NOTE: The governor signed this measure on 5/17/2016.
      
      
      HOUSE BILL 16-1336
      
      
      BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Hamner and Rankin, Mitsch Bush, Becker K.,
      Duran, Esgar, Fields, Ginal, Kagan, Kraft-Tharp, Lontine, Moreno, Pabon,
      Pettersen, Ryden, Vigil, Willett, Young, Hullinghorst;
      also SENATOR(S) Donovan, Roberts, Aguilar, Carroll, Crowder, Guzman,
      Heath, Hodge, Johnston, Kefalas, Kerr, Merrifield, Newell, Todd, Ulibarri.
      
      
      Concerning the creation of a single geographic rating area for
           health insurers to use when establishing rates for
           individual health insurance plans.
      
      
      Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
      
           SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 10-16-143 as
      follows:
      
           10-16-143.  Single geographic rating area - individual plans -
      study - report - repeal. (1)  The commissioner shall conduct a study
      to determine the impacts and viability of establishing a single
      geographic area, consisting of the entire state, for use in
      determining premium rates for individual health benefit plans
      issued in the state. In conducting the study, the commissioner
      shall consider factors that affect differentiations in premium
      rates throughout different geographic areas of the state,
      including the differentiation in health care costs throughout the
      state for prescription drugs, provider rates, diagnostics tests,
      surgical procedures, and other hospital procedures and services.
      
           (2)  Upon completion of the study, but no later than August
      1, 2016, the commissioner shall report and present the
      commissioner's findings and recommendations to the joint budget
      committee of the general assembly. The commissioner shall also
      send the report to the health, insurance, and environment and
      the public health care and human services committees of the
      house of representatives and the health and human services
      committee of the senate or their successor committees and to the
      Colorado commission on affordable health care created in part
      46 of title 25, C.R.S., and shall present the report to the
      legislative committees during the committees' hearings held prior
      to the 2017 regular session under the "State Measurement for
      Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government
      Act", part 2 of article 7 of title 2, C.R.S.
      
           (3)  This section is repealed, effective December 31, 2016.
      
           SECTION 2.  No appropriation. The general assembly has
      determined that this act can be implemented within existing appropriations,
      and therefore no separate appropriation of state money is necessary to carry
      out the purposes of this act.
      
           SECTION 3.  Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
      determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
      preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.
      
      
      
      
      ________________________________________________________
      Dickey Lee Hullinghorst                Bill L. Cadman
      SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE                     PRESIDENT OF
      OF REPRESENTATIVES                         THE SENATE
      
      
      
      
      
      
      ____________________________  ____________________________
      Marilyn Eddins                            Effie Ameen
      CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE                 SECRETARY OF
      OF REPRESENTATIVES                         THE SENATE
      
      
      
      
                  APPROVED________________________________________
      
      
      
      
      
                                    _________________________________________
                                    John W. Hickenlooper
                                    GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO