Rep. Theresa Conroy named to advisory panel on state medicaid program

House Majority Leader Joe Aresimowicz recently appointed state Rep. Theresa Conroy, D-Seymour, Beacon Falls, Derby, to the state Council on Medical Assistance Program Oversight as an advocate for persons with substance abuse disabilities, according to a release from the CT House Democrats.

“Theresa Conroy is a strong advocate for individuals and families that are struggling with the disease of addiction,”Aresimowicz, D-Berlin, said in the release. “She is one of the first state policy-makers to face the state’s opioid epidemic head on and will be a great addition to the council.”

“I want to thank Majority Leader Aresimowicz for this new challenge,” Conroy said in the release. “Making sure all Connecticut residents who are insured through Medicaid Managed Care have access to quality care is an important goal.”

The Council on Medical Assistance Program was established under Connecticut statute (CGS 17b-28) as a collaborative body consisting of legislators, Medicaid consumers, advocates, health care providers, insurers and state agencies to advise DSS on the development of Connecticut's Medicaid Managed Care program and for legislative and public input to monitor the implementation of the program, the release states.

Due to the large volume of work the Council addresses, committees have been established – Complex Care, Consumer Access, Quality Improvement, Women's Health, and Care Management. The full Council and each committee meet once a month. The Council holds public hearings, issues surveys and holds provider forums to assess the impact of Medicaid Managed Care, the release states.

The next meeting of the full Council on Medical Assistance Program is Friday, Sept. 18, at 9:30 a.m., in Room 1-E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.