2025 Legislative Update for the Connecticut Podiatric Medical Association
July 24, 2025

The 2025 legislative session of the Connecticut General Assembly adjourned at midnight on Wednesday, June 4. This was a very busy session for the Connecticut Podiatric Medical Association’s government relations team that resulted in a number of successes for practitioners and patients as is discussed in this report. Several issues that were not enacted are certain to be reintroduced in the 2026 legislative session. Importantly, we appreciate the support of those CPMA’s members who answered the legislative team’s requests to contact their legislators on key issues that affect the profession.

Medicaid Rate Increases

CPMA’s legislative team continued our effort to obtain an increase in Medicaid reimbursements for Doctors of Podiatric Medicine. We ultimately succeeded in this effort. House Bill 7191, An Act Concerning Medicaid Rate Increases, Planning and Sustainability, was heard by the Human Services committee on March 11, and Adam Mucinskas, DPM, CPMA president, offered testimony in support. Gabe Gambardella, DPM, gave excellent testimony regarding the need for a reimbursement increase on H.B. 7254 to the Appropriations committee. Ultimately, the budget adopted by the General Assembly for the next two fiscal years provides $50 million in funds for Medicaid fee increases, House Bill 7287, now Public Act 25-168, signed by Governor Lamont on June 30, 2025. The Department of Social Services is given responsibility for allocating these dollars, and CPMA’s government relations team is working with DSS to advocate for Podiatry to be in the first tranche of funding. As CPMA members know, the payments made to a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine are the same as those made to a physician licensed under chapter 370. This is a result of the Medicaid fee parity legislation the team advocated successfully for passage in 2021.

Link to Public Act 25-168: AN ACT CONCERNING THE STATE BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM ENDING JUNE 30, 2027, AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS THEREFOR, AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO REVENUE AND OTHER ITEMS IMPLEMENTING THE STATE BUDGET.

Use of “Podiatric Physician” Title

The government relations team protected physicians’ ability to use the title “Physician.” Senate Bill 468, An Act Concerning Title Protection for Physicians, would prohibit a Podiatrist from using the title or any initials associated “physician.” Several other professions would be negatively affected by the proposal as well. The team prevailed having the Public Health committee take no action on the bill, telling their leadership that we did not need a repeat of the acrimonious and divisive public hearing that occurred on this same issue during the 2023 legislative session. Advocates for the legislation may try once again to enact it next session. If so, the team will be ready to oppose the legislation.

Student Loan Reimbursement Grant Program—Senate Bill 1450 An Act Concerning Recruitment and Retention of the Health Care Workforce, creates a new student loan reimbursement grant program that is open to licensed Podiatrists who practice in the state. The Department of Public Health will have responsibility for developing the eligibility rules and benefit levels for the program, which includes other professions as well. CPMA’s legislative team will be monitoring the new initiative and discussing it with DPH officials as the roll-out takes place. The new program has the potential for assisting younger DPMs who have entered the profession carrying student loan debt. Now Public Act No. 25-162, the legislation was signed into law on July 1, 2025.

Link to Public Act No. 25-162: AN ACT CONCERNING RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF THE HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE.

Protecting Advancements in Total Ankle Replacement

As CPMA members know, the government relations team had a major success last session with the passage of legislation that increased the Podiatric scope of practice to include performance of a total ankle replacement. The residual effect of this was positive to the profession as a whole because, to quote President John F. Kennedy, “A rising tide lifts all boats.” Prior to the session, we heard chatter that one entity wanted to weaken and restrict last year’s law, Public Act 24-112. The government relations team objected to this and prevailed asking the committee chairs not to revisit last year’s legislation. The result is that the law remains unchanged: Qualified podiatrists can perform a total ankle replacement once they are credentialed by the hospital.

Medical Device Representatives

Senate Bill 1372, An Act Concerning Medical Device Representatives, would place restrictions on medical device representatives being present in a hospital operating room during surgery. CPMA President Adam Mucinskas, DPM, offered excellent testimony to the Public Health committee in opposition to the proposal. To quote from his testimony to committee members:

“CPMA surgeons frequently make use of medical devices when they are performing foot and/or ankle fractures, fusions, amputations or correction of other complex deformities. Our surgeons rely on medical device representatives to be present in the event that a device is malfunctioning or needs an immediate adjustment. We would be very reluctant to approve of any legislation that would result in the inability of these qualified individuals to be present during a surgical procedure.”

Ultimately, no action was taken on Senate Bill 1372.

