Hartford, CT — A Department of Social Services study of Medicaid reimbursement rates in Connecticut released Thursday provides further evidence of what community nonprofits have said for more than a decade: Connecticut’s reimbursement rates for nearly all services are significantly lower than states of similar economic and geographic makeup.
“This document provides further proof that Connecticut is underfunding services for some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens,” Gian Carl Casa, President & CEO of CT Community Nonprofit Alliance said. “Sadly, we said nearly the same thing last year.”
This is the second part of a study that released in 2024 that found Connecticut’s rates for behavioral health outpatient services were less than 50 percent of those in comparable states and that rates for autism services are less than 78 per cent of benchmark. Today’s study focuses on services for people with developmental disabilities and finds that sector, too, is grossly underfunded, with no cost-based basis for determining their rates.
Casa continued, “We understood in difficult budget years, that nonprofits were flat funded or cut. But Connecticut has amassed seven years of budget surpluses, and has $4.1 billion in the Rainy Day Fund. The budget controls that dictate saving money and pay down debt are limiting how state dollars are spent.”
“People in need are struggling to get behavioral health, dental and basic medical service. It’s time to properly fund services. Connecticut can save, pay off debt and fund essential services. We have the money.”