Our Work
Another legislative session is in the history books. It’s going to be a short entry. Maybe a sentence or two, especially when it comes to health policy.
Instead of winding down slowly, the 2015 legislative session was more of a mad dash to the finish. Several longtime staffers and lobbyists said that they could not remember a session with more bills to be decided in the final days. CHI was watching a few of the bills caught up in the action.
Congress has passed a bipartisan health care law. Yes, you read that correctly. And it has consequences for thousands of Colorado kids.
Tense discussions on the budget have marked the 2015 legislative session from Day One, when Senate President Bill Cadman (R) chose to focus his chamber’s first introduced bill on TABOR refunds.
Governor John Hickenlooper outlined his five-point plan to address what he calls Colorado’s budget “contradictions” in an April 16 letter to lawmakers. The governor’s proposal lays out options to free up more state money for areas such as education and transportation, including reclassifying the Hospital Provider Fee.
With less than a month remaining in the 2015 legislative session, a few recently introduced bills deal with health, such as expanding the capability of dental hygienists and limiting out-of-network charges for consumers. Only 28 days are left until legislators adjourn, and much remains to be settled.
With less than a month remaining in the 2015 legislative session, a few recently introduced bills deal with health, such as expanding the capability of dental hygienists and limiting out-of-network charges for consumers. Only 28 days are left until legislators adjourn, and much remains to be settled.
Legislators often say they can’t wave a magic wand and make money appear. Savvy budget experts, though, know that Colorado legislators do have the policy equivalent of a magic wand. A $600 million magic wand. It’s called the Hospital Provider Fee.
Health care legislation continues to move through the Capitol, but most of the action for the next few weeks will involve the budget.
The Joint Budget Committee is meeting all week to finalize the budget for fiscal year 2015-16, which soon will command most of the time at the legislature. But several other health bills have been moving through the Capitol.
Issues raised in the King vs. Burwell case could lead to yet another lawsuit against the Affordable Care Act, according to members of the panel assembled by the Colorado Health Institute for last week's Brews and Views event.