House Committee on Public Health Care & Human Services (01/22/2013)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH CARE & HUMAN SERVICES

Date:	01/22/2013	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:53 PM to 03:33 PM	Conti	X
		Everett	X
Place:	HCR 0107	Joshi	*
		Landgraf	X
This Meeting was called to order by		May	X
	Representative Primavera	McCann	X
		Schafer	*
This Report was prepared by		Singer	*
	Elizabeth Burger	Stephens	E
		Tyler	X
		Wilson	X
		Young	X
		Primavera	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Committee Procedures HB13-1055 Committee Recommendations for JBC Strategic Plan Recommendations Committee Logistics		Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only Referred to the Committee of the Whole Recommendation(s) Approved Recommendation(s) not Approved Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only

01:35 PM -- Committee Procedures

Representative Primavera announced that the scheduled presentation on child welfare would not be heard. She reviewed a memorandum outlining the procedures for the committee (Attachment A).

130122 AttachA.pdf

01:37 PM

Bill Zepernick, Legislative Council Staff, introduced himself to the committee, He introduced Clare Pramuk, Kirk Mlinek, and Kerry White with the Colorado Legislative Council Staff. He discussed fiscal note procedures and urged the members of the committee to contact the fiscal note analysts if they have questions on fiscal notes.

01:40 PM

Representative Primavera made an announcement about the committee's electronics policy.

01:41 PM -- House Bill 13-1055

Representative May introduced House Bill 13-1055. The bill specifies that persons receiving cash assistance through the Colorado Works Program do not have to complete an annual eligibility redetermination in person. She responded to questions from the committee regarding efficiencies created by the bill, the bill's fiscal note, and eligibility requirements for the Colorado Works Program. She distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment B).

130122 AttachB.pdf

01:47 PM -- Julie Kerksick, Colorado Department of Human Services, discussed the Colorado Works Program and testified that the bill doesn't eliminate the need for an interview to redetermine eligibility for the program, but rather allows the interview to take place over the phone. She discussed how the program prevents fraud and abuse. She responded to questions from the committee regarding eligibility determination processes improvement. She responded to additional questions from the committee regarding whether the bill will allow caseworkers the flexibility to require an in-person interview when necessary and the number of in-person contacts that could be eliminated by the bill. She continued to respond to committee questions regarding eligibility determinations and caseworker visits.

02:03 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties Inc., discussed the efficiencies created by eliminating the in-person redetermination requirement. She responded to questions from the committee regarding whether the bill still permits in-person eligibility determinations, if appropriate.

02:10 PM -- Sarah Ehrlich, Denver Human Services, testified in support of the bill. She stated that the removal of the in-person eligibility determination interview will be beneficial for staff and clients.

02:12 PM -- Lynnae Flora, Jefferson County Human Services, testified in support of the bill. She stated that the bill is a piece of a larger effort to make the delivery of social services more efficient and effective. She responded to questions from the committee regarding the eligibility income limit for an single mother to qualify for the Colorado Works Program.

02:16 PM -- Brad Wood, All Families Deserve a Chance Coalition and Lutheran Advocacy Ministry, testified in support of the bill.


BILL:	HB13-1055
TIME:	02:18:55 PM
MOVED:	Young
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 13-1055 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion failed on a vote of 2-10, with 1 member excused.
SECONDED:	Conti
		VOTE
	Conti	Yes
	Everett	No
	Joshi	No
	Landgraf	No
	May	Yes
	McCann	No
	Schafer	No
	Singer	No
	Stephens	Excused
	Tyler	No
	Wilson	No
	Young	No
	Primavera	No

YES: 2 NO: 10 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	HB13-1055
TIME:	02:20:04 PM
MOVED:	Tyler
MOTION:	Reconsider the previous vote to refer the House Bill 13-1055 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-1, with one member excused.
SECONDED:	Young
		VOTE
	Conti	Yes
	Everett	No
	Joshi	Yes
	Landgraf	Yes
	May	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Schafer	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Stephens	Excused
	Tyler	Yes
	Wilson	Yes
	Young	Yes
	Primavera	Yes

YES: 11 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


BILL:	HB13-1055
TIME:	02:20:55 PM
MOVED:	May
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 13-1055 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-1, with one member excused.
SECONDED:	Schafer
		VOTE
	Conti	Yes
	Everett	No
	Joshi	Yes
	Landgraf	Yes
	May	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Schafer	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Stephens	Excused
	Tyler	Yes
	Wilson	Yes
	Young	Yes
	Primavera	Yes

FINAL YES: 11 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:22 PM

The committee recessed briefly.

