Date: 03/19/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB15-015

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, INSURANCE, & ENVIRONMENT

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer Senate Bill 15-015 to the Committee of the WPASS



01:31 PM -- SB 15-015

Representative Primavera presented Senate Bill 15-015. The reengrossed bill includes autism spectrum disorders in the state's mental health parity law and repeals a provision that specifies that autism is not treated as a mental illness for the purposes of health care coverage. The bill also removes statutory references to caps on the number of visits or services concerning the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of autism spectrum disorders under a health insurance plan. The bill specifies that a nationally registered behavior technician may provide direct services to a person with autism spectrum disorder under the supervision of another autism services provider. Representative Primavera relayed autism statistics and discussed previous legislation concerning autism.

01:35 PM

Representative Primavera answered questions about the fiscal note.

01:37 PM -- Marijo Rymer, The Arc of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Rymer discussed the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Health and why the fiscal note was revised after the bill was amended in the Senate. She discussed the changes to the law the bill makes concerning health care coverage for autism spectrum disorders. Ms. Rymer responded to questions about autism spectrum disorders and the bill.

01:49 PM -- Cari Brown, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. She shared her personal story about her son who was diagnosed with autism.

01:56 PM -- Carol Meredith, The Arc of Arapahoe and Douglas County, testified in support of the bill. She discussed the history of the laws being amended by Senate Bill 15-015. Ms. Meredith answered a question about why the bill only applies to children with autism.

02:00 PM -- JoAnne Doherty, Kaiser Permanente, testified in support of the bill. She discussed how the bill provides clarity to health insurance carriers concerning autism treatment. Ms. Doherty answered questions about the bill.

02:05 PM -- Ken Winn, Firefly Autism, testified in support of the bill. He discussed the treatments for children with autism.

02:08 PM

Representative Primavera made closing remarks on the bill. Committee members commented on the bill. The committee recessed.

02:18 PM

Representative Ginal called the committee back to order.

BILL:SB15-015
TIME: 02:18:23 PM
MOVED:Primavera
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 15-015 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 12-0, with one member excused.
SECONDED:Ginal
VOTE
Brown
Yes
Esgar
Yes
Humphrey
Yes
Joshi
Yes
Klingenschmitt
Yes
Landgraf
Yes
Lontine
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Primavera
Yes
Ransom
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Ginal
Yes
McCann
Excused
Final YES: 12 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




02:19 PM

Representative Ginal announced that the committee hearing was being moved to Committee Room 271. The committee recessed.