On March 23, 2020, the Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health (“DPH”) issued an order for the temporary suspension of the requirements for licensure, certification or registration of certain healthcare practitioners to render healthcare services to Connecticut residents. The order includes physicians, physicians’ assistants, emergency medical services, nurses, including advanced practice registered nurses, nurse’s aides, physical therapists, respiratory care practitioners, psychologists, marital and family therapists, clinical and master social workers, professional counselors and pharmacists. The order is currently for sixty (60) days and applies so long as such healthcare practitioners are appropriately licensed in another state or territory of the United States or D.C. and are practicing within the scope of the profession that they are licensed in.
In addition to maintaining licensure, the order also requires that: (1) out of state health care practitioners maintain malpractice liability insurance for the entire duration of assistance provided in Connecticut; and (2) healthcare facilities contracting with out of state health care practitioners verify the practitioner’s licensure credentials, ensure the practitioner is in good standing in such jurisdiction, and confirm that the practitioner has the required insurance coverage.
As far as reimbursement for these services, out of state health care practitioners who are enrolled in Medicaid or a commercial plan must accept such payer’s reimbursement as payment in full for the services. To the extent a patient is uninsured, then the out of state health care practitioner shall not bill a patient more than the amount Medicare reimburses for the service. In the event a patient is unable to pay for the service, the practitioner shall offer financial assistance to the patient if he/she is required to do so under state or federal law.
