The bill clarifies that a licensed and qualified pharmacist may serve as a practitioner and prescribe over-the-counter medication under the "Colorado Medical Assistance Act" and a statewide drug therapy protocol pursuant to a collaborative pharmacy practice agreement. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
Under current law, a primary caregiver may possess and administer medical marijuana in a nonsmokeable form to a student while the student is at school. The bill allows a school nurse or the school nurse's designee, who may or may not be an employee of the school, or school personnel designated by a parent to also possess and administer medical marijuana to a student at school. The bill provides a school nurse or the school nurse's designee or the school personnel designated by a parent protection from criminal prosecution if he or she possesses and administers medical marijuana to a student at school. The bill requires the medical marijuana storage container or plan for administration to contain clearly labeled dosing, timing, and delivery route instructions from one of the student's recommending physicians. One of the student's recommending physicians shall send any changes to the required dosage, timing, or delivery route to the school nurse and person administering the medical marijuana, if different. The school principal or his or her designee and the student's parent shall agree to a written plan for administering medical marijuana prior to the student starting school. The student's parent or primary caregiver shall deliver the student's medical marijuana to the person designated by the school as the person who secures the medical marijuana before the student starts school and as necessary to replenish the supply. The person who secures the medical marijuana shall place the medical marijuana in a locked storage container. The person who secures the medical marijuana shall return any unused medical marijuana to the student's parent or primary caregiver upon request. The student shall not handle the medical marijuana on the grounds of the school, school bus, or school-sponsored event. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill requires the public utilities commission (commission) to annually publish a 'state of 911' report. The report must address the commission's activities related to 911 service, the current statewide architecture and operations related to 911 service, 911 network reliability and resiliency, any identified gaps or vulnerabilities in 911 service, national trends and activities, funding, and the implementation of next generation 911. The commission is required to consult with public safety answering points, local 911 governing bodies, and statewide organizations representing public safety agencies in creating the report. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Interim Study Committee. The bill restricts the number of opioid pills that a health care practitioner, including physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses, dentists, optometrists, podiatrists, and veterinarians, may prescribe for an initial prescription to a seven-day supply and allows each health care practitioner to exercise discretion to include a second fill for a seven-day supply, unless, in the judgment of the practitioner, the patient: Has chronic pain that typically lasts longer than 90 days or past the time of normal healing, as determined by the podiatrist, or following transfer of care from another podiatrist who prescribed an opioid to the patient; Has been diagnosed with cancer and is experiencing cancer-related pain; or Is experiencing post-surgical pain that, because of the nature of the procedure, is expected to last more than 14 days. Additionally, an advanced practice nurse may prescribe a refill if the patient is undergoing palliative or hospice care. The restrictions repeal on September 1, 2021. Current law allows health care practitioners and other individuals to query the prescription drug monitoring program (program). The bill requires health care practitioners to indicate his or her specialty or practice area upon the initial query and to query the program prior to prescribing the second fill for an opioid unless the person receiving the prescription meets certain requirements. The bill requires the department of public health and environment to report to the general assembly its findings from studies regarding the prescription drug monitoring program conducted pursuant to a federal grant program. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill creates in the department of labor and employment a purple card program that would allow certain persons who came to the United States without legal documentation to apply for a purple card allowing them to work legally in Colorado. The executive director of the department will ensure that the information provided by a purple card applicant remains confidential. The bill appropriates $103,815 to the department 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 hospitals with surgical services and ambulatory surgical centers to adopt a policy to prevent human exposure to surgical smoke. Surgical smoke is a gaseous byproduct produced by energy-generating surgical medical devices. On or before March 1, 2019, the Colorado department of public health and environment shall promulgate rules regarding requirements for surgical smoke evacuation policies. A policy adopted in accordance with the bill applies to surgical procedures performed on or after July 1, 2019.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More
The bill defines in statute an 'individual residential services and supports provider' (individual provider) as an individual who provides residential services and supports in his or her home to one or more persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities who receive comprehensive services and who are not related to the individual provider. The bill grants authority to the department of health care policy and financing to promulgate rules and adopt the federal department of housing and urban development housing quality standards for individual providers. The bill also grants the department of health care policy and financing, together with the division of housing, the authority to inspect individual providers for compliance with standards, as well as permissible corrective actions. The state housing board is granted authority to establish the amount of a fee to be charged to a host home provider or an individual residential services and supports provider to cover the direct and indirect costs incurred by the division of housing in performing inspections of such residences. A cash fund is created for the deposit of the fees and any other appropriations as necessary. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
