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H_HIE_2017A 03/30/2017 Committee Summary

Final

STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING



HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, INSURANCE, & ENVIRONMENT

Date: 03/30/2017
ATTENDANCE
Time: 02:34 PM to 06:35 PM
Beckman
*
Buckner
X
Place: HCR 0107
Covarrubias
*
Humphrey
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Jackson
X
Representative Ginal
Kennedy
X
Landgraf
X
This Report was prepared by
Lontine
X
Vanessa Conway
Ransom
X
Esgar
X
Ginal
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB17-1080

HB17-1235

SB17-190

HB17-1264

SB17-088
Amended, Referred to House Appropriations

Amended, Referred to House Appropriations

Referred to the Committee of the Whole

Referred to House Appropriations

Referred to the Committee of the Whole





02:34 PM -- HB 17-1080



Representative Young presented House Bill 17-1080, along with a handout (Attachment A) and amendment L.001 (Attachment B). The bill clarifies and modifies the licensing requirements for durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers in several areas. First, it requires DME suppliers who currently bill or plan to bill the Colorado Medicaid program in the current calendar year to be licensed by the Secretary of State's Office (SOS), and removes language from statute requiring licensure based on a supplier's intent to competitively bid to supply certain products. Second, it requires that each location of the DME supplier be located within 100 miles of a Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary to whom the supplier provides medical equipment, and that the license applicant attest that each location meets this requirement. Third, it clarifies that certain suppliers are not required to be licensed if they only provide services related to insulin infusion pumps or mail order diabetes testing supplies.



170330 AttachA.pdf170330 AttachA.pdf170330 AttachB.pdf170330 AttachB.pdf



02:39 PM --
Jason Hopfer, representing the Bone Growth Stimulator Coalition, testified against the bill.



02:42 PM --
Elizabeth Rosen, representing the Bone Growth Stimulator Coalition, testified against the bill.









02:48 PM --
Doug Coleman, representing the Colorado Association for Medical Equipment Suppliers, testified in support of the bill.



02:55 PM --
Kelli Ore, representing Rocky Mountain Medical Equipment, testified in support of the bill.



03:03 PM --
Kenneth Snyder, representing Nepenthe Home Medical Equipment, testified in support of the bill.

BILL: HB17-1080
TIME: 03:07:25 PM
MOVED: Landgraf
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment B) to House Bill 17-1080. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED: Jackson
VOTE
Beckman
Buckner
Covarrubias
Excused
Humphrey
Jackson
Kennedy
Landgraf
Lontine
Ransom
Esgar
Ginal
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL: HB17-1080
TIME: 03:09:48 PM
MOVED: Kennedy
MOTION: Refer House Bill 17-1080, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 6-4.
SECONDED: Lontine
VOTE
Beckman
No
Buckner
Yes
Covarrubias
No
Humphrey
No
Jackson
Yes
Kennedy
Yes
Landgraf
Yes
Lontine
Yes
Ransom
No
Esgar
Yes
Ginal
Excused
Final YES: 6 NO: 4 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



03:15 PM -- HB 17-1235



Representatives Mitsch Bush and Hamner presented House Bill 17-1235 to the committee, along with three handouts (Attachment C, D, and E) and amendments L.001 and L.002 (Attachment F and G). This bill establishes a financial assistance program for persons purchasing health insurance though the state's heath insurance exchange (Connect for Health Colorado) who meet the following conditions:



170330 AttachC.pdf170330 AttachC.pdf170330 AttachD.pdf170330 AttachD.pdf170330 AttachE.pdf170330 AttachE.pdf



• have income between 400 percent and 500 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL);

• have insurance premiums greater than 15 percent of their household income; and

• do not have access to health coverage through a government program or affordable, employer-sponsored health insurance.



The amount of assistance provided is equal to the costs of the least expensive bronze plan available to the enrollee minus 15 percent of household income. Assistance is provided quarterly following the end of a calendar quarter in which an eligible enrollee maintained and paid for a health plan through Connect for Health Colorado. The assistance program will run from July 1, 2017, through December 31, 2018. The financial assistance program may be administered by counties. If a county is not willing to administer the program, Connect for Health Colorado will administer the program for that county. The bill creates a special 60-day open enrollment period starting on June 1, 2017.













