Date: 03/13/2012
Final
Presentation on the Colorado Indigent Care Program
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT
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10:12 AM -- Presentation on the Colorado Indigent Care Program
Representative Summers called the committee to order and reviewed changes to the committee's calendar. John Bartholomew, Budget Director for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, and Nancy Dolson, Safety Net Programs Manager for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, introduced themselves and began their presentation on the Colorado Indigent Care Program (CICP). Mr. Bartholomew reviewed the CICP's annual report (Attachment A). A copy of the presentation was also distributed to the committee (Attachment B).
10:17 AM
Ms. Dolson explained that the CICP is not a health insurance program, but rather a financing method for health care services. She described how the program is administered, stating that the program is essentially managed by providers. Providers screen patients for eligibility for Medicaid or the Children's Basic Health Plan, and if the clients are not eligible for those programs, they are screened for CICP eligibility. She described the program's copayments, which are based on client income levels and explained the services that are available through the program. She responded to questions from Representative Summers regarding how providers determine eligibility for the program and from Representative Massey regarding payments to hospitals and other providers through the program. She stated that in FY 2010-11, hospitals were reimbursed approximately 58 percent of costs and clinics were reimbursed about 62 percent of costs. Ms. Dolson further responded to questions from Representative Peniston regarding the differences in reimbursement payments to hospitals and clinics.
10:24 AM
Ms. Dolson listed various types of providers who participate in the CICP, including hospitals and clinics, and described the support the department offers to providers. In FY 2010-11, hospitals received $295.8 million and clinics received $29.8 million in funding through the CICP. Mr. Bartholomew and Ms. Dolson reviewed the financing of the department's safety net programs, noting that the CICP is only one of several safety net programs administered by the department. She noted that safety net funding has increased in recent years even though the department has not received additional General Funds for this purpose. Overall, General Funds accounts for about 2 percent of safety net funding. Other sources of funds include federal funds, provider fees, the tobacco tax, and certified public expenditures. Other safety net programs administered by the department include the Old Age Pension Health and Medical Care Program, the School Health Services Program, the Primary Care Fund, the Nursing Facility Provider Fee, and the Hospital Provider Fee.
10:30 AM
Ms. Dolson responded to questions from Representative McCann regarding the programs that receive General Funds and whether ambulatory surgical centers may participate in the CICP program. Ms. Dolson responded to questions from Representative Joshi regarding the affect of the federal health care legislation on the CICP program. She noted that the department is currently engaged in stakeholder discussions regarding whether there will continue to be a need for the program when the federal health care legislation is fully implemented.