As part of the Colorado oil and gas conservation commission's (commission) authority to regulate oil and gas operations to prevent and mitigate significant adverse environmental impacts to protect public health, safety, and welfare, the commission requires oil and gas production facilities and wells to be located at least 1,000 feet from school buildings and other high occupancy buildings. The bill clarifies that the minimum 1,000-foot distance from which newly permitted oil and gas production facilities and wells must be located from any school applies to the school property line and not the school building. The bill further clarifies that the minimum distance requirement does not apply if a school commences operations near oil and gas facilities or wells that are already actively in use or permitted; except that the minimum 1,000-foot distance applies to real property owned by a school district on which a future permanent or temporary school building is planned to be constructed within 5 years. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
The bill imposes requirements on health care facilities, health care providers, pharmacies, and health insurers, starting January 1, 2019, to disclose information about health care charges. Specifically, section 2 of the bill enacts the 'Comprehensive Health Care Billing Transparency Act' (act), which requires health care facilities, including hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, community clinics, and physician practice groups, to: Publish their fee schedules or other lists of charges the facilities bill for specific health care services before applying any discounts, rebates, or other charge adjustment mechanisms; Include in every bill sent to a patient an itemized detail of each health care service provided, the charge for the service, how any payment or adjustment by the patient's health insurer was applied to each line item in the bill, and, for hospitals, the amount of the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee the hospital is charged; and In situations where an individual provides health insurance information to the facility or a provider in a facility setting, disclose whether the facility or provider participates in the individual's health insurance plan; whether the services the facility or provider will render will be covered as an in-network or out-of-network benefit; and whether the individual will receive a service from an out-of-network provider at an in-network facility. For an individual health care provider who provides health care services at a health care facility, has a separate fee schedule for the services the provider delivers in the facility setting, and whose fees for those services are not included in the facility's published fee schedule, the provider must provide a fee schedule to the facility for posting on the facility's website. Section 2 also prohibits a facility or provider from billing a patient or third-party payer an amount in excess of the lower of any established self-pay rate or the lowest rate negotiated with or reimbursed by any third-party payer, including the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services in the United States department of health and human services, for the particular health care services rendered to the patient if the facility or provider has failed to publish or provide its fee schedule. Additionally, section 2 requires a pharmacy to publish a list of its retail drug prices, which is a list of the charges the pharmacy charges to an insured or uninsured person for prescription drugs it administers or dispenses, before any rebates, discounts, or other price adjustment mechanisms are applied. Section 4 specifies that failure to comply with the requirements to publish retail drug prices constitutes grounds for the state board of pharmacy to discipline a pharmacist. Health insurers, facilities, and providers are prohibited from including any provision in a contract between the parties issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2019, that restricts the ability of a provider, facility, or health insurer to provide patients with the charge information required to be published. Section 2 also directs the state board of pharmacy to adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions of the act that are applicable to pharmacies and the executive director of the department of public health and environment to adopt any other rules necessary to implement and administer the act. Section 3 requires health insurers to publish information about contract terms, cost-sharing arrangements, and prescription drug prices. The commissioner of insurance is directed to adopt rules to implement and administer these requirements and is authorized to use enforcement powers under current law to enforce the requirements on health insurers. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) Read More
The bill establishes the medicaid fraud control unit (unit) in the department of law. The unit is responsible for investigation and prosecution of medicaid fraud and waste, as well as patient abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Prior to initiating a criminal prosecution, the unit must consult with the district attorney of the judicial district where the prosecution would be initiated. The department of health care policy and financing is authorized to require medicaid providers to include information about reporting medicaid fraud to the unit in any explanation of benefits provided to a medicaid beneficiary. The bill creates offenses related to making false statements on applications, medicaid fraud, and credit and recovery of medicaid payments. The bill makes it unlawful to receive certain kickbacks, bribes, and rebates related to the administration of a medicaid service. Actions brought under the provisions of the bill must commence within 3 years after the discovery of the offense, but no later than six years after the commission of the offense. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More