03:36 PM --
Lieutenant Governor Donna Lynne testified in support of the bill.



03:53 PM --
Tamara Drengstveit, representing Family & Intercultural Resource Center, testified in support of the bill.



03:56 PM --
Kate Hudnut, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



03:58 PM --
Chris Neuswanger, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.



04:01 PM --
Jill Ryan, Eagle County Commissioner, testified in support of the bill.



04:07 PM -- Rachel Richards, Pitkin County Commissioner, representing Colorado Counties & Commissioners Acting Together, testified in support of the bill.



04:11 PM --
Dan Gibbs, Summit County Commissioner, testified in support of the bill.



04:24 PM --
Debra Judy, representing the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, testified in support of the bill.



04:28 PM --
Kate Harris, representing Connect for Health Colorado, testified in a neutral position.





04:30 PM



Representative Hamner explained L.001 (Attachment F).



170330 AttachF.pdf170330 AttachF.pdf

BILL: HB17-1235
TIME: 04:31:10 PM
MOVED: Kennedy
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment F) to House Bill 17-1235. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED: Lontine
VOTE
Beckman
Buckner
Covarrubias
Humphrey
Jackson
Kennedy
Landgraf
Lontine
Ransom
Esgar
Ginal
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection







04:31 PM



Representative Mitsch Bush explained L.002 (Attachment G).



170330 AttachG.pdf170330 AttachG.pdf

BILL: HB17-1235
TIME: 04:34:32 PM
MOVED: Kennedy
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment G) to House Bill 17-1235. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED: Lontine
VOTE
Beckman
No
Buckner
Yes
Covarrubias
No
Humphrey
No
Jackson
Yes
Kennedy
Yes
Landgraf
No
Lontine
Yes
Ransom
No
Esgar
Yes
Ginal
Yes
YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS







04:38 PM



Representatives Mitsch Bush and Hamner wrapped up their presentation to the committee.

BILL: HB17-1235
TIME: 04:38:42 PM
MOVED: Esgar
MOTION: Refer House Bill 17-1235, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED: Buckner
VOTE
Beckman
No
Buckner
Yes
Covarrubias
No
Humphrey
No
Jackson
Yes
Kennedy
Yes
Landgraf
No
Lontine
Yes
Ransom
No
Esgar
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



04:49 PM -- SB 17-190



Representative Gray presented Senate Bill 17-190 to the committee. This reengrossed bill prohibits insurance carriers that offer benefit plans covering dental services from requiring a participating dentist to provide services at a fee set by, or subject to the approval of, the carrier unless certain conditions are met. Specifically, carriers can only set the fee if the services are covered under a person's policy, and the carrier provides payment for the service under the policy in an amount that is reasonable and not nominal or de minimis.



Under the bill, a dentist may charge a person covered by a dental plan for noncovered items or services in any amount determined by the dentist and agreed to by the patient that is equal to, or less than, the usual and customary price that the dentist charges for such items and services. If an insurance carrier violates the provisions of the bill, the Commissioner of Insurance must institute a corrective plan for the carrier to follow or may use any other available enforcement power to obtain carrier compliance.



04:56 PM --
Sara Orrange, Colorado Association of Health Plans (CAHP), testified in a neutral capacity.



04:58 PM --
Dr. Ken Peters, representing Colorado Dentists' Association, testified in support of the bill.



05:01 PM --
Dr. Steve Nelson, representing Colorado Dentists' Association, testified in support of the bill.











05:13 PM --
Jennifer Goodrum, representing Colorado Dentists' Association, answered committee questions and testified in support of the bill.



05:19 PM



Representative Gray wrapped up his presentation to the committee.

