OLR Research Reports - Office of Legislative Research:

• 2013 and 2014 Legislation Affecting Access to Mental Health Services- 2014-R-0150- What significant legislation was enacted this year and last year concerning access to mental health services?

• OLR Backgrounder: State-Mandated Health Insurance Benefits - 2014-R-0143
  This report briefly describes Connecticut�s mandated health insurance benefits. It updates an earlier report (2012-R-0446) by incorporating laws enacted in 2013 and 2014. (See OLR Report 2008-R-0138 for a list of health care providers and facilities whose services health insurance policies must cover under state law.)

• Chronic Care in Medicaid and Public Health- 2014-R-0031-This report addresses several questions on programs targeting frequent use of the emergency department (ED) by Medicaid beneficiaries, as well as questions on chronic disease programs and related legislation. The specific questions and answers follow.

• Affordable Care Act - Questions and Answers - 2013-R-0300
  This report presents a series of questions and answers about the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) (P.L. 111-148), as amended.
  
  For a more detailed overview of the law's private health insurance provisions, see OLR Research Report 2010-R-0255.

• Hospital Regulation in Connecticut - 2013-R-0266
  You asked for a brief summary of how Connecticut's acute care hospitals are regulated. You also wanted to know what actions nonprofit acute care hospitals must take to maintain their 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status.

• Disclosure of Deceased Person's Medical Records - 2013-R-0124
  You asked (1) whether patient confidentiality rights continue after death and (2) if so, could the legislature change this?

• OLR Backgrounder: Patient Access to Medical Records - 2012-R-0510 - This report updates OLR Report 2010-R-0339, which summarizes state laws on patient access to medical records in a question and answer format. (The terms medical records and health records� are used interchangeably reflecting their usage in statute.)

• Right to Die Laws - 2012-R-0477 - You asked about laws or legislation in other states concerning the right to die.  You also asked about Connecticut bills on this topic.

• OLR Backgrounder: State-Mandated Health Insurance Benefits - 2012-R-0446
  This report lists and briefly describes Connecticut's mandated health insurance benefits. It updates an earlier report (2011-R-0504) by incorporating revisions enacted in 2012. (See OLR Report 2008-R-0138 for a list of health care providers and facilities whose services health insurance policies must cover under Connecticut law.).

• Small Employer Grouping for Health Insurance Coverage - 2011-R-0363
  You asked if Connecticut law permits small employers to group together solely to secure health insurance coverage. If yes, you want a legislative history of the law allowing this grouping.

• Medicare Part D - Explanation of State and Federal Assistance For Program Beneficiaries - 2011-R-0299
  The following is an explanation of the relationship between the federal Medicare Part D drug benefit, the Part D Low-Income Subsidy program, the ConnPACE program, and the Medicare Savings Program in light of changes the legislature has made in the latter two programs in the last few years.

• Process for Health Insurance Rate Increases - 2010-R-0507
  You asked (1) how an insurance company gets an approved rate increase in Connecticut for individual and group health insurance, (2) if there is a public hearing on such a proposed rate increase, and (3) if either the healthcare advocate or attorney general plays a role in the process.

• State Mandated Health Insurance Benefits - 2010-R-0447
  You asked for an update of OLR Research Report 2007-R-0703, which provides a list of state mandated health insurance benefits.

• Health Insurance Coverage for Cancer Pills - 2009-R-0311
  You asked if Connecticut law requires health insurance policies to provide coverage for oral medication to treat cancer and, if not, if a law could be passed to require such coverage. You provided an article from The New York Times that discussed the coverage issue as stemming from the difference in cost between receiving cancer medications intravenously versus orally in pill form (Insurance Laws as Cancer Care Comes in a Pill, April 15, 2009).

• Medicaid Coverage of Assisted Living Services - 2009-R-0300
  You asked (1) if Medicaid coverage is available to someone living in a private assisted living facility and (2) what the legislature could do to help seniors who exhaust their own resources remain in these facilities instead of being forced to move into more restrictive settings. You have a constituent living in a private Alzheimer's assisted living facility who can no longer pay for his care and was told he must transfer to a nursing home in order to receive Medicaid coverage.

• Patient Information Security - 2009-R-0019
  You asked for information regarding federal and state safeguards preventing the medical industry from using patients' social security numbers (SSNs) inappropriately, particularly the security standards, the penalties for security breaches, and efforts to curb the use of SSNs.

• Living Wills and Health Care Representatives - 2008-R-0237
  You asked how Connecticut's living will and health care representative laws compare with other states, especially regarding the situations a living will covers.

• Mandated Providers and Facilities for Health Insurance - 2008-R-0138
  You asked for a list of health care providers and facilities that Connecticut law requires health insurance policies to cover. In Connecticut, health insurance mandates are contained in Chapter 700c of the general statutes.

• Setting Rates For An Individual Health Insurance Policy - 2008-R-0127
  You asked how an insurance company sets rates for an individual high deductible health plan, a federally tax qualified plan compatible with a health savings account. Specifically, you wanted to know if an individual is considered part of a group for rating purposes.

• Patient Access to Medical Records - 2006-R-0599

• Prison Health Care - 2005-R-0214

• Managed Care - Frequently Asked Questions

• 3 Step Complaint Process

• Internal Appeals Process

• External Appeal Process

• Managed Care Laws

• Differences Between State and Federal Regulation

• Prescription Coverage - Frequently Asked Questions

• Problems - If You Need Help

• Understanding Your Managed Health Care Plan  (PDF)

• Know Your Rights (Managed Care)  (PDF)