Currently, a pharmacist may supervise no more than 3 pharmacy technicians. The bill allows a pharmacist to supervise up to 6 pharmacy technicians. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
By March 31, 2018, and by each March 31 thereafter through March 31, 2020, the bill requires health insurers to submit to the commissioner of insurance (commissioner) information regarding pharmaceuticals covered under individual and group health insurance plans in prior years. Carriers are to report the following information, separately stated with regard to individual and group market segments: The total pharmaceutical costs, including cost-sharing amounts paid by insured persons, and the aggregate net pharmaceuticals costs, after negotiated rebates and discounts; The net cost of pharmaceuticals, expressed as a percentage of total medical costs; and A list of the drug classes of the 10 pharmaceuticals that were most dispensed and had the highest gross spending. The bill also requires carriers providing or administering state group benefit plans for state employees to report the pharmaceutical cost data. The commissioner is directed to aggregate and analyze the data and submit an annual report to the governor and specified legislative committees on trends in pharmaceutical drug costs in the insurance market, including most-prescribed and highest-cost pharmaceuticals. The commissioner is authorized to adopt rules as necessary to implement the requirements of the bill. The reporting requirements are repealed on January 31, 2021. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill establishes parameters under which a direct primary care agreement (agreement) may be implemented. An agreement may be entered into between a direct primary health care provider (provider) and a patient for the payment of a periodic fee and for a specified period of time. The provider must be a licensed, registered, or certified individual or entity authorized to provide primary care services. The bill establishes that the agreement is not the business of insurance or the practice of underwriting and does not fall under regulation of the division of insurance. The bill outlines the conditions under which a provider may discontinue care to a patient. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The bill provides immunity from civil and criminal liability for a person who forcibly enters a locked vehicle for the purpose of rendering assistance to an at-risk person or animal. To receive immunity, the person must: Ensure the vehicle is not a law enforcement vehicle; Have a reasonable belief that the person or animal is in imminent danger of death or suffering serious bodily injury; Verify the vehicle is locked; Make a reasonable effort to locate the owner or operator of the vehicle; Contact a law enforcement or other first responder agency prior to forcibly entering the vehicle and not interfere with the actions of any such responding law enforcement agency; Use no more force than reasonably necessary to enter the locked vehicle; Remain with the at-risk person or animal in a safe location close to the vehicle until law enforcement or other first responder arrives at the scene; except that, if the person rendering assistance has to leave the scene before the owner or operator of the vehicle returns, prior to leaving the scene, the person rendering assistance shall leave a notice on the vehicle with his or her name and contact information and the name and location, if any, of the facility to which he or she took the at-risk person or animal. Also prior to leaving the scene, the person rendering assistance shall contact law enforcement, animal control, or other first responder to provide them with the same information.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Under the 'Farm Products Act', the commissioner of agriculture or his or her designee licenses farm product dealers, small-volume dealers, and their agents. The bill excludes marijuana from the definition of 'farm products' under the act. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill modifies provisions relating to licensed health professionals' access to the electronic prescription drug monitoring program as follows: Allows a health care provider who has authority to prescribe controlled substances, or the provider's designee, to query the program regarding a current patient, regardless of whether the provider is prescribing or considering prescribing a controlled substance to that patient; Specifies that a veterinarian who is authorized to prescribe controlled substances may access the program to inquire about a current patient or client if the veterinarian suspects that the client has committed drug abuse or mistreated an animal; and Specifies that, in addition to accessing the program when dispensing or considering dispensing a controlled substance, a pharmacist or designee of the pharmacist may access the program regarding a current patient to whom the pharmacist is dispensing or considering dispensing a prescription drug.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill prohibits engaging in a nuisance exhibition of motor vehicle exhaust, which is the act of knowingly blowing black smoke through one or more exhaust pipes attached to a motor vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 14,000 pounds or less in a manner that would harass another driver, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian and obstruct or obscure the view of another driver, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian. A person who violates the prohibition commits a class A traffic infraction, punishable by a fine of $100. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission. Current law specifies that an employer in a statewide pension plan administered by the fire and police pension association may modify its status in the plan through a vote of the members of the plan. In some cases, a modification must be approved by 65% of the members employed by the employer, and in other cases, a modification must be approved by 65% of the members employed by the employers who vote in the election for the modification. The bill creates a uniform approval standard by requiring that any modifications be approved by 65% of the members employed by the employer who vote in the election for the plan modification. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The bill clarifies that the Colorado dental board may promulgate rules for the use of lasers for dental and dental hygiene purposes within the defined scopes of practice and with appropriate supervision. The bill makes clarifications as to what is considered the practice of unsupervised dental hygiene. The bill also corrects a statutory reference. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
