Sen. Irene Aguilar

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The bill recreates the former health care task force, renamed as the statewide health care review committee, to study health care issues that affect Colorado residents throughout the state. The committee consists of the members of the house of representatives committees on health, insurance, and environment and on public health care and human services and the senate committee on health and human services. The committee is permitted to meet up to 2 times during the interim between legislative sessions, including 2 field trips. For the 2018-19 fiscal year, the bill appropriates $23,951 from the general fund to the legislative 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 prohibits a carrier or entity that offers a vision care plan from requiring an eye care provider with whom the carrier or entity contracts to: Provide services or materials to a covered person at a fee set by, or subject to the approval of, the carrier or entity unless certain conditions are met; Charge a covered person for noncovered services or noncovered materials in any amount less than the usual and customary amount that the eye care provider charges individuals who do not have coverage for such materials and services; or Participate, as a condition of participation in a vision plan, in any of the carrier's or entity's other vision plan networks. The bill prohibits a carrier or entity from changing the terms of a contract between the carrier or entity and an eye care provider without communication with the eye care provider. The bill requires the commissioner of insurance to institute a corrective action plan or use any of the commissioner's enforcement powers against a carrier or entity that is not in compliance with the above requirements. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

The bill allows, with board approval, a community college that is part of the state system of community and technical colleges (community college) to offer a bachelor of science degree in nursing as a completion degree (nursing degree). In considering a request from a community college to offer a nursing degree, the board shall consider student and workforce demand, cost effectiveness for students, and accreditation and licensing requirements. At least 90 days prior to requesting board approval to offer a nursing degree, a community college shall provide notice of its request to all state institutions of higher education. A reporting requirement is added providing that each state-supported institution of higher education that offers a nursing degree provide the department of higher education with an annual report concerning its nursing degree program. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

The bill requires hospitals, other than critical access hospitals, that are exempt from state or local taxes to report information about the tax benefits they receive and the community benefits they provide. The bill creates a hospital community benefits advisory council within the department of health care policy and financing to accept and analyze hospital reports. The executive director of the department is required to adopt rules, in consultation with the advisory council, specifying when hospitals are to submit the reports, the form and manner of reporting the required data, the categories of community benefits they provide and the services that constitute a community benefit, and related matters. Upon analyzing hospital data, the advisory council is to: Make recommendations to the executive director regarding any modifications needed to the hospital reporting requirements as specified in rules; and Provide annual reports to specified legislative committees regarding the hospital data and any legislative recommendations. The advisory council and hospital reporting requirements are subject to sunset review in 2021, with repeal of the advisory council and hospital reporting requirements scheduled for September 1, 2022. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More

Current law prohibits a health care provider who receives reimbursement through the state's medical assistance program (medicaid) from making referrals for medical services to an entity owned or controlled by the provider or an immediate family member of the provider. The bill extends this prohibition to include all health care providers, not only those who receive reimbursement through medicaid. Sections 2 and 3 of the bill make the prohibited referrals a deceptive trade practice under the 'Colorado Consumer Protection Act', entitling any person harmed by the violator's conduct to damages, including treble damages in a case involving bad-faith conduct. In addition to these private remedies, the Colorado attorney general is authorized to seek injunctions and civil penalties, require reimbursement of charges collected, and refer violators for investigation of insurance fraud. Section 4 allows insurers to withhold payment of questionable charges pending investigation pursuant to the prompt payment statute.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More

The bill: Prohibits a pharmaceutical manufacturer or wholesaler from price gouging on sales of essential off-patent or generic drugs; Makes the practice of price gouging a deceptive trade practice under the 'Colorado Consumer Protection Act'; and Requires the state board of pharmacy and the executive director of the department of health care policy and financing to report suspected price gouging to the attorney general. The attorney general is authorized to seek subpoenas and file lawsuits with the appropriate district courts.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More

The bill creates the 'Colorado Wholesale Importation of Prescription Drugs Act', under which the department of health care policy and financing (department) must design a program to import prescription pharmaceuticals from Canada for sale to Colorado consumers. The program design must ensure both drug safety and cost savings for Colorado consumers. The department must submit the program design to the secretary of the United States department of health and human services and request the secretary's approval of the program as meeting the requirements of federal law to import Canadian pharmaceutical products. If the secretary approves the program, the department must implement the program. The department must adopt a funding mechanism to cover the program's administrative costs, and the department must annually report on the program to the general assembly. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.) , Read More

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Committee on Cost-benefit Analysis of Legalized Marijuana in Colorado. The state constitution grants a person the authority to assist another person in cultivating medical and recreational marijuana plants. The bill states that a person is not in compliance with the authority to assist another individual and is subject to marijuana cultivation criminal offenses and penalties if the person possesses any marijuana plant that he or she is growing on behalf of another individual, unless he or she is the primary caregiver for the individual and is in compliance with the requirements of section 25-1.5-106. The bill creates the gray and black market marijuana enforcement grant program (grant program) in the division of local government in the department of local affairs (division). The grant program awards grants to local governments to reimburse the local governments, in part or in full, for law enforcement and prosecution costs associated with gray and black marijuana markets. A rural local government has priority in receiving grants. The general assembly may appropriate money from the marijuana tax cash fund or the proposition AA refund account to the division for the grant program. The bill appropriates $5,945,392 from the marijuana tax cash fund to the division to fund the grant program. The division shall adopt policies and procedures for the administration of the grant program, including rules related to the application process and the grant award criteria. The division shall include information regarding the effectiveness of the grant program in its SMART presentation beginning in November 2019. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)