Date: 04/22/2010

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB10-183

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-183 to the CommitteePASS



01:41 PM -- Senate Bill 10-183

Representative Gagliardi presented Senate Bill 10-183. Under current law, out-of-network health care providers are prohibited from "balance billing" patients for in-network services through July 1, 2010. Balance billing is the practice of a provider billing a patient for the difference between the out-of-network prices and the amount reimbursed by the insurance company for in-network services. The bill continues this prohibition indefinitely.

01:46 PM -- Jo Donlin and Kelly Schultz, Division of Insurance, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Donlin explained the practice of balance billing to the committee. She stated that Senate Bill 06-213 which implemented the prohibition of balance billing and required a sunset review of the provision. Mr. Schultz spoke to the report from the Commissioner of Insurance concerning the practice of balance billing.

01:50 PM -- Dr. David Ross and Dr. Stephen Wolf, Colorado American College of Emergency Medincine, spoke in support of the bill. Dr. Wolf stated that the bill provides consumer protections. He stated that the bill also supports the safety net system. Dr. Ross concurred with Dr. Wolf's testimony and asked the committee to support the bill.

01:55 PM -- Cindy Sovine-Miller, Colorado State Association of Health Underwrites, spoke in support of the bill.

01:56 PM -- Kelly Shanahan, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, spoke in support of the bill.

BILL:SB10-183
TIME: 01:57:59 PM
MOVED:Gagliardi
MOTION:Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-183 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 9-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Kefalas
VOTE
Acree
Yes
Apuan
Excused
Gerou
Yes
Kefalas
Yes
Kerr J.
Excused
Primavera
Yes
Roberts
Yes
Swalm
Yes
Tyler
Yes
Gagliardi
Yes
Riesberg
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS