House Bill No. 5455, also known as Special Act No. 24-4, is a legislative act focused on improving the efficiency of the Department of Social Services (DSS) in Connecticut with respect to determining eligibility for medical assistance and handling telephonic requests for information or assistance. The bill mandates the Commissioner of Social Services to conduct a study on the department's efficiency in these areas. Specifically, the study will examine the timeliness of eligibility determinations for medical assistance as per section 17b-80 of the general statutes, and the responsiveness to phone inquiries.

The bill requires the Commissioner to submit a report by October 1, 2024, to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly that oversees human services. This report must include the percentage of medical assistance eligibility determinations made within the prescribed time periods, the average wait time for individuals calling the department for information or assistance, and recommendations for improving efficiency in these processes. Additionally, the Commissioner is required to provide quarterly updates to the Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight until July 1, 2026, with data related to the aforementioned aspects. The act was approved on May 30, 2024. There are no insertions or deletions indicated in the provided text, suggesting that this bill does not modify existing legal language but rather introduces new provisions for the study and reporting of the DSS's efficiency.