02:30 PM -- Committee Recommendations for JBC

The committee reconvened. Pursuant to the SMART Government Act, the committee is permitted to make recommendations to the Joint Budget Committee on the Departments of Public Health and Environment, Human Services, and Health Care Policy and Financing. Representative Primavera asked the committee for their recommendations. Representative Young discussed the funding needs of school-based health centers. He proposed recommending that the centers be funded at a level that would allow the centers to serve 100 percent of their target population. Representative McCann commented on the funding for school-based health centers. The committee discussed the recommendation and its interaction with funding for schools under the School Finance Act. Representative Young clarified that his intention is that if there is available money in the General Fund, that money would fund school-based health care centers. Representative Conti asked for information on the costs associated with school-based health care centers. Representative Schafer commented on school-based health care centers and the services provided at the centers, and the committee discussed the funding structure for school-based health centers. The committee discussed the services provided by school-based health care centers and the interaction of the centers with the Medicaid program. A handout regarding school-based health care centers and funding for such centers was distributed to the committee (Attachment C).

130122 AttachC.pdf

02:46 PM

Representative Joshi discussed new methods of financing under Medicaid, and the committee discussed how the clinics will be funded under Medicaid expansion.

02:50 PM -- Fofi Mendez, Mendez Consulting and Colorado Association of School-based Health Centers, responded to committee questions regarding the interaction between school-based health centers and Medicaid. She discussed the current funding structure for school-based health centers and stated that the General Funds distribute to school-based health centers should be increased. Ms. Mendez responded to questions regarding whether parental permission is required to treat children at school-based health centers. She continued to discuss funding for school-based health centers.


BILL:	Committee Recommendations for JBC
TIME:	03:03:57 PM
MOVED:	Young
MOTION:	Recommend that the Joint Budget Committee increase the FY 2013-14 General Fund appropriation for the School-based Health Center Grant Program to $5,260,817, if available, which would be sufficient to allow all school-based centers to increase their capacity to serve 100 percent of their primary target population. The motion passed on a vote of 7-5, with one member excused.
SECONDED:	McCann
		VOTE
	Conti	No
	Everett	No
	Joshi	No
	Landgraf	No
	May	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Schafer	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Stephens	Excused
	Tyler	Yes
	Wilson	No
	Young	Yes
	Primavera	Yes

YES: 7 NO: 5 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:05 PM

Representative Schafer confirmed that the funding requested by the committee for school-based health centers would be for a single fiscal year.

03:06 PM

Representative Young discussed the budget request to provide additional money to reduce the waiting lists for services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The committee discussed whether to make a formal motion supporting the Department of Human Services' budgetary priorities.

03:10 PM

Representative Schafer asked for information regarding a task force created to explore issues related to elder abuse.

03:10 PM

Sarah Sills, Department of Human Services, came to the table to explain the department's budget request related to elder abuse. The committee discussed mental health initiatives of the department and the number of mental health beds at Fort Logan. Ms. Sills responded to questions from the committee regarding the behavioral health. A handout regarding the department's budget priorities was distributed to the committee (Attachment D).

130122 AttachD.pdf


BILL:	Committee Recommendations for JBC
TIME:	03:19:47 PM
MOVED:	Young
MOTION:	Support budget priorities of the Department of Human Services as those priorities are outlined in Attachment D. The motion passed on a vote of 7-5, with one member excused.
SECONDED:	Singer
		VOTE
	Conti	No
	Everett	No
	Joshi	No
	Landgraf	No
	May	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Schafer	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Stephens	Excused
	Tyler	Yes
	Wilson	No
	Young	Yes
	Primavera	Yes

YES: 7 NO: 5 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:23 PM

Representative Primavera discussed the Medicaid Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program. She described the eligibility criteria for the program, which includes that a woman must have received her initial cancer diagnosis at a Women's Wellness Connections site. She proposed expanding the program to include the treatment of women who are not initially diagnosed at a Women's Wellness Connection site as long as they meet the other program eligibility guidelines, if funding is available. Representative Primavera responded to questions from the committee regarding the eligibility criteria for the Medicaid Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program.


BILL:	Committee Recommendations for JBC
TIME:	03:23:46 PM
MOVED:	Primavera
MOTION:	Request that the Joint Budget Committee explore the costs of expanding the Medicaid Breast and Cervical Cancer Program to include treating women who are not initially diagnosed at a Women's Wellness Connection site but who otherwise meet the eligibility criteria for the program. The committee requests that, if there are sufficient General Fund moneys for this purpose, the JBC fund the costs of this expansion. The motion passed on a vote of 11-1, with one member excused.
SECONDED:	Young
		VOTE
	Conti	Yes
	Everett	No
	Joshi	Yes
	Landgraf	Yes
	May	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Schafer	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Stephens	Excused
	Tyler	Yes
	Wilson	Yes
	Young	Yes
	Primavera	Yes

YES: 11 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:30 PM -- Strategic Plan Recommendations

The committee discussed whether to make recommendations for the Departments of Public Health and Environment, Health Care Policy and Financing, and Human Services on their strategic plans. No motions for recommendations on the strategic plans were offered.

03:31 PM -- Committee Logistics

Representative Primavera noted that the SMART Government Act requires the appointment of committee members as liaisons to the departments the committee oversees. She appointed Representatives Joshi and Schafer as the liaisons to the Department of Public Health and Environment, Representatives Young and Landgraf as the Department of Human Services, and Representatives Conti and Primavera for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. She reviewed the committee's upcoming calendar.

03:33 PM

The committee adjourned.