Date: 04/10/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB06-208

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.012 (Attachment K). The motion
Adopt L.006 (Attachment F). The motion passed wit
Adopt L.007 (Attachment G). The motion passed wit
Adopt L.008 (Attachment H). The motion passed wit
Adopt L.011 (Attachment J), as amended. The motio
Amend L.011 (Attachment J), line 5, after the comm
Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Ap		Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
PASS


03:07 PM -- Senate Bill 06-208

Representative McGihon, sponsor, presented the bill creating the Health Care Reform Committee. Amendments L.006 (a strike-below amendment), L.007, L.008, L.010, L.011, and L.012 (Attachments A through K). Representative McGihon answered questions regarding why Representative Larson was no longer the bill's sponsor. Representative Massey discussed his work with a 2005 interim health care task force and the knowledge he gained about health care. He stated the availability of basic health services benefits everyone, and it is important to pursue comprehensive health care reform at this time. He answered questions about the work of other interim health committees and the necessity of the proposed committee. Representative McGihon discussed the work of previous studies and committees and compared it to the work of the proposed committee. Representatives Lundberg and Massey discussed the legislative declaration included in L.006. Representative Massey discussed ways to reduce the costs of health care.

The following persons testified:

03:43 PM -- Juanita Anderson, citizen, discussed her children's health care needs, costs of health care insurance, and their current lack of Medicaid coverage.

03:56 PM -- Gary Montrose, health care consultant, introduced a video illustrating national interest in health care. He stated the time has come for Colorado to take action on health care reform. He stated other states have recently passed health care reform legislation. He answered questions about other states' efforts to improve health care coverage for their citizens. He described Florida's recent health care reform legislation as politically conservative and market-based.

04:16 PM -- Sheila Hicks, Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, stated her neutral position on the bill. She suggested having a mentally ill person and a disabled person sit as members of the Health Care Reform Committee. She stated in Colorado there is a problem with a lack of knowledge about available programs among citizens and case workers. Representative McGihon discussed L.006's committee membership.

04:22 PM -- Thomas Swanson, AARP, spoke in support of the bill and described the bill as a board-based path toward health care reform. He answered questions about AARP's position on market-based health care reform and proposals he anticipates coming from the Health Care Reform Committee.

04:27 PM -- Scott Thoempke, Colorado Behavioral Health Care Council, spoke in support of the bill. He recommended that a mental health care provider be added to the committee's membership.

04:30 PM -- Chris Hapgood, Mental Health Association of Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. He described the pervasiveness of mental health issues.

04:33 PM -- Paula Stearns, Colorado Nurses Association, discussed consumer interest in Colorado health care reform.

04:36 PM -- Dr. Lynn Perry, Colorado Medical Society (CMS), spoke in support of the bill. She described CMS's members' interest in comprehensive health care reform. She stated incremental reform to the current health care system is unsustainable. She described her work on previous health care committees.

04:40 PM -- Carrie Curtiss, Colorado Consumer Health Care Council, spoke in support of the bill.

04:41 PM -- Jennifer Miles, Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved, discussed the number of Coloradans who are uninsured. She stated she expects the proposed committee will come up with viable options for reforming health care.

04:43 PM -- Francoise Mloubazi, Colorado Progressive Coalition, spoke in support of the bill. She stated her appreciation that the committee will include the consumer's perspective on health care. She stated her anticipated outcome of the committee is comprehensive health care coverage.


04:47 PM

Representative McGihon made concluding remarks. She stated the bill is a bi-partisan effort with the goal of establishing the work of a health care reform committee, including a legislative recommendation to the General Assembly by 2007. Representative Massey described the efforts to limited the number of members of the health care reform committee. Representative McGihon discussed the anticipated $300,000 fiscal impact if L.006 is adopted. She stated the committee would be funded with General Fund dollars and through private foundation grants. Representative Cloer discussed amendments that will address mental health issues. Representatives Massey and McGihon described the funding sources for the bill. They stated they have strong commitments from two private foundations to help with funding.
BILL:SB06-208
TIME: 04:58:05 PM
MOVED:McGihon
MOTION:Adopt L.006 (Attachment F). 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:SB06-208
TIME: 04:59:19 PM
MOVED:McGihon
MOTION:Adopt L.007 (Attachment G). 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:SB06-208
TIME: 04:59:53 PM
MOVED:McGihon
MOTION:Adopt L.008 (Attachment H). 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: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


05:00 PM

Representative Cloer discussed L.011.
BILL:SB06-208
TIME: 05:00:49 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Adopt L.011 (Attachment J), as amended. 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:SB06-208
TIME: 05:02:10 PM
MOVED:Riesberg
MOTION:Amend L.011 (Attachment J), line 5, after the comma, insert "drug and alcohol abuse counselors,".
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:SB06-208
TIME: 05:03:08 PM
MOVED:Cloer
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.012 (Attachment K). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Kerr A.
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


05:05 PM

Representative Cloer proposed a conceptual amendment to include persons with physically disabilities in the bill's provisions. Representative Massey stated the bill is left intentionally vague to allow discretion in forming the committee. Committee members discussed their positions on the bill. Comments included concerns that the proposed committee is a step toward more socialized medicine and the committee is just one more legislative study of health care.
BILL:SB06-208
TIME: 05:15:13 PM
MOVED:McGihon
MOTION:Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The bill passed 11-2.
SECONDED:Frangas
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Green
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Lundberg
No
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
No
Sullivan
Yes
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS