Date: 02/19/2013

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB13-1175

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH CARE & HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Postpone House Bill 13-1175 indefinitely. The moti
Refer House Bill 13-1175 to the Committee on Appro		PASS
FAIL



02:15 PM -- House Bill 13-1175

Representative DelGrosso introduced House Bill 13-1175. The bill prohibits the state from participating in the Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act until the General Fund appropriation to higher education is at least $747 million, which is approximately the General Fund appropriation to the Department of Higher Education in FY 2007-08. He discussed the cuts in funding to higher education in recent years and distributed a summary of the FY 2007-08 and FY 2008-09 and the FY 2011-12 and FY 2012-13 appropriations for higher education (Attachments A and B). He responded to questions from the committee regarding whether the bill is pitting Medicaid funding against higher education, and the federal match for Medicaid. Representative DelGrosso discussed the high cost of higher education, and stated that it is important to address those costs before expanding other state programs.

130219 AttachA.pdf130219 AttachA.pdf 130219 AttachB.pdf130219 AttachB.pdf

02:40 PM -- Gabriel Davison, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. He stated that the bill could prevent the Medicaid expansion from ever going into effect, and discussed Colorado's tax rates. He responded to questions from the committee regarding his testimony, stating that it seems random to target Medicaid especially since there is no cost to the state to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. He noted that the bill will not address the real problem, which is the rising cost of higher education. He further addressed the costs of higher education, stating that costs will continue to increase regardless of whether the bill passes.

03:04 PM -- Matthew Valeta, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, testified in opposition to the bill. He stated that the bill creates a false choice between funding health care and funding higher education. He stated that lawmakers should focus on the state's underlying budget issues. He responded to questions from members of the committee stating that it was plausible that Colorado wouldn't have to expend any state money on the expansion. He further responded to questions regarding whether the state could opt out of the Medicaid expansion in the future and the costs of uncompensated care.

03:11 PM -- George Lyford, Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in opposition to the bill. He stated that the bill significantly impacts the state's ability to expand the Medicaid program, ties the hands of the legislature by limiting the ways the Medicaid program expansion could be funded, and pits education against health care, which is not good for the state.

03:15 PM

Representative DelGrosso gave concluding remarks regarding the bill. Members of the committee commented on the bill.

BILL:HB13-1175
TIME: 03:25:14 PM
MOVED:Landgraf
MOTION:Refer House Bill 13-1175 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion failed on a vote of 6-7.
SECONDED:Joshi
VOTE
Conti
Yes
Everett
Yes
Joshi
Yes
Landgraf
Yes
May
No
McCann
No
Schafer
No
Singer
No
Stephens
Yes
Tyler
No
Wilson
Yes
Young
No
Primavera
No
YES: 6 NO: 7 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:HB13-1175
TIME: 03:25:58 PM
MOVED:Young
MOTION:Postpone House Bill 13-1175 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 7-6.
SECONDED:Schafer
VOTE
Conti
No
Everett
No
Joshi
No
Landgraf
No
May
Yes
McCann
Yes
Schafer
Yes
Singer
Yes
Stephens
No
Tyler
Yes
Wilson
No
Young
Yes
Primavera
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS