Colorado Bills

With certain exceptions, for health benefit plans that are issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2027, the bill requires a health-care insurance carrier (carrier) to include a primary care provider as a participating provider in all networks, including narrow networks and all tiers of tiered networks, of the carrier's health benefit plan if the primary care provider is: Licensed to practice in Colorado; Certified or accredited by a national association for the certification or accreditation of primary care providers; Enrolled in an alternative payment model; and Credentialed by federal law to receive reimbursement for the provision of care to patients receiving benefits from medicaid. On or before December 31, 2025, the commissioner of insurance must promulgate rules to implement the bill, including rules: Establishing criteria and a process for determining whether a primary care provider meets the criteria; and Establishing a schedule for contracted reimbursements issued to primary care providers who participate in a health benefit plan. The division of insurance must contract with an actuary to determine a minimum reimbursement schedule for alternative payment models. The schedule: Must ensure that primary care providers are reimbursed at rates that are at least equal to the reimbursement rates established in law for purposes of the Colorado standardized health benefit plan; Must include adjustments for regional cost of living variations; and May include incentives for integration of behavioral health-care services and comprehensive care coordination services. If a carrier and a primary care provider do not negotiate and agree to terms of reimbursement, the carrier must compensate the primary care provider in accordance with the schedule for contracted reimbursements established by rule. If a primary care provider employed by a medical group or hospital system leaves the medical group or hospital system to establish an independent practice, the primary care provider may communicate with patients about continuing to see them in the new practice. Under current law, any covenant not to compete provision of an employment, partnership, or corporate agreement between physicians that restricts the right of a physician to practice medicine upon termination of the agreement is void; except that all other provisions of the agreement, including provisions that require the payment of damages in an amount that is reasonably related to the injury suffered by reason of termination of the agreement, are enforceable. Provisions of a covenant not to compete that require the payment of damages upon termination of the agreement may include damages related to competition. The bill: Establishes exceptions to the general prohibition on covenant not to compete provisions; Broadens the scope of the prohibition to apply to any agreement rather than applying only to employment, partnership, and corporate agreements between physicians; Narrows the existing exception to the prohibition to apply only to provisions that require the payment of damages in an amount that is reasonably related to the injury suffered due to a breach, rather than a termination, of the agreement; and Prohibits including in an agreement any of several provisions that require payment of certain types of damages. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The bill prohibits a person from advertising a price for a product, good, or service that does not include all mandatory or nondiscretionary fees or charges. A violation of this prohibition is a deceptive trade practice enforceable by the attorney general or a district attorney. The bill exempts: Advertisements for which a person is required to provide disclosures in compliance with certain federal or state laws or regulations or rules promulgated pursuant to those federal or state laws; Advertisements made in connection with the provision of workers' compensation insurance; Advertisements made by a licensed real estate broker; Air carriers; and Certain professions regulated by the motor vehicle dealer board. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Joint Budget Committee. The bill requires the state treasurer to transfer $120,000 from the unused state-owned real property fund to the general fund on July 1, 2024.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

The constitution guarantees all persons the right to bail pending disposition of charges, with exceptions for capital offenses and crimes of violence under certain circumstances. The concurrent resolution amends the Colorado constitution to add an exception for the offense of murder in the first degree when proof is evident or presumption is great. (Note: This summary applies to this concurrent resolution as adopted.)

The bill clarifies that the naturopathic doctor formulary (formulary) may include prescription classes of medicines and adds certain medicines to the formulary, including all legend drugs and, for a naturopathic doctor with a federal drug enforcement administration registration, all drugs listed on schedules III through V under the "Uniform Controlled Substances Act of 2013", except for benzodiazepines, opioids, and opioid derivatives . Before obtaining, dispensing, administering, injecting, ordering, or prescribing any of the medicines or devices on the formulary, a naturopathic doctor who is currently registered with the department of regulatory agencies must show proof of completion of 10 hours of pharmacological continuing education pertinent to or reflective of the naturopathic formulary. The bill prohibits a naturopathic doctor from prescribing any medicine or device to an individual under 18 years of age, or ketamine to an individual of any age, unless recommended by the naturopathic doctor advisory committee and approved by the director. Beginning September 1, 2024, the bill requires an individual applying for registration as a naturopathic doctor to pass a pharmacology examination administered by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners or a nationally recognized, director-approved successor entity. For the renewal of a naturopathic doctor registration on or after June 1, 2025, the bill requires a naturopathic doctor to complete 12 hours per year of education in pharmacology. (Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.) (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)