The bill requires a freestanding emergency department (FSED), whether operated by a hospital at a separate, off-campus location or operating independently of a hospital system, to provide any individual that enters the FSED seeking treatment a written statement of patient information, which an FSED staff member or health care provider must explain orally and which must indicate that: The facility is an emergency medical facility that treats emergency medical conditions; For FSEDs that do not include an urgent care clinic on site, the facility is not an urgent care center or primary care provider; For FSEDs that includes an urgent care clinic on site, the facility contains an urgent care center and operates at specified hours; The FSED will screen and treat the individual regardless of ability to pay; The individual has a right to ask questions about treatment options and costs and to receive prompt and reasonable responses; The individual has a right to reject treatment; The FSED encourages the individual to defer questions until after being screened for an emergency medical condition; and The facility will provide the patient a more comprehensive statement of patient's rights after initial screening or treatment, as applicable. The state board of health is authorized to update the patient information statement contents, by rule, as necessary. Additionally, an FSED must post a sign that states 'This is an emergency medical facility that treats emergency medical conditions.' The sign must also indicate whether the facility contains an urgent care clinic. After conducting an initial screening and determining that a patient does not have an emergency medical condition or after treatment has been provided to stabilize an emergency medical condition, the FSED must provide the patient a written disclosure that: Specifies whether the facility accepts patients enrolled in medicaid, medicare, the children's basic health plan, or TRICARE; Lists the particular health insurance provider networks and carriers with which the FSED participates or states that the FSED is not a participating provider in any provider networks; Specifies the price listed on the FSED's chargemaster or other fee schedule for the 25 most common health care services it provides; Contains the price listed on the FSED's chargemaster or other fee schedule for the facility fees associated with the 25 most common health care services the FSED provides; Contains a statement specifying that the price listed on the chargemaster or fee schedule for any given health care service is the maximum charge that any patient will be billed and that the actual charge for a health care service may be lower based on health insurance benefits and the availability of discounts and financial assistance; Contains a statement urging a person covered by health insurance to contact his or her health insurer for information about his or her financial responsibility and a person who is uninsured to contact the FSED's financial services office to discuss payment options and the availability of financial assistance prior to receiving health care services; Contains information about the facility fees that the FSED charges; and Includes the FSED's website address where the disclosure may be located. The FSED must also post the information in the written disclosure on its website and update the written and web-based disclosure at least once every 6 months. Additionally, the FSED must provide all information in a clear and understandable manner and in languages appropriate to the communities and patients it serves. The state board of health is authorized to adopt rules to implement and enforce the requirements of the bill. $34,725 is appropriated from the health facilities general licensure cash fund to the health facilities and emergency medical services division in the department of public health and environment for administration and operations. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
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The bill defines 'case management agency' and adds a case management agency to the definition of 'provider' that provides services and supports to persons with developmental disabilities. The bill requires providers and service agencies to operate pursuant to department of health care policy and financing rules. Under existing law, a person with a developmental disability cannot maintain a liability action against a provider unless the person claiming the injury has filed for dispute resolution by the department of human services or a community-centered board. The bill adds the department of health care policy and financing and case management agencies to the list of entities to which a person may file for dispute resolution. The bill identifies a person with a developmental disability who is served in a residential setting as a tenant of the provider and allows property rights to accrue for such a tenant. Under existing law, a provider that accepts a referral for community placement from the department of human services is not subject to liability for accepting the person for community placement. The bill removes liability when accepting a referral from the department of health care policy and financing. Except in emergencies, the bill requires person-centered planning to occur prior to removing a person with a developmental disability from a residential setting when the person may be at risk of abuse, neglect, mistreatment, exploitation, or other harm. In an emergency, such person-centered planning must occur as soon as possible following removal. The bill authorizes case management agencies to remove a person with a developmental disability from a residential setting and subjects those agencies to the same standards of liability as other entities authorized to remove such persons from residential settings. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill allows an insurance producer or broker advising a client on individual health benefit plans to charge the client a fee if the producer or broker does not receive a commission related to the individual health benefit plan selected by the client and if the producer or broker discloses in writing the fee to the client. The commissioner of insurance shall promulgate rules regarding how the producer or broker must provide the fee disclosure. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Current law requires each Colorado bank that engages in electronic funds transfers to provide certain protections to each "account holder", which is defined as a person having an established demand, savings, or loan account at a Colorado bank. The bill amends the law to require banks to provide such protections to each "consumer", which is defined as an individual who enters into a transaction primarily for personal, family, or household purposes. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force. The bill requires the department of revenue to issue a request for information for an electronic sales and use tax simplification system that the state or any local government that levies a sales or use tax, including a home rule municipality and county, could choose to use that would provide administrative simplification to the state and local sales and use tax system.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
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The bill creates the aviation special license plate. In addition to the standard motor vehicle fees, the plate requires 2 one-time fees of $25. One of the fees is credited to the highway users tax fund and the other to the licensing services cash fund. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill eliminates certain mandatory conditions of parole while preserving the discretion of the state board of parole (board) and parole officers to impose such conditions. Specifically, the bill removes the requirement that: The board fix the manner and time of payment of restitution as a condition of every parole; Every parolee obtain the knowledge and consent of his or her community parole officer before changing residence, instead requiring a parolee to notify his or her parole officer before any change of residence; Every parolee submit to urinalysis or other drug tests; Every parolee not associate with any other person on parole, on probation, or with a criminal record or with any inmate of a correctional facility without the permission of his or her community parole officer; and The board require every parolee at the parolee's own expense to submit to random chemical testing of a biological substance sample from the parolee to determine the presence of drugs or alcohol.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates the sales and use tax simplification task force (task force) made up of legislative members and state and local sales and use tax experts. The bill requires the task force to study sales and use tax simplification between the state and local governments, and in particular between the state and home rule jurisdictions. The task force is: Authorized to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources in order to meet its goals; Subject to sunset review in 3 years; and Required to make an annual report to the legislative council that may or may not include recommendations for legislation.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill creates the 'Colorado Uninsured Employer Act' to create a new mechanism for the payment of covered claims to workers who are injured while employed by employers who do not carry workers' compensation insurance. The bill creates the Colorado uninsured employer fund, which consists of penalties from employers who do not carry workers' compensation insurance. The bill creates the uninsured employer board to establish the criteria for the payment of benefits, to set rates, to adjust claims, and to adopt rules. The board is required to adopt, by rule, a plan of operation to administer the fund and to institute procedures to collect money due to the fund. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)