Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Date:05/01/2006
ATTENDANCE
Time:03:56 PM to 06:20 PM
Berens
X
Cloer
X
Place:HCR 0112
Green
X
Kerr A.
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Kerr J.
X
Representative McGihon
Lundberg
*
Riesberg
*
This Report was prepared by
Soper
X
Whitney Gustin
Stafford
*
Sullivan
X
Weissmann
X
Frangas
X
McGihon
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
SB06-198
HB06-1410
HB06-1412
SB06-227
SB06-219
SB06-230		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Referred to Appropriations
Referred to Appropriations
Amended, Referred to Appropriations
Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Amended, Referred to Finance


03:57 PM -- Senate Bill 06-198

Representative Romanoff, sponsor, presented the bill regarding standardized health plan contracts. The bill was originally heard by the committee on April 17. Representative Romanoff described ongoing negotiations among interested parties to the bill. He stated there continue to be disagreements among the parties. He described provisions that have some consensus. Amendments L.018, L.019, L.021, L.022 were distributed and discussed (Attachments A through D). A document from the Colorado Association of Health Plans was also distributed to members (Attachment E).













BILL:SB06-198
TIME: 04:03:41 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Adopt L.018 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Frangas
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:SB06-198
TIME: 04:04:00 PM
MOVED:Frangas
MOTION:Adopt L.019 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Cloer
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:SB06-198
TIME: 04:04:21 PM
MOVED:Weissmann
MOTION:Adopt L.021 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Green
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:SB06-198
TIME: 04:04:32 PM
MOVED:Weissmann
MOTION:Adopt L.022 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Cloer
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection







04:05 PM

Committee members discussed the bill.
BILL:SB06-198
TIME: 04:06:08 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The bill passed 12-1.
SECONDED:Kerr J.
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Green
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Lundberg
No
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
Yes
Sullivan
Yes
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




























04:09 PM -- House Bill 06-1410

Representative Plant, sponsor, presented the bill regarding funding for the Health Disparities Grant Program. The bill was originally heard by the committee on April 28.
BILL:HB06-1410
TIME: 04:10:09 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Refer the bill to the Committee on Appropriations. The bill passed 13-0.
SECONDED:Green
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Green
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
Yes
Sullivan
Yes
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



























04:11 PM -- House Bill 06-1412

Representative Plant, sponsor, presented the bill regarding reallocation of Tobacco Settlement moneys. Amendment L.003 and a funding table were distributed to committee members (Attachments F and G). He requested a conceptual amendment changing certain program allocations. He stated the bill is meant to restore tobacco program funding to pre-recession levels. Amendment L.003 was discussed, and Representative McGihon ruled it did not under the bill title.
BILL:HB06-1412
TIME: 04:22:41 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Refer the bill to the Committee on Appropriations. The bill passed 13-0.
SECONDED:Stafford
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Green
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
Yes
Sullivan
Yes
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


04:24 PM -- Senate Bill 06-227

Representative Solano, sponsor, presented the bill requiring reporting by employers on health care coverage for employees. Amendments L.004, L.005, and L.006 and a Joint Budget Committee Staff memo was distributed to committee members (Attachments H, I, J, and K).

The following persons testified:

04:26 PM -- Robin Kniech, Front Range Economic Strategy Center, spoke in favor of the bill. She discussed benefits of knowing employment information for persons receiving public health care benefits.











04:33 PM -- Donnah Moody, Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry and National Federation of Independent Businesses, spoke in opposition to the bill. She stated some of the reporting requirements in the bill include proprietary information. She also indicated the bill does not address the issue of the uninsured. Committee members posed questions to Ms. Moody regarding employers' role in addressing the uninsured issue.

04:45 PM -- Chris Howes, Colorado Retail Council, spoke in opposition to the bill. He stated that not all of his members' employees want or need health insurance. He stated the bill does not make health insurance more affordable. He suggested requiring the state government to report the data currently required of private sector employers in the bill.

04:47 PM -- Travis Berry, Colorado Competitive Council, spoke in opposition to the bill. He stated most insured persons get insurance coverage through their employers. This despite there being no requirement that employers do so. He answered questions about how the information required by the bill might be used by employers to their advantage. He stated his opinion that the bill's purpose is not to praise employers who provide health care coverage.
BILL:SB06-227
TIME: 04:57:26 PM
MOVED:Green
MOTION:Adopt L.004 (Attachment H). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Frangas
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:SB06-227
TIME: 04:57:41 PM
MOVED:Green
MOTION:Adopt L.005 (Attachment I). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Weissmann
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:SB06-227
TIME: 04:57:54 PM
MOVED:Weissmann
MOTION:Adopt L.006 (Attachment J). The motion passed 7-6.
SECONDED:Green
VOTE
Berens
No
Cloer
No
Green
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kerr J.
No
Lundberg
No
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
No
Sullivan
No
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Not Final YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS






