Senate Bill No. 1192 aims to enhance hospital financial assistance programs in Connecticut by requiring the Office of the Healthcare Advocate (OHA) to develop an online portal for patients and their families. This portal will serve as a navigation tool to help users identify and apply for financial assistance that can reduce their medical costs. The portal is expected to include features such as technical assistance for the application process, a screening tool for eligibility, and resources to help avoid future medical debt. Additionally, starting July 1, 2026, hospitals that offer financial assistance programs must provide OHA with relevant contact information and notify the office of any changes to their programs.

The bill also allows OHA to publish information about the state's medical debt erasure initiative and develop recommendations to assist patients in avoiding medical debt. The initiative, funded by federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, aims to negotiate the erasure of qualifying medical debt for patients with low income or significant medical expenses. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and includes a one-time cost to OHA for developing the portal, with ongoing costs for maintenance.