COVID-19 Update 04-19-2020

April 20, 2020

For detailed information click HERE.


Governor Lamont announced that he is directing his administration to boost Medicaid payments for all of Connecticut’s 215 nursing homes by 15 percent, providing an additional $65 million to these facilities amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Connecticut’s nursing home operators and their employees provide an incredible service to the people of our state, including for the 22,000 residents that receive direct care in nursing homes on a daily basis,” Governor Lamont said. “I want to extend my profound gratitude to them, particularly during this unprecedented global pandemic that is having a particularly adverse impact on the elderly and individuals with disabilities residing in long-term care settings.”

The state’s increased financial support will be applied toward:

  • Employee wages, including staff retention bonuses, overtime, and shift incentive payments;
  • New costs related to screening of visitors;
  • Personal protective equipment;
  • Cleaning and housekeeping supplies; and
  • Other costs related to COVID-19.

The expanded state aid is in addition to the enhanced federal support nursing homes are expected to receive through Medicare, as well as general relief under the recently adopted Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

For more information, read the press release issued today by Governor Lamont.

State begins site visits to every nursing home in Connecticut to extend additional support

To provide additional support to the state’s nursing homes and long-term care facilities, the Connecticut Department of Public Health has announced that its staff will be making physical, on-site visits to all of Connecticut’s 215 nursing homes and long-term care facilities over the next seven to ten days. The department’s Healthcare Quality and Safety Branch, with guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will conduct infection control surveys during each visit. This will be a first among states in the region, as all nurses in the Facility Licensing and Investigations Section have been fit-tested for N95 respirators, which is a federal requirement.

To view the form that will be used during these site visits, click here.

Governor Lamont encourages residents to sign up for the state’s CTAlert notification system

Governor Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to sign up for CTAlert, the state’s emergency alert system, which provides text message notifications to users. To subscribe, text the keyword COVIDCT to 888-777.

Providing information to Connecticut residents

For the most up-to-date information from the State of Connecticut on COVID-19, including an FAQ and other guidance and resources, residents are encouraged to visit ct.gov/coronavirus.

Individuals who have general questions that are not answered on the website can also call 2-1-1 for assistance. The hotline is available 24 hours a day and has multilingual assistance and TDD/TTY access. It intended to be used by individuals who are not experiencing symptoms but may have general questions related to COVID-19. Anyone experiencing symptoms is strongly urged to contact their medical provider.

https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Coronavirus-Update-April-19


Press Releases

Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, Governor Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island, Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Governor Tom Wolf of Pennsylvania, and Governor John Carney of Delaware today announced their appointees that will serve on the multi-state, regional council to restore the economy and get people back to work.

https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Announces-Appointees-to-Multi-State-Council

Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he is directing his administration to boost Medicaid payments for all of the state’s 215 nursing homes by an additional five percent above the recently announced ten percent increase. Together, the 15 percent across-the-board financial relief will provide an additional $65 million in Medicaid payment increases to the state’s nursing homes.

https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Expands-Financial-Aid-for-Connecticuts-Nursing-Homes

Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo of New York, and Governor Phil Murphy of New Jersey today announced that marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers in their states will be allowed to open for personal use as long as strict social distancing and sanitization protocols are followed. Chartered watercraft services or rentals will not be allowed, and restaurant activity at these sites must be limited to take-out or delivery only, like anywhere else in the three states. This announcement aligns the policies of the three states on this particular service.

https://portal.ct.gov/Office-of-the-Governor/News/Press-Releases/2020/04-2020/Governor-Lamont-Governor-Cuomo-and-Governor-Murphy-Announce-Alignment-for-Marinas-and-Boatyards