04:58 PM

Committee members discussed the bill. Representative Solano answered questions about why she decided to exempt the public sector from the bill's reporting requirements.
BILL:SB06-227
TIME: 05:05:11 PM
MOVED:Frangas
MOTION:Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The bill passed 7-6.
SECONDED:Soper
VOTE
Berens
No
Cloer
No
Green
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kerr J.
No
Lundberg
No
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
No
Sullivan
No
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


05:05 PM -- Senate Bill 06-219

Representative Jahn, sponsor, presented the bill reorganizing the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. She stated the bill contains no policy changes. Amendment L.004 was distributed to committee members (Attachment L).

The following persons testified:

05:12 PM -- Steve Tool, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), described his experience trying to read the statutes that apply to HCPF. He stated the bill was drafted and redrafted by a coalition of knowledgeable people from HCPF and the Department of Human Services.

05:19 PM -- Lisa Esgar, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, came to the table to answer committee members' questions. There were none.

05:22 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties, Inc., spoke in support of the bill. She described ways counties will benefit from the bill.










05:23 PM -- Matthew Flora, Department of Human Services (DHS), described how the bill resolves conflicts of authority between HCPF and DHS. He stated his support for L.004.


05:25 PM

Committee members commented on the bill.
BILL:SB06-219
TIME: 05:28:33 PM
MOVED:Riesberg
MOTION:Adopt L.004 (Attachment L). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Sullivan
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection






















05:29 PM

Representative Jahn discussed amendments that may be offered on the bill in the next few days.
BILL:SB06-219
TIME: 05:32:19 PM
MOVED:Stafford
MOTION:Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The bill passed 13-0.
SECONDED:Cloer
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Green
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
Yes
Sullivan
Yes
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


05:33 PM -- Senate Bill 06-230

Representative Benefield, sponsor, presented the bill regarding the regulation of prescription drug wholesalers. Amendments L.012, L.014, L.015, and L.016 were distributed to committee members (Attachments M through P).

The following persons testified:

05:38 PM -- Daniel Bellingham, Health Care Distribution Management Association, described his position on the bill. He stated his support for amendment L.015. He stated the bill will not affect importation of drugs from Canada.

05:44 PM -- Linda Pryor, Pfizer, spoke in support of the bill and distributed two documents to committee members (Attachments Q and R). She described the bill as model legislation and discussed sources of counterfeit drugs. She described other state's experiences with similar legislation. She stated the bill compliments drug pedigree legislation that passed in Colorado three years ago. She described amendments as having been requested by the Department of Regulatory Agencies.











05:56 PM -- Chris Howes, Colorado Retail Council, described the bill's issue as one that is very important to Retail Council members. He urged support of L.014. He discussed bonding requirements in the bill.

06:03 PM -- Mark Kinney, Rx Plus Pharmacies, spoke in support of ensuring the safety of medications. He discussed pharmacy buying cooperatives and stated they add efficiency to the prescription drug system. He stated the costs associated with the bill are worth the associated benefit of safer drugs.

06:08 PM -- Janet Stephens, Colorado Pharmacists Society, spoke in support of the bill. She described the growing problem of counterfeit drugs.

06:10 PM -- Mr. Kinney answered questions about the bill's applicability to compounding pharmacies.

06:10 PM -- Greg Fulton, Colorado Motor Carriers Association, spoke on behalf of United Parcel Service (UPS).
BILL:SB06-230
TIME: 06:13:31 PM
MOVED:Frangas
MOTION:Adopt L.015 (Attachment O). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Cloer
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:SB06-230
TIME: 06:13:38 PM
MOVED:Stafford
MOTION:Adopt L.012 (Attachment M). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Sullivan
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:SB06-230
TIME: 06:15:09 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Adopt L.016 (Attachment P). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Stafford
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:SB06-230
TIME: 06:15:31 PM
MOVED:Green
MOTION:Adopt L.014 (Attachment N). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Sullivan
VOTE
Berens
Cloer
Green
Kerr A.
Kerr J.
Lundberg
Riesberg
Soper
Stafford
Sullivan
Weissmann
Frangas
McGihon
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection































06:16 PM

Committee members commented on the bill.
BILL:SB06-230
TIME: 06:17:42 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Finance. The bill passed 12-1.
SECONDED:Kerr J.
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Green
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Lundberg
No
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
Yes
Sullivan
Yes
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


06:20 PM

The committee adjourned.