Connecticut certificate of need
Connecticut has a certificate of need program, run by Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, Health Systems Planning Unit (hospitals, surgery centers, behavioral health, imaging, ownership transfers); Department of Social Services for nursing homes and residential facilities for persons with intellectual disability. It covers 10 kinds of services, listed below.
- CON program
- Yes
- Services covered
- 10
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Connecticut CON program
Connecticut has a certificate of need program, run by Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, Health Systems Planning Unit (hospitals, surgery centers, behavioral health, imaging, ownership transfers); Department of Social Services for nursing homes and residential facilities for persons with intellectual disability. It covers 10 kinds of services, listed below.
- CON program
- Yes
- Program
- Certificate of Need
- Application fee
- OHS fee scales with estimated project cost: under $50,000 = $1,000; $50,000–<$100,000 = $2,000; $100,000–<$500,000 = $3,000; $500,000–<$1M = $4,000; $1M–<$5M = $5,000; $5M–<$10M = $8,000; $10M or more = $10,000. DSS nursing home CON fees not captured.
- Review timeline
- Applicant files within 90 days after newspaper notice. Once OHS deems the application complete and posts notice, the review period is 90 days (60 days for certain large group practice transfers); OHS may extend up to 60 days. If a public hearing is held, the decision is due within 60 days after the hearing record closes. Applicants have 60 days to answer completeness requests.
- Moratoria
- CGS §17b-354 bars the Department of Social Services from accepting or approving requests for additional nursing home beds, with limited exceptions (e.g., beds restricted to AIDS or neurological rehabilitation patients, certain continuing care facility beds not used for Medicaid, and Medicaid bed relocations that meet a priority need in the state strategic plan).
- Recent changes
- OHS took over the CON unit in 2018 (P.A. 18-91). Section 19a-638 was amended in 2023 (P.A. 23-97, 23-147, 23-171), and P.A. 24-81 (2024) changed the executive director title to Commissioner of Health Strategy. Statute directs the commissioner to report on an expedited CON process for mental health facilities.
- Statute
- Conn. Gen. Stat. §§19a-630, 19a-638, 19a-639 to 19a-639f (OHS); §§17b-352 to 17b-354 (nursing homes, DSS)
Services that need a certificate of need
- new health care facilities (hospitals, specialty hospitals)
- freestanding emergency departments
- outpatient surgical facilities
- mental health facilities
- substance abuse treatment facilities
- cardiac services
- termination of hospital services
- transfers of ownership of health care facilities and large group practices
- nursing homes (DSS)
- residential facilities for persons with intellectual disability / ICF (DSS)
Frequently asked questions
Does Connecticut have a certificate of need law?
Connecticut has a certificate of need program, run by Connecticut Office of Health Strategy, Health Systems Planning Unit (hospitals, surgery centers, behavioral health, imaging, ownership transfers); Department of Social Services for nursing homes and residential facilities for persons with intellectual disability. It covers 10 kinds of services, listed below.
How long does a Connecticut CON review take?
Applicant files within 90 days after newspaper notice. Once OHS deems the application complete and posts notice, the review period is 90 days (60 days for certain large group practice transfers); OHS may extend up to 60 days. If a public hearing is held, the decision is due within 60 days after the hearing record closes. Applicants have 60 days to answer completeness requests.
How much is a Connecticut CON application?
OHS fee scales with estimated project cost: under $50,000 = $1,000; $50,000–<$100,000 = $2,000; $100,000–<$500,000 = $3,000; $500,000–<$1M = $4,000; $1M–<$5M = $5,000; $5M–<$10M = $8,000; $10M or more = $10,000. DSS nursing home CON fees not captured.