Legislative Roundup 2: What We’re Watching

February 15, 2013
Legislation and Policy

Since our last legislative roundup, many health-related bills have been introduced. The Colorado Health Institute is closely monitoring them. In this week’s list, we included the bills from the last round-up and updated their status. We’ve also added several new bills and summaries. 

It is important to note that the Colorado Health Institute does not take positions on bills, but we do closely follow the latest happenings at the Capitol. Below is a roundup of the bills we are watching.

HB 13-1175: Higher Education Funding Before Medicaid Expansion
Sponsors: Rep. Brian DelGrosso (R)
Status:  Assigned to House Public Health Care and Human Services Committee and Appropriations

  • Limits the expansion of Medicaid to newly eligible persons until the general fund appropriation to higher education is at least $747 million.

HB 13-1196: Report Waste-Prevention Methods of Accountable Care Collaborative
Sponsors: Rep. Amy Stephens (R)
Status: Assigned to House Public Health Care and Human Services

  • Directs the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to identify and implement cost-containment practices to reduce avoidable, duplicative, variable, and inappropriate use of health care resources, and to combat client or provider fraud.

SB 13-023: Increase Damages Caps Under CGIA
Sponsors: Sen. Bill Cadman (R) and Sen. John Morse (D)
Status: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee

  • Increases the maximum amount that may be recovered by a person suing a public entity or employee under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (CGIA).

SB 13-111: Require Reports Of Elder Abuse And Exploitation
Sponsors: Rep. Sue Schafer (D), Rep. Amy Stephens (R) and Sen. Evie Hudak (D)
Status: Assigned to Senate Judiciary Committee

  • Require certain professionals to report abuse or exploitation of an at-risk elder (age 70 or older), or risk of abuse or exploitation, to a law enforcement agency within 24 hours of observation or discovery. Failing to do so results in criminal action. A person who reports an incident of abuse or exploitation to a law enforcement agency is immune from a civil action or criminal prosecution if the report was made in good faith.

SB 13-137: Improving Medicaid Fraud Detection
Sponsors: Sen. Ellen Roberts (R)
Status: Assigned to Senate Health and Human Services Committee

  • Directs the chief information officer of the Office of Information Technology to design and implement a Medicaid fraud detection system for the purpose of detecting and preventing Medicaid provider and client fraud, waste, and abuse.

Updates from our last bill roundup:

HB 13-1006: K-12 Breakfast After The Bell Nutrition Program
Sponsors: Rep. Dominick Moreno (D), Rep. Thomas Exum Sr. (D) and Sen. Angela Giron (D)
Status: Referred Amended to Appropriations

HB 13-1015: Disclose Mental Health Claims to All-payer Database
Sponsors: Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D) and Sen. John Kefalas (D)
Status: Introduced in Senate – Assigned to Health and Human Services

HB 13-1063: Emergency Service Providers Critical Care Endorsement
Sponsors: Rep. Leroy Garcia (D) and Sen. Angela Giron (D)
Status: Introduced in Senate – Assigned to Health and Human Services

HB 13-1068: On-site Inspections Of Medicaid Providers
Sponsors: Rep. Dave Young (D) and Sen. Ellen Roberts (R)
Status: Assigned to House Public Health Care & Human Services Committee

HB 13-1115: CoverColorado Repeal
Sponsors: Rep. Beth McCann (D), Sen. Ellen Roberts (R) and Sen. Pat Steadman (D)
Status: Assigned to House Health, Insurance & Environment Committee

SB 13-006: No Reduction in K-12 Education To Expand Medicaid
Sponsor: Sen. David Balmer (R)
Status: Failed in Committee

SB 13-008: Eliminate Waiting Period Under CHP+
Sponsors: Rep. Beth McCann (D) and Sen. Linda Newell (D)
Status: Referred Amended to Appropriations

Stayed tuned for new bills and updates in the next roundup.