Legislative Roundup : What We’re Watching

February 1, 2013
Legislation and Policy

It’s been almost a month since the legislative session got underway, and the Colorado Health Institute has been carefully tracking the health-related bills introduced this year. The Colorado Health Institute does not take positions on bills, but we do closely follow what’s going on at the Capitol. Below is a roundup of some the bills that are relevant to our work that we are closely monitoring.

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

  • Creates the “Breakfast After the Bell Nutrition Program” requiring schools with 70 percent or more students eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch to offer a free breakfast to each student sometime after the first bell of the school day.

HB 13-1015: Disclose Mental Health Claims to All-payer Database
Sponsors: Rep. Tracy Kraft-Tharp (D) and Sen. John Kefalas (D)
Status: Referred Unamended to House Committee of the Whole

  • Repeals the prohibition of small group health plans from disclosing mental health information, thereby enabling small group carriers to report mental health claims data to the all-payer claims database.

HB 13-1063: Emergency Service Providers Critical Care Endorsement
Sponsors: Rep. Leroy Garcia (D) and Sen. Angela Giron (D)
Status: Passed Third Reading in House

  • Directs the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to adopt rules establishing standards for a critical care endorsement for emergency medical service providers (i.e. paramedics). A critical care endorsement would allow emergency medical service providers to perform skills and procedures above traditional training.

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

  • Allows for unannounced inspections of Medicaid providers to align state law with federal requirements.

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

  • Repeals CoverColorado in light of the federal health reform requirement to provide health insurance coverage regardless of preexisting medical conditions. CoverColorado is the health insurance program for residents considered “high risk,” mostly those with preexisting conditions.

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

  • Prohibits the general assembly from using state expenditures to pay for the Medicaid program if the effect decreases expenditures for Colorado’s public schools starting in budget year 2014-2015.

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

  • Eliminates a three month waiting period for children eligible for the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) program.

We will be tracking these bills – and many others – throughout the session and will be updating this list every other week. Stay tuned!