1. CHARM Beverly Razon, Public Affairs Director
Legislative Update
CHARM
Beverly Razon, Public Affairs Director

2. COPIC’s Engagement Strategy
COPIC was intimately involved in the passage of the Health Care Availability Act (HCAA) in The HCAA has afforded physicians a stable environment to practice medicine in Colorado; keeping liability premiums predictable. Over the years, as the HCAA has been challenged at the legislature, COPIC has been the leader in financing campaigns to defend the Act and developing strategies to protect it going forward. COPIC works vigorously at building trusted relationships with candidates, elected officials and regulators. COPIC’s continuous, singular message is the importance of protecting Colorado’s tort reform in order to defend access to safe, quality care.
GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PUBLIC AFFAIRS
RESULTS

3. Colorado’s Political Environment
Executive Branch:
Democratic Governor
John Hickenlooper
General Assembly
Senate
18 Republicans
17 Democrats
House
31 Republicans
34 Democrats

4. Governor’s Priorities
In May 2013, Governor John Hickenlooper announced the administration’s health policy agenda, The State of Health: Colorado’s Commitment to Become the Healthiest State.
The stool has 4 legs:
Prevention
Access
Quality
Cost

5. Legislative Response 2013 Increased the eligibility for Medicaid
Established and funded a state run Health Care Exchange
Created a statewide coordinated behavioral health crisis response system
2014
Created first commission on affordable health care
Increased funding for Medicaid reimbursements and behavior health
Made investments in oral health and health technology
2015
Established the Health Care Exchange Oversight Committee
Reduced training hours to allow APN prescriptive authority
Expanded the types of licensed professionals who may provide mental health care for minors (ages 15 and 18)

6. Current State of Health Affairs
Health policy bills succeeded or failed in nearly equal numbers during a 2015 legislative session largely defined by split party control. The sometimes contentious debates set the stage for a number of issues to return as bills or ballot initiatives in Colorado Health Institute, Legislation in Review Report, 2015
Three key themes marked the session:
Victories for Value: What Worked
Bills designed to increase efficiency in the health care sector by cutting red tape or allowing licensed professionals to expand the scope of their allowed work won bipartisan support.
Vacillating Between Costs and Benefits: What Sometimes Worked
Bills that both parties agreed had merit but carried big price tags saw mixed outcomes. Differing views on the role of government in health care also fell into this category.
Victims of the Culture Wars: What Didn’t Work
Most bills that involved partisan politics and culture war issues failed, almost always in a committee hearing.
- Colorado Health Institute, Legislation in Review Report, 2015

7. 2015 Laws Impacting You HB
CONCERNING COVERAGE UNDER A HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES DELIVERED THROUGH TELEMEDICINE IN ANY AREA OF THE STATE.
Colorado Medical Board Telehealth Policy Revisions

8. 2015 Laws Impacting You HB
CONCERNING THE DONATION OF PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS BY LICENSED HEALTH CARE FACILITIES. HB
CONCERNING THE AUTHORITY FOR A REGISTERED NATUROPATHIC DOCTOR TO TREAT CHILDREN WHO ARE UNDER TWO YEARS OF AGE.
HB15 – 1242
CONCERNING THE RIGHT OF A MEDICAL PATIENT TO DESIGNATE ACAREGIVER TO ASSIST THE PATIENT WITH BASIC TASKS FOLLOWING RELEASE FROM A MEDICAL FACILITY.
SB15-71
CONCERNING THE ABILITY OF A PHARMACIST TO SUBSTITUTE ANINTERCHANGEABLE BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT FOR A PRESCRIBED BIOLOGICAL PRODUCT WHEN CERTAIN CONDITIONS ARE SATISFIED.

9. Questions?
Beverly Razon