Discounted Care for Indigent Patients
For purposes of comprehensive primary care services, current law defines an "uninsured or medically indigent patient" as a patient whose yearly family income is below 200% of the federal poverty line (FPL). The bill requires the patient's annual household income to be at or below 200% of the FPL.
Beginning February 1, 2026, and each February 1 thereafter, the bill requires the executive director of the department of health care policy and financing (state department) to prepare and submit an annual report to the general assembly, the joint budget committee, the governor, and the medical services board concerning the status of the primary care fund.
The bill creates the hospital discounted care advisory committee in the state department to advise the state department on the operations and policies of health-care billing for indigent patients. The bill repeals the advisory committee on September 1, 2029.
No later than July 1, 2025, the bill requires the medical services board, in consultation with the Colorado healthcare affordability and sustainability enterprise, to promulgate rules concerning the policy for qualification for disproportionate share hospital payments.
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)