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State News

FALSE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT WITH HOSPITAL OWNER AND MEDICAL GROUP

May 9, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

Attorney General William Tong and United States Attorney Vanessa Roberts Avery today announced that Northeast Medical Group (NEMG) and Yale New Haven Health Services Corp. (YNHH) have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the federal and state governments in which they will pay $560,718 to resolve allegations they overbilled the federal Medicare and Connecticut Medicaid programs. Northeast Medical Group is a physician and associated provider group affiliated with Yale-New Haven Health Services Corp., which owns several hospitals, including Bridgeport Hospital. A whistleblower filed a lawsuit alleging that NEMG and YNHH had submitted false claims to Medicaid and Medicare for services purportedly provided at Bridgeport Hospital by doctors and mid-level providers – advance practice registered nurses and physician’s assistants –…

State News

CALL FOR IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS TO IMMIGRATION PROCESS

May 5, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-Okla.) on Wednesday sent a letter to U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to request the agency expedite processing Notices to Appear (NTA). With a growing number of people coming to the U.S.-Mexico border and Title 42 set to expire next week, Murphy and Lankford are pushing the administration to take immediate steps to improve the immigration system. “We write to you today to request that you take appropriate steps to expedite the issuance of Notices to Appear (NTA) to noncitizens who are in US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) custody. Additionally, we request that you seriously…

State News

COLLEGE TRANSPARENCY ACT

May 4, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, joined U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), and his colleagues in introducing the College Transparency Act (CTA), bipartisan legislation which would ensure that students and families have better information as they consider higher education opportunities. The CTA modernizes the college reporting system for postsecondary data by providing accurate reporting on student outcomes such as enrollment, completion, and post-college earnings across colleges and majors, while ensuring the privacy of individual students is securely protected. This information will give students a better understanding of what to expect of the student experience and post-graduation prospects at colleges they are considering, helping them to make…

State News

Kids Online Safety Act,

May 2, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

Today, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Kids Online Safety Act, comprehensive bipartisan legislation to protect children online and hold Big Tech accountable. “Our bill provides specific tools to stop Big Tech companies from driving toxic content at kids and to hold them accountable for putting profits over safety,” said Blumenthal. “Record levels of hopelessness and despair—a national teen mental health crisis—have been fueled by black box algorithms featuring eating disorders, bullying, suicidal thoughts, and more. Kids and parents want to take back control over their online lives. They are demanding safeguards, means to disconnect, and a duty of care for social media. Our bill has strong bipartisan momentum. And it has growing support from…

State News

CTDOT Celebrates National Bike Month this May

May 2, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is celebrating National Bike Month this May by encouraging the public to get outside and go for a ride. CTDOT is planning Bike, Walk, and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, May 3, 2023, with nearly 20 schools across Connecticut. The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) established a Safe Routes to School Program (SRTS) in 2005. Since then, many communities participating in the Safe Routes to School Program have shown improved safety and accessibility for students with and without disabilities. “Bike, Walk, and Roll to School Day is a great way to kick off Bike Month here in Connecticut. Active transportation allows us to get some exercise and fresh air while being a more…

State News

LEGISLATION OPENING THE COURTHOUSE DOORS

Apr 29, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

TO CONSUMERS, WORKERS [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and U.S. Representative Hank Johnson (D-GA) led a group of 37 senators, including U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), and more than 80 members of the House of Representatives in introducing legislation to stop the use of unfair forced arbitration clauses, which are widely used to limit Americans’ access to justice. The FAIR (Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal) Act would eliminate forced arbitration clauses in consumer, antitrust, employment, and civil rights cases, and would allow consumers and workers to freely choose arbitration after a dispute occurs. “Forced arbitration is unfair and un-American. Workers forced into a rigged arbitration system have lost one of the most powerful tools they have to hold…

State News

TONG CALLS ON PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO REJECT “BLOATED, UNSUPPORTED” RATE HIKE

Apr 28, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

(Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today called on the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to reject a “bloated, unsupported” $130.7 million rate hike sought by United Illuminating, and to further impose a $2 million annual penalty for the company’s ongoing failure to remediate the former English Station power plant in New Haven. United Illuminating is requesting to raise electric rates by as much as 8 percent over three years, increasing its revenues by $91.1 million in the first year alone, followed by an additional $20.1 million in the second year, and yet another $19.5 million in the third year. New rates would take effect after September 2023. Attorney General Tong’s brief identifies numerous areas where the utility is seeking to…

State News

CNG OVER-COLLECTED $8 MILLION FROM CONNECTICUT RATEPAYERS

Apr 26, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

Following a recent earnings report showing Connecticut Natural Gas Corporation over-collected $8 million from Connecticut families and businesses, Attorney General William Tong, Consumer Counsel Claire E. Coleman, Connecticut Industrial Energy Consumers, and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority Office of Education, Outreach, and Enforcement submitted a joint petition to the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority seeking a new rate hearing to drive down costs for consumers. It has been five years since CNG’s last rate case before PURA. Per state statute, rate review hearings must be conducted at least every four years. CNG’s most recent earnings report shows the company has been earning 177 basis points above its authorized return on equity (“ROE”) of 9.3 percent. This was not a billing error—CNG…

State News

LEGISLATION TO HELP CAREGIVERS RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY CREDIT

Apr 21, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and U.S. Representative Brad Schneider (D-Ill.-10) on Wednesday reintroduced legislation that would allow caregivers to receive a Social Security credit. The Social Security Caregiver Credit Act would provide retirement compensation in the form of Social Security credits to individuals who leave the workforce to care for their loved ones. U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) also co-sponsored the legislation More than 1 in 5 Americans are currently caring for loved ones who are ill, disabled, or elderly, and tens of millions of Americans leave the workforce entirely or reduce their hours significantly to care for loved ones at some point in their career. Studies…

State News

BILL TO FULLY FUND TITLE I, SPECIAL EDUCATION

Apr 20, 2023 Stephen Krauchick

WASHINGTON–U.S. Senators Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) on Wednesday joined U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) in introducing the Keep Our Promise to America’s Children and Teachers (PACT) Act, legislation to put Congress on a fiscally responsible path to fully fund Title I and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) on a mandatory basis. “Schools serving students from low-income backgrounds and children with disabilities have been short-changed for far too long because Congress has failed to fully fund IDEA and Title I. This legislation would ensure that our most vulnerable students get the support they need by providing the range of services and resources that…

FALSE CLAIMS SETTLEMENT WITH HOSPITAL OWNER AND MEDICAL GROUP

CALL FOR IMMEDIATE IMPROVEMENTS TO IMMIGRATION PROCESS

COLLEGE TRANSPARENCY ACT

Kids Online Safety Act,

CTDOT Celebrates National Bike Month this May

LEGISLATION OPENING THE COURTHOUSE DOORS

TONG CALLS ON PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO REJECT “BLOATED, UNSUPPORTED” RATE HIKE

CNG OVER-COLLECTED $8 MILLION FROM CONNECTICUT RATEPAYERS

LEGISLATION TO HELP CAREGIVERS RECEIVE SOCIAL SECURITY CREDIT

BILL TO FULLY FUND TITLE I, SPECIAL EDUCATION

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