The bill requires the commissioner of insurance to conduct an actuarial analysis to determine if the sale of catastrophic health plans to Colorado residents 30 years of age and older and not meeting a hardship requirement would result in a reduction in advanced premium tax credits received by Colorado residents or increase the average premiums of individual health plans. If the actuarial analysis demonstrates that there would not be a reduction in advanced premiums tax credits or an increase in average premiums of individual health plans, the commissioner shall apply to the secretary of the United States department of health and human services for a 5-year waiver of the federal law restricting catastrophic health plans offered through the Colorado health benefit exchange. The waiver, if approved, would permit the offering of catastrophic health plans to any individual residing in Colorado rather than only individuals under the age of 30 or meeting a hardship requirement. Catastrophic health plans under the waiver must only be sold through the health benefit exchange and would not be eligible for advanced premium tax credits. If the waiver is denied, the statutory section is repealed. The bill appropriates $9,200 to the department of regulatory agencies for use by the division of insurance for personal services. (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 a new license, referred to as a 'freestanding emergency department license', for the department of public health and environment (CDPHE) to issue on or after July 1, 2021, to a health facility that offers emergency care, that may offer primary and urgent care services, and that is either: Owned or operated by, or affiliated with, a hospital or hospital system and is located more than 250 yards from the main campus of the hospital; or Independent from and not operated by or affiliated with a hospital or hospital system and is not attached to or situated within 250 yards of, or contained within, a hospital. The state board of health is to adopt rules regarding the new license, including rules to set licensure requirements and fees, safety and care standards, and staffing requirements. A health facility with a freestanding emergency department license is limited in the amount of facility fees the facility can charge patients. CDPHE may fine or take action on the license of a freestanding emergency department that charges facility fees in violation of the limits established in the bill, in accordance with the rules established by the state board of health. The bill appropriates $29,411 from the health facilities general licensure cash fund to the department of public health and environment to implement the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill requires the department of health care policy and financing (department), in consultation with the Colorado healthcare affordability and sustainability enterprise board, to develop and prepare an annual report detailing uncompensated hospital costs and the different categories of expenditures made by general hospitals in the state (hospital expenditure report). In compiling the hospital expenditure report, the department shall use publicly available data sources whenever possible. Each general hospital in the state is required to make available to the department certain information, including: Hospital cost reports submitted to the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services; Annual audited financial statements; except that, if a hospital is part of a consolidated or combined group, the hospital may submit a consolidated or combined financial statement if the group's statement separately identifies the information for each of the group's licensed hospitals; Utilization and staffing information and standard units of measure; and Information accessed through a secure, online data collection and reporting system that provides a central location for the collection and analysis of hospital utilization and financial data. The hospital expenditure report must include, but not be limited to: A description of the methods of analysis and definitions of report components by payer group; Uncompensated care costs by payer group; and The percentage that different categories of expenses contribute to overall expenses of hospitals. The department is required to submit the hospital expenditure report to the governor, specified committees of the general assembly, and the medical services board in the department. The department is also directed to post the hospital expenditure report on the department's website. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Sunset Process - House Health, Insurance, and Environment Committee. The bill continues the consumer insurance council through September 1, 2028, and repeals the authority for the council to issue consumer's choice awards to health insurers.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
An agreement among physicians may contain a covenant not to compete, under which a physician who leaves the group practice may be compelled to pay damages if he or she solicits patients who are former or prospective patients of the group practice. The bill makes an exception in the case of patients with a rare disorder, as determined in accordance with nationally recognized criteria, who would otherwise not have ready access to a physician with the necessary expertise to treat the disorder. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill requires the department of public health and environment to provide individualized patient information from the department's EMS agency patient care database to health information organization networks for any use allowed under the federal 'Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996' (HIPAA). By contract with health information organization networks, the department must control access to patient information and limit the use of patient information to only those purposes allowed under HIPAA. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill: Limits the fee to cover a landlord's costs for a personal reference check or for obtaining a consumer credit report or tenant screening report; Requires a landlord to provide each prospective tenant with written notice of the landlord's tenant selection criteria and the grounds upon which a rental application may be denied before accepting an application or collecting an application fee; and Requires a landlord to provide a prospective tenant with an adverse action notice if the landlord takes adverse action on a prospective tenant after reviewing the prospective tenant's rental application.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill amends provisions related to the continued collection of fees related to wholesale food manufacturing and storage. Specifically, the bill: Establishes an across-the-board annual application fee of $100; Specifies that a nonprofit facility, grain storage facility, brewery, brew pub, winery, or distiller of spirituous liquors is required to pay only the annual $100 application fee; Provides that wholesale food manufacturers or storage facilities with gross annual sales of less than $150,000 are required to pay the annual $100 application fee plus an additional registration fee of $60; Provides that wholesale food manufacturers or storage facilities with gross annual sales of $150,000 or more are required to pay the annual $100 application fee plus an additional registration fee of $300; and Increases the fee for a certificate of free sale from the existing $128 to $150. The bill also removes the repeal date from statute. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Sunset Process - Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee. The bill implements one of the two recommendations contained in the department of regulatory agencies' (department) sunset report on the regulation of landscape architects by the division of professions and occupations, including the state board of landscape architects (board). Sections 1 and 2 of the bill implement recommendation 1 of the sunset report to continue the licensing of landscape architects for 11 years, until 2028.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill prohibits a carrier from requiring a covered person to undergo step therapy: When being treated for a terminal condition; or If the covered person has tried a step-therapy-required drug under a health benefit plan and the drug was discontinued by the manufacturer. A carrier that requires step therapy must have an override process for health care providers. 'Step therapy' is defined as a protocol that requires a covered person to use a prescription drug or sequence of prescription drugs, other than the drug that the covered person's health care provider recommends for the covered person's treatment, before the carrier provides coverage for the recommended drug. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)