Raised Bill No. 5427, introduced in the February Session, 2024, pertains to nonemergency medical transportation services for medical assistance recipients. The bill requires the Commissioner of Social Services to identify areas in the state where competitive bidding for these services could save costs and mandates the purchase of such services through a competitive process in those areas. The bill stipulates that transportation providers who win contracts or subcontracts must meet state licensure or certification requirements and provide cost-effective services. However, contractors solely responsible for coordinating services are exempt from these licensure requirements. The bill also introduces a new requirement that any drivers providing services under such contracts must have approval by the Commissioner of Motor Vehicles for state endorsement requirements pursuant to section 14-44.

The bill outlines that the Commissioner of Social Services should consider the impact on emergency ambulance services and volunteer ambulance services before awarding contracts. It allows for the operation of pilot programs before statewide implementation of the competitive bidding program and requires providers to offer all types of transportation services they are licensed for to Medicaid recipients. Payment is only made for services when an eligible recipient is actually transported. The bill also addresses the disclosure of payment sources to subcontractors by contractors coordinating nonemergency transportation services. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2024, and amends subsection (a) of section 17b-276 of the general statutes. The purpose of the bill is to ensure that drivers providing nonemergency medical transportation are licensed operators of motor vehicles used for passenger transportation.