BILL: SB17-190
TIME: 05:23:10 PM
MOVED: Esgar
MOTION: Refer Senate Bill 17-190 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED: Lontine
VOTE
Beckman
Yes
Buckner
Yes
Covarrubias
Yes
Humphrey
Yes
Jackson
Yes
Kennedy
Yes
Landgraf
Yes
Lontine
Yes
Ransom
Yes
Esgar
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



05:24 PM -- HB 17-1264



Representatives Ginal and Lawrence presented House Bill 17-1264 to the committee. The bill adds local Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) ombudsmen to the State Ombudsman's office, and outlines provisions related to the training and authority of the local PACE ombudsmen. The bill specifies time frames for the State PACE ombudsman to complete duties and functions concerning implementation of local PACE ombudsmen, including establishing statewide policies for investigating and resolving complains related to PACE programs and creating a training and certification process for local PACE ombudsmen. The Department of Human Services (DHS) is responsible for operating the local PACE ombudsman program under contract, grant, or agreement between the department and service providers. DHS will report to the Joint Budget Committee and legislative committees of reference concerning the state Long-Term Care Ombudsman and state PACE ombudsman programs.





05:33 PM --
Mindy Kemp, representing DHS, testified in a neutral capacity.



05:36 PM --
Brian Fife, representing the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, answered committee questions.



05:44 PM --
Ryan Long, representing Legislative Council Staff, answered committee questions.











05:47 PM -- Anne Meier, State Long Term Care Ombudsman, testified in support of the bill and presented two handouts (Attachments H and I).



170330 AttachH.pdf170330 AttachH.pdf170330 AttachI.pdf170330 AttachI.pdf



05:52 PM --
Shannon Gimbel, representing Denver Regional Council of Governments, testified in support of the bill.



05:55 PM --
Leah McMahon, State PACE Ombudsman, testified in support of the bill.



05:59 PM --
Christine Johnson, representing the Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the bill.





06:01 PM



Representatives Ginal and Lawrence wrapped up their presentation to the committee.

BILL: HB17-1264
TIME: 06:05:15 PM
MOVED: Ginal
MOTION: Refer House Bill 17-1264 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED: Kennedy
VOTE
Beckman
Yes
Buckner
Yes
Covarrubias
Yes
Humphrey
Yes
Jackson
Yes
Kennedy
Yes
Landgraf
Yes
Lontine
Yes
Ransom
Yes
Esgar
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS







06:06 PM -- SB 17-088



Representatives Van Winkle and Hooton presented Senate Bill 17-088 to the committee. If a health insurer offers a tiered network, the reengrossed bill requires the health insurer to develop and use standards for selecting and tiering participating providers. The insurer is required to make the standards available to the Commissioner of Insurance, participating healthcare providers, and the public. Selection and tiering standards cannot:



• allow the insurer to discriminate against high-risk populations by excluding or tiering providers based on their location in a geographic area that contains high-risk populations; or

• exclude providers because they treat or specialize in treating high-risk patients.



The bill requires that at least 60 days prior to implementing a decision to terminate or place a provider in a tiered network, that an insurer provide written notice to the provider with an explanation of the reasons for the decision, and to inform the provider of the right to request the insurer to reconsider the decision. The bill requires insurers to establish a reconsideration process with specific deadlines.



The commissioner and Division of Insurance staff are prohibited from arbitrating, mediating, or settling disputes regarding a decision not to include a provider in a network or tiered network or regarding any dispute between an insurer, the insurer's intermediary, or providers. However, if the commissioner determines that an insurer has violated the provisions of this bill, the commissioner must require the insurer to follow a corrective action plan and may use enforcement powers available under current insurance law.



06:19 PM --
Sara Orrange, representing Colorado Association of Health Plans, testified in a neutral capacity.



06:23 PM --
Jennifer Souders, representing Colorado Medical Group Management Association and Hilltop Family Physicians, testified in support of the bill.





06:29 PM --
Ali Schmidt, representing the Colorado Hospital Association, testified in support of the bill.

BILL: SB17-088
TIME: 06:33:53 PM
MOVED: Landgraf
MOTION: Refer Senate Bill 17-088 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-1.
SECONDED: Jackson
VOTE
Beckman
Yes
Buckner
Yes
Covarrubias
Yes
Humphrey
No
Jackson
Yes
Kennedy
Yes
Landgraf
Yes
Lontine
Yes
Ransom
Yes
Esgar
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS






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