HB 5030, An Act Implementing The Governor’s Budget Recommendations For General Government

TESTIMONY OF THE CONNECTICUT HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION
SUBMITTED TO THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE

Thursday, March 12, 2026

The Connecticut Hospital Association (CHA) appreciates this opportunity to submit testimony concerning HB 5030, An Act Implementing The Governor’s Budget Recommendations For General Government. CHA supports portions of HB 5030 with respect to the dissolution of the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) and reallocation of its duties to various agencies.

Connecticut hospitals make our state stronger by delivering nationally recognized, world-class care, supporting jobs and economic growth, and serving communities across Connecticut.  Every day, hospitals improve access, affordability, and health equity — providing care to all patients regardless of ability to pay.  At the same time, hospitals invest in their workforce and local communities, even as they navigate significant financial and federal challenges.

HB 5030 proposes the dissolution of OHS and the division of the office’s responsibilities to other agencies, including the Office of Policy and Management (OPM), the Department of Public Health (DPH), and the Department of Social Services (DSS).  CHA is supportive of the administration’s decision to better align programmatic activities with agencies that share similar functions and believes this is an opportunity to streamline areas that are working well, reduce bureaucracies where unnecessary, and reevaluate the effectiveness of some programs as they are currently operating.  Many of OHS’s previous jurisdictions include, but are not limited to, oversight of the certificate of need (CON) process, the Healthcare Cost Growth Benchmark, Connecticut’s Statewide Health Information Exchange (Connie), and the Connecticut All-Payer Claims Database (APCD).

With respect to CON and its future under the purview of DPH, we reiterate many of the overarching themes of reforming the CON process that we outline in our testimony on HB 5045, An Act Streamlining Health Care Facility Approvals, including ensuring mandatory minimum staffing at DPH to ensure the timely processing of CON applications, transparency related to the costs of consultants utilized in the review and processing of CON applications, and a general review of the CON hearing process to identify barriers to a more efficient program.

HB 5030 moves oversight of the Healthcare Cost Growth Benchmark, APCD, Connie, and similar projects to OPM.  With respect to Connie, we note that HB 5030 does not currently outline a way in which the program will continue to be funded.  We are opposed to the burden of additional provider fees and encourage the state to ensure there is adequate funding for Connie that does not require mandated users to pay fees.

Under HB 5030, community benefit reporting and other hospital financial reporting responsibilities would shift to DSS.  As these responsibilities transition to DSS, CHA encourages the state to take this opportunity to evaluate the current reporting framework to ensure it is nonduplicative, efficient, and meaningful for stakeholders involved.

Overall, we urge that, regardless of which agency assumes responsibility for programs previously overseen by OHS, each agency recognize the impact of government underpayment, the critical role hospitals play in delivering care to patients and their surrounding communities, and the importance of maintaining hospitals’ financial viability to sustain that care.

As hospitals are at the forefront of care delivery and are deeply invested in the utilization of processes that are efficient, collaborative, and able to meet changing healthcare demands, CHA stands ready to provide support where possible. 

CHA welcomes the opportunity to work with the various agencies that will be taking over responsibilities previously under OHS oversight to help inform the healthcare landscape in a manner that will best serve patients and communities in Connecticut.

Thank you for your consideration of our position.  For additional information, contact CHA Government Relations at (203) 294-7301.