Date: 03/06/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB06-005

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer the bill to the Committee of the Whole. ThePASS


01:41 PM -- Senate Bill 06-005

Representative Solano, sponsor, presented the bill requiring health plans who cover mental health services to do so whether or not the services are voluntary or court-ordered. She distributed a bill summary to committee members (Attachment A). She answered questions about whether or not the bill represents an insurance mandate.

The following persons testified:

01:47 PM -- Vanessa Hannemann, Colorado Association of Health Plans, described the association's collaboration with the interim Committee for the Continuing Examination of the Treatment of Persons with Mental Illness who are Involved in the Justice System. She answered questions about current insurance coverage of mental health services.

01:50 PM -- Harriet Hall, Jefferson Center for Mental Health, she described the history of and the work done by the Committee for the Continuing Examination of the Treatment of Persons with Mental Illness. She read testimony from a member of the interim committee.

01:54 PM -- Pilar Ingargiola, CSI, discussed research done to support the work of the interim committee. CSI representatives traveled around the state to conduct focus groups and run surveys to gain an understanding of criminal justice and mental health issues. The proposed bill represents one of the recommendations to come from CSI's work. Ms. Ingargiola answered questions about the demographic groups that participated in the focus groups.

01:59 PM -- Susan Cox, Kaiser Permanente, discussed Kaiser's policies regarding court-ordered treatment. She stated Kaiser does not deny coverage based solely upon whether or not services are court-ordered.

02:01 PM -- Libby Stoddard, citizen, discussed her family's experience with insurance coverage and court-ordered treatment.

02:03 PM -- Lilly Boyce, Federal Family for Children's Mental Health, discussed her family's experience with the juvenile justice system and insurance coverage of mental health treatment.


02:06 PM

Representative Solano made concluding remarks. Representative Stafford discussed her work with the Committee for the Continuing Examination of the Treatment of Persons with Mental Illness.
BILL:SB06-005
TIME: 02:07:54 PM
MOVED:Stafford
MOTION:Refer the bill to the Committee of the Whole. The bill passed 12-0-1.
SECONDED:Green
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Cloer
Yes
Green
Yes
Kerr
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
McGihon
Yes
Riesberg
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
Yes
Sullivan
Excused
Weissmann
Yes
Frangas
Yes
Boyd
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS