursuant to this section shall establish the rates to be paid for the transportation services provided under the contract. A contract entered into pursuant to this section
may include services provided by another state agency and shall supersede any conflicting provisions of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies pertaining to medical
transportation services.
(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the general statutes, for purposes of
administering medical assistance programs, including, but not limited to, the state-administered general assistance program and programs administered pursuant to Title XIX
or Title XXI of the Social Security Act, the Department of Social Services shall be the
sole state agency that sets emergency and nonemergency medical transportation fees
or fee schedules for any transportation services that are reimbursed by the department
for said medical assistance programs.
(P.A. 85-505, S. 12, 21; P.A. 86-403, S. 37, 132; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8, S. 8, 63; P.A. 93-262, S. 1, 87; P.A. 96-268,
S. 15, 34; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7, S. 61; P.A. 03-278, S. 64.)
History: P.A. 86-403 made technical changes; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 91-8 required that medical transportation service
providers offer medical assistance recipients all types and levels of service which are provided, and that payment of services
shall only be rendered to providers who transport eligible recipients; P.A. 93-262 authorized substitution of commissioner
and department of social services for commissioner and department of income maintenance, effective July 1, 1993; Sec.
17-134s transferred to Sec. 17b-276 in 1995; P.A. 96-268 replaced "medical transportation services" with "nonemergency
transportation services", required consultation with Commissioners of Transportation and Public Health and the Secretary
of the Office of Policy and Management, required transportation providers to meet licensure or certification requirements,
required commissioner to consider the effect of a contract on the emergency ambulance primary service areas, required
transportation providers to agree to offer Medicaid recipients all types of services provided, allowed contracts to include
services provided by other state agencies and required contracts to establish rates to be paid for services, effective July 1,
1996; May 9 Sp. Sess. P.A. 02-7 designated existing provisions as Subsec. (a) and amended same by adding provisions
re contract may include services provided by another state agency and supersedes any conflicting provisions of medical
transportation services regulations, and added Subsec. (b) re exclusive authority of Department of Social Services in setting
emergency and nonemergency medical transportation fees for medical assistance programs, effective August 15, 2002;
P.A. 03-278 made technical changes in Subsec. (a), effective July 9, 2003.
See Sec. 17b-276a re amendment to Medicaid state plan to reduce expenditures for nonemergency medical transportation.
Cited as "17b-260 et seq. (providing for supplemental medical assistance)". 233 C. 557.