Private Equity Funding of Medical Practices

At the start of the session, several bills were proposed to prohibit the use of private equity funding in health care practices, systems and hospitals. The impetus for this was Prospect Medical Group’s bankruptcy filing over their ownership of three hospitals in the state. A principal bill on private equity was the Governor’s House Bill 6873, An Act Strengthening the Review of Health Care Equity Transactions. The Public Health committee also advanced Senate Bill No. 1507. A consensus was not reached on the issue, however, and as a result, no legislation was passed. Look for the issue to be reintroduced in the 2026 legislative session.

Certificate of Need Change

Several bills were proposed to end CON for certain services as well as create a new “expedited”process for CON applications. There was one change that the Office of Health Strategy will have the right to consider hospital owners’ material to shareholders and investors when considering a transfer or sale of the entity. This was included as sections 299-300 in the budget bill for the next biennium, House Bill 7287, An Act Concerning the State Budget for the Biennium Ending June 30, 2027, and Making Appropriations Therefor, and Provisions Related to Revenue and Other Items Implementing the State Budget, now Public Act 25-168, signed into law on June 30, 2025.

Link to Public Act No. 25-168: AN ACT CONCERNING THE STATE BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM ENDING JUNE 30, 2027, AND MAKING APPROPRIATIONS THEREFOR, AND PROVISIONS RELATED TO REVENUE AND OTHER ITEMS IMPLEMENTING THE STATE BUDGET.

Provider Friendly Insurance Bills

Two consumer and provider friendly measures were considered this session, but ultimately not adopted. Senate Bill 10, An Act Concerning Health Insurance and Patient Protection, included a provision that changed the utilization review process so that the burden would be on the insurer to show that a requested procedure was not medically necessary rather than on the medical provider to show that it was needed. Ultimately, that provision on rebuttable presumption was removed from the bill that passed.

On a related issue, House Bill 7039, An Act Concerning the Return of Health Care Provider Payments, Establishing a Working Group to Study Pharmacist Compensation for Administering Certain Services, Revising the Definition of Clinical Peer and Concerning the Connecticut Unfair Insurance Practices Act, reduced the “clawback” period in which a health insurer can recoup an erroneous payment from a provider from 18 months to 12 months. Unfortunately, time constraints at the end of the session resulted in this bill not being called for debate. The provision was amended into another bill, H.B. 7079, which passed the House, but was not called in the Senate.

Prescriptive Authority for Naturopaths

Senate Bill 1325, An Act Permitting Naturopathic Physicians to Prescribe and Administer Vitamin B12, died in the Public Health committee. As its title implies, the bill would have given Naturopaths a limited entry into prescriptive authority. This is the proverbial camel’s nose under the tent that could lead eventually to naturopaths seeking authority to order many more drugs and tests and interpret the results for their patients. Opponents of the proposal argued that their current education and training does not support these expansions. Look for the naturopaths to be back next session with the scope of practice request.

Dentists Request Scope of Practice Expansion

House Bill 5627, An Act Expanding the Scope of Practice of Dentists, would permit members of the profession to administer injections for cosmetic purposes. The bill was not raised for a public hearing in the Public Health committee and died. The dentists sought a scope of practice committee review of the proposal by the Department of Public Health last year, but it was not selected. We expect to see this proposal reintroduced.

Insurance Coverage for Orthotic Devices

Finally, legislation was introduced to require individual and group health insurance plans to cover activity-specific orthotic devices, as well as prosthetic devices. Senate Bill 1015, An Act Concerning Health Insurance Coverage for Activity-Specific Prosthetic and Orthotic Devices, was referred to the Insurance and Real Estate committee. The committee took no action on the proposal.

Special Session Expected

In September, the General Assembly is expected to convene in a special session to adjust the state’s budget to take into consideration what could be about $1 billion in cuts in federal programs. The major program involved is Medicaid, the state’s health program for low-income needy individuals. We will be monitoring the special session closely and will keep the CPMA board apprised of any issues of concern.

Political Landscape

Regarding the political landscape, Governor Ned Lamont has said he will make a final decision on whether to run for a third term sometime this summer. So far, he appears inclined to go for it. He might face a challenge from a Democrat legislator on the progressive side, state Rep. Josh Elliott of Hamden, a deputy speaker of the House.  Meanwhile, several Republicans are considering a run for the office: New Britain Mayor Erin Stewart, Westport First Selectwoman Jennifer Tooker and state Senator Ryan Fazio, who represents Greenwich, Stamford and New Canaan.

In closing, the government relations team appreciates the assistance and support that we received this legislative session from CPMA President Adam Mucinskas, DPM, legislative chair Gabe Gambardella, DPM, the CPMA board as well as all of the CPMA members. A potential Special Session this fall is expected be called for the purpose of adjusting the state budget due to federal budget cuts. We will keep you apprised of that process and will be monitoring healthcare programs like Medicaid very closely.