Senate Committee on Health and Human Services (04/30/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Date:	04/30/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	02:24 PM to 03:37 PM	Carroll M.	X
		Lundberg	X
Place:	SCR 356	Mitchell	*
		Morse	*
This Meeting was called to order by		Newell	*
	Senator Boyd	Schultheis	X
		Tochtrop	X
This Report was prepared by		Boyd	X
	Elizabeth Burger
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Conf 09-State Board of Nursing Conf 09-CoverColorado Board of Directors Conf 09-Colorado Health Facilities Authority Conf 09-University of CO Hospital Authority Bd of Dir Conf 09-Air Quality Control Commission HB09-1364 HB09-1353		Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Appropriations

02:25 PM

Bartlett Writer, Governor's appointee to the State Board of Nursing, introduced himself and described his interest in serving on the board. Copies of his appointment letter and resume were distributed to the committee (Attachment A).

Attachment A can be viewed at State Archives.


BILL:	Conf 09-State Board of Nursing
TIME:	02:27:40 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Refer the appointment of Bartlett Writer to the State Board of Nursing to the full Senate for confirmation. The motion passed on a 7-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Excused
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:28 PM

Daryl Edmonds, Governor's appointee to the CoverColorado Board of Directors, discussed his background and interest in serving on the board. Copies of his resume and appointment letter were distributed to the committee (Attachment B). He responded to questions from Senator Boyd regarding funding for the program. He responded to additional questions from Senator Schultheis and Senator Newell.

Attachment B can be viewed at State Archives.


BILL:	Conf 09-CoverColorado Board of Directors
TIME:	02:34:15 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Refer the appointment of Daryl Edmonds to the CoverColorado Board of Directors to the full Senate for confirmation. The motion passed on a 7-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Excused
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:35 PM

Tucker Adams and Dennis Carruth, Governor's appointees to the Colorado Health Facilities Authority Board of Directors, described their backgrounds and interest in serving on the board. Copies of their resumes and appointment letters were distributed to the committee (Attachment C).

Attachment C can be viewed at State Archives.


BILL:	Conf 09-Colorado Health Facilities Authority
TIME:	02:40:01 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Refer the appointments of Tucker Adams and Dennis Carruth to the Colorado Health Facilities Authority Board of Directors to the full Senate for confirmation. The motion passed on a 8-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Yes
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 8 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:42 PM

Jerry Rutledge, appointee to the University of Colorado Hospital Authority Board of Directors, described his background and interest in serving on the board. Copies of his appointment letter and biography were distributed to the committee (Attachment D).


BILL:	Conf 09-University of CO Hospital Authority Bd of Dir
TIME:	02:43:26 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Refer the appointment of Jerry Rutledge to the University of Colorado Hospital Authority Board of Directors to the full Senate for confirmation. The motion passed on a 8-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Yes
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 8 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:44 PM

Robert Arnott, Jon Slutsky, and Dawn Meyers, Governor's appointees to the Air Quality Control Commission, discussed their backgrounds and interest in serving on the commission. Copies of their appointment letters and resumes were distributed to the committee (Attachment E). The appointees responded to questions from the committee. The appointees responded to questions from Senator Mitchell regarding global warming.

Attachment E can be viewed at State Archives.


BILL:	Conf 09-Air Quality Control Commission
TIME:	02:54:09 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Refer the appointments of Robert Arnott, Jon Slutsky, and Dawn Meyers to the Air Quality Control Commission to the full Senate for confirmation. The motion passed on a 8-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Yes
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 8 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:55 PM -- House Bill 09-1364

Senator Boyd introduced House Bill 09-1364. The bill increases from one to two the number of terms that members on the Health Care Task Force may serve. The committee discussed the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1364
TIME:	02:59:29 PM
MOVED:	Boyd
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1364 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 6-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Excused
	Lundberg	Yes
	Mitchell	Yes
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	No
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:00 PM -- House Bill 09-1353

Senator Foster introduced House Bill 09-1353. The bill authorizes the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to provide medical benefits under Medicaid and the Children's Basic Health Plan to pregnant woman and children who are legal immigrants without a waiting period, so long as other eligibility criteria are met. Under current law, legal immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Basic Health Plan for five years after the date of entry into the United States. Senator Foster noted that the bill's effective date is July 1, 2010, so the bill does not have a fiscal impact in the current fiscal year. She explained that the bill is the result of the reauthorization of the State Children's Health Insurance Program at the federal level. Senator Foster responded to questions from Senator Lundberg regarding the purpose of the five-year waiting period. The committee further discussed the bill and immigration policy.

03:18 PM -- Eva Henry, representing the Colorado Progressive Coalition, testified in support of the bill. She stated that children should not have to wait five years for health care and described the problems associated with lack of access to health care.

03:21 PM -- Tara Trujillo, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign and Cover All Kids 2010 Initiative, testified in support of the bill. She noted that the pregnant women and children who are gaining eligibility as a result of the bill are present in the country legally.

03:23 PM -- Scott Matthews, representing the March of Dimes, testified in support of the bill and distributed a handout regarding the bill (Attachment F). He discussed the benefits of providing prenatal care to pregnant women.

03:24 PM -- Kelly Shanahan, representing Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, testified in support of the bill.

03:26 PM -- Stephen Kopanos, representing Mental Health America of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. He stated that mental health is a part of general health care, and that early intervention can result in cost savings.

03:26 PM -- John Bartholomew, representing the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, addressed the bill's fiscal note. He explained that in order to implement the bill, the department would need to submit a budget request for funding for the next fiscal year. He responded to questions from Senator Carroll regarding whether the populations affected by the bill are currently receiving services. Mr. Bartholomew further responded to questions from Senator Lundberg regarding how individuals qualify for public health care programs and whether there is fraud in the enrollment process.

03:34 PM

Senator Foster gave concluding remarks regarding the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1353
TIME:	03:36:03 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1353 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 5-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Carroll M.	Yes
	Lundberg	No
	Mitchell	Absent
	Morse	Yes
	Newell	Yes
	Schultheis	Absent
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Boyd	Yes

Final YES: 5 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 2 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:37 PM

The committee recessed.