On May 17, 2020 Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont – in conjunction with the Department of Public Health (DPH) – released a guidance document for resuming non-emergency dental procedures (the “Guidance”). The Guidance notes that while dental practices were never subject to an executive order to close, the governor’s office and DPH had both strongly encouraged the suspension of all elective procedures and routine non-emergency care. Accordingly, as certain businesses in the state begin to reopen starting on May 20th, the Guidance is designed to inform dental practitioners on preparation and policies for expanding services beyond emergency-only care to include elective procedures and routine hygiene and health exams. The document details policies for expanding offered procedures and notes that dental practices that cannot meet the guidelines “are strongly advised to delay expansion of their operations beyond urgent care until they are able to meet these guidelines.”
Continue Reading Connecticut Governor Lamont Releases Guidance for Dentists Expanding Services Beyond Emergency-Only Care

Massachusetts continues to issue additional directives and guidance for the health care provider community in response to COVID-19. In this post we highlight new orders by Massachusetts Governor Baker, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), and MassHealth. Updates include expanded license reciprocity for non-physicians, independent practice of certain Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs), waiver of certain MassHealth requirements in the discharge and transfer of long-term care patients, and authorization for EOHHS to establish temporary rates, supplemental payments, or alternative rates and payment methodologies for certain providers. MassHealth has also issued FAQs for behavioral health providers utilizing telehealth to provide services.
Continue Reading Massachusetts Issues Further COVID-19 Updates for Providers

On June 14, 2018, Connecticut Governor Dannel P. Malloy signed into law Public Act No. 18-166 “An Act Concerning the Prevention and Treatment of Opioid Dependency and Opioid Overdoses in the State” (PA 18-166).

This legislation seeks to address the ongoing opioid crisis in Connecticut in part by: (i) implementing a new opioid overdose reporting requirement for hospitals and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, (ii) establishing a statutory framework under which health care practitioners and pharmacists may partner with law enforcement or other government agencies, EMS providers, or community health organizations to expand distribution and availability of naloxone and similar drugs, (iii) enacting statutory limitations on the circumstances in which providers may prescribe controlled substances for family members or themselves, and (iv) commissioning a study of the feasibility of opioid intervention courts. This legislation has varying effective dates, which are noted below.
Continue Reading Connecticut Legislature Again Addresses Opioid Crisis