Colorado Legislative Council Staff

NO FISCAL IMPACT

TITLE:            CONCERNING COVERAGE UNDER A HEALTH BENEFIT PLAN OF SERVICES FOR PERSONS WITH DIABETES.

Summary of Assessment

            The provisions of this bill would require health benefit plans to provide coverage for equipment, supplies, and outpatient self-management training and educational services for the treatment of diabetes. It would require such services be prescribed by a physician as medically necessary. The bill would become effective July 1, 1998, and would apply to all policies, programs, or contracts issued or renewed on or after that date.

            The provisions in this bill would require the Division of Insurance, Department of Regulatory Agencies, to process supplemental forms filed by carriers not currently providing this benefit. Given the effective date of the bill, the bill would have a minimal impact on the workload of the division. This increase in workload could be absorbed by current staff, but may require re-prioritizing existing workload. By changing the effective date to January 1, 1999, insurers could make the necessary changes in the normal course of their filings and have no impact on the division. This bill would not impact any other agency of the state, or unit of local government. Therefore, this bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact.

Departments Contacted

            Regulatory Agencies              Health Care Policy and Finance         Personnel