Bill Summary for Bill Number HB09-1278

Date: 03/05/2009

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB09-1278

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View-->

Action Taken:

Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.002 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.003 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.004 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.005 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.006 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.007 (Attachmen
Moved to postpone House Bill 09-1278 indefinitely.
Moved to refer amended House Bill 09-1278 to the C

Pass Without Objection
FAIL
FAIL
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
FAIL
PASS
FAIL

05:24 PM -- House Bill 09-1278

Representative Frangas presented House Bill 09-1278. He stated that he had several amendments to the bill and would explain the bill as amended.

He stated that Sections 1 and 2 allow the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to increase the federal poverty level for persons eligible for the Children's Basic Health Plan to the maximum permitted under federal law. He stated that two amendments will be offered in for these sections, amendment L.003 and L.004 (Attachment D and E).

He stated that Section 3 establishes a state navigator for the Medicare Prescription Drug program. He stated he will offer no amendments to the section.
He stated Sections 4 through 10 address improving the Colorado Cares Rx Program. He stated that no amendment will be offered to this section.
He stated Section 11, which would require the state department to pay reasonable attorney fees regarding appeals, will be struck with the adoption of amendment L.007 (Attachment H).
He stated that Sections 12 through 14 address chronic disease. He stated he will not offer any amendments to these sections.
He stated that Section 15 will be struck with the adoption of amendment L.005 (Attachment F).

He stated that Sections 16 through 20 addressed home care placement agencies. He stated that these sections will be struck with amendment L.002 which establishes a task force to study licensure of home care placement agencies (Attachment C).
Representative Frangas stated that amendment L.006 adds Section 22 which allows, rather than requires, recipients to obtain maintenance medications through mail order (Attachment G).

05:54 PM -- Mark Simon spoke in support of the bill. He stated that one of the recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform was to increase eligibility for the state's Children's Basic Health Plan (CHP+). He stated there is a need for a Medicare navigator because the program is very complicated. He stated that providing health care to the unemployed is crucial.

06:03 PM -- Adam Eichberg, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE), spoke specifically to Sections 16 through 21 of the bill. He stated that last year, Senate Bill 08-153 established protocol for licensing of home care agencies. He stated that the act required home care agencies to register with the department, perform a criminal history record check of new employees. The act also requires home care placement agencies to perform a criminal history check for persons seeking placement. Mr. Eichberg stated that the department has several concerns with amendment L.002 because as the amendment would establish a task force to study home care agencies, the amendment does not include the DPHE as a member on the task force (Attachment C). He also stated the department has concerns with how the department will administer the task force within its current budget.

06:15 PM -- Eileen Doherty, Colorado Genealogical Society, spoke in support of Section 3 of the bill which establishes the Medicare Navigator position to aid individuals working in the Medicare Prescription Drug program. She spoke to the need to regulate home care placement agencies.

06:20 PM -- Cheryl Ternes, Arapahoe County and Colorado Social Services Directors Association, spoke in favor of the bill with the adoption of amendments L.003 and L.004 (Attachments D and E). She stated that the amendments require sufficient funding to counties to fund the CHP+ program at the levels specified in the bill.

06:25 PM -- Karen Moorehead, Elderlink Companion Care Inc., spoke in support of amendment L.002 which establishes a task force to study the licensure of home care agencies (Attachment C). She spoke for the need to license home care agencies.

06:28 PM -- Rita Lynne, All Generation Home Care, spoke in favor of amendment L.002 which establishes a task force to study home care agency licensure (Attachment C). She concurred with Mr. Moorehead's testimony. She stated that there is a need for licensure. She stated that other states have effectively licensed home care agencies. She stated that the task force could study these states and provide best practices to the state of Colorado.

06:40 PM -- Jonelle Leinbach, Adeste In-Home Care, spoke in favor of amendment L.002 which establishes a task force to study home care placement agencies (Attachment C).

06:45 PM -- Fran Coleman, Home Care Placement Agencies, for questions only. She provided testimony on behalf of Arthur Powers who supports the bill with regard to licensing home care placement agencies.

06:50 PM -- Susan Cox, Kaiser Permenente, spoke in favor of amendment L.006 which addresses Medicaid mail-order.

06:58 PM -- Ginny Brown, Legislative Liaison, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, stated she could not speak to the bill as amended, as she has only seen the introduced version. She provided information to the committee regarding what the department currently offers to address some of the concerns Representative Frangas presented in the bill.

07:02 PM -- Bill Zepernick, fiscal note analyst, Office of Legislative Council, spoke to the conditional state expenditures regarding optional Medicaid coverage.

07:07 PM


BILL:	HB09-1278
TIME:	07:09:02 PM
MOVED:	Primavera
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.003 (Attachment D). The motion failed on a 4-6 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	No
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	No
	Kerr J.	No
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	No
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	No
	Gagliardi	No
	Riesberg	Yes

Not Final YES: 4 NO: 6 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	HB09-1278
TIME:	07:10:15 PM
MOVED:	Primavera
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.004 (Attachment E). The motion failed on a 4-6 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Green
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	No
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	No
	Kerr J.	No
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	No
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	No
	Gagliardi	No
	Riesberg	Yes

Not Final YES: 4 NO: 6 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	HB09-1278
TIME:	07:11:52 PM
MOVED:	Primavera
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.007 (Attachment H). The motion failed on a 4-6 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Gagliardi
		VOTE
	Acree	No
	Gerou	No
	Green	No
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	No
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	No
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	No
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Not Final YES: 4 NO: 6 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	HB09-1278
TIME:	07:12:50 PM
MOVED:	Green
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.005 (Attachment F). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Primavera
		VOTE
	Acree
	Gerou
	Green
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel
	Primavera
	Swalm
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1278
TIME:	07:13:22 PM
MOVED:	Kefalas
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.002 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Green
		VOTE
	Acree
	Gerou
	Green
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel
	Primavera
	Swalm
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1278
TIME:	07:14:09 PM
MOVED:	Kefalas
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.006 (Attachment G). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Swalm
		VOTE
	Acree
	Gerou
	Green
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel
	Primavera
	Swalm
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

07:15 PM

Representative Frangas provided a wrap-up to the bill. He stated that he is amenable to add the Department of Public Health and Environment as a member on the task force to study the licensure of home care agencies.


BILL:	HB09-1278
TIME:	07:19:26 PM
MOVED:	Green
MOTION:	Moved to refer amended House Bill 09-1278 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion failed on a vote of 3-7.
SECONDED:	Kefalas
		VOTE
	Acree	No
	Gerou	No
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	No
	Kerr J.	No
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	No
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	No
	Gagliardi	No
	Riesberg	Yes

Not Final YES: 3 NO: 7 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	HB09-1278
TIME:	07:26:23 PM
MOVED:	Swalm
MOTION:	Moved to postpone House Bill 09-1278 indefinitely. The motion passed on a 7-3 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Kerr J.
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	No
	Kefalas	No
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	No
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 3 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

07:28 PM

The committee adjourned.