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COLORADO
LEGISLATIVE
SCORECARD
H
ealthier Colorado works to make
sure all Coloradans have an
equal chance at a healthy life.
We do that by working to change policy
—across party lines and with every tool
possible—to connect Coloradans with
the policies that affect their health.
H
it harder for Coloradans to live healthy lives.
HEALTHIER COLORADO’S
2018 LEGISLATIVE
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE
These 25 legislators—that’s one-in-four in the combined General Assembly—
stood strong and racked up perfectly pro-health voting records this year. We
thank them for their unfailing advocacy and honor them with membership in
our Legislative Leadership Circle.
KEY BILLS
SENA TE BILL 18-146
Freestanding Emergency Departments Require Consumer Notices
Prime Sponsors: Senators Jim Smallwood and John Kefalas and Representatives Jonathan
Singer and Lang Sias
Co-sponsors Upon Introduction: Senators Beth Martinez Humenik, Irene Aguilar, Don Coram,
Larry Crowder, Kerry Donovan, Leroy Garcia, Bob Gardner, Cheri Jahn, Dominick Moreno, Jack Tate,
Nancy Todd, and Angela Williams and Representatives Chris Hansen and Chris Kennedy
Pro-health Position: Support
Final Action: Signed into law 4/25/18
Summary: Ideally, people only need to go to an emergency room (also known as an ‘emergency
department’) in a life-threatening situation. But when folks visit the ED for non-emergency care,
they can face a very high cost that they didn’t expect. Here in Colorado, we have an increasing
number of Free-Standing Emergency Departments (FSEDs), which aren’t attached to a hospital
and are often located in places where we might expect a primary care office or an urgent care
clinic. That means it’s an easy mistake for people to go to an FSED, expecting a non-emergency
office. With emergency care prices up to ten times higher than those for primary care and people
easily mistaking FSEDs for other facilities, SB 18-146 aimed to bring transparency to consumers. It
required FSEDs to better disclose their emergency status and to provide patients with information to
help them make appropriate choices about whether they need emergency care.
4
HOUSE BILL 18-1094
Children and Youth Mental Health Treatment Act
Prime Sponsors: Representatives Leslie Herod and Cole Wist and Senators Beth Martinez
Humenik and Dominick Moreno
Co-sponsors Upon Introduction: None
Pro-health Position: Support
Final Action: Signed into law 5/30/18
Summary: Mental health services are often not covered by private insurance and children covered
by Medicaid can have very few options for care. Prior to 2009, some parents who were unable to
afford expenses associated with treatment were faced with the difficult decision to give up their
parental rights, so that the child could access residential mental health treatment through the state.
In 2009, the Colorado legislature authorized the Child Mental Health Treatment Act. That bill sought
to assist children and youth with mental health needs without splitting families apart. The program
proved to be a success. In 2018, the legislature updated the program to make it more expansive and
streamlined. Through increased funding and an updated application process, more children will now
be covered.
5
Care
Access
During the 2018 session, thirteen legislators stood at the top of the heap
to promote affordable access to care and services in Colorado. Legislators
leading on access issues form the base of support that we need to help all
Coloradans get affordable quality care when they need it.
*pictured
6
CARE ACCESS BILLS SCORED
1. SB 18-050 (support) Concerning including staff of free-standing emergency facilities
as part of Colorado’s safe haven laws
2. SB 18-080 (support) Concerning wholesale importation of pharmaceuticals from
Canada for resale to Colorado residents
3. SB 18-146 (support) Concerning a requirement that a freestanding emergency
department inform a person who is seeking medical treatment about the health care options
that are available to the person
4. SB 18-148 (support) Concerning the continuation of certain benefits through the
“State Employee Group Benefits Act” for dependents of a state employee who dies in a
work-related death
5. SB 18-152 (support) Concerning a prohibition against price gouging on certain
prescription drugs
6. SB 18-237 (support) Concerning health care services provided by an out-of-
network provider that are covered benefits under a covered person’s health benefit plan
and in connection therewith requiring carriers to cover emergency services rendered by
an out-of-network provider at the in-network benefit level; requiring health care facilities,
out-of-network providers, and carriers to disclose specified information to a covered
person regarding services provided by an out-of-network provider; and specifying billing
procedures for out-of-network providers
7. HB 18-1007 (support) Concerning payment issues related to substance use
disorders
8. HB 18-1012 (support) Concerning vision care plans for eye care services
9. HB 18-1045 (support) Concerning the application of silver diamine fluoride to
dental patients
10. HB 18-1094 (support) Concerning the reauthorization of the “Child Mental Health
Treatment Act”
11. HB 18-1097 (support) Concerning the ability of a person eligible for prescription
drug benefits to choose the pharmacy at which to fill a prescription drug order
12. HB 18-1136 (support) Concerning treatment for individuals with substance use
disorders and in connection, therewith adding residential and inpatient treatment to the
Colorado medical assistance program
13. HB 18-1179 (support) Concerning a prohibition against price gouging on certain
prescription drugs
14. HB 18-1207 (support) Concerning hospital transparency measures required to
analyze the efficacy of hospital delivery system reform incentive payments
15. HB 18-1212 (support) Concerning the licensing of freestanding emergency departments
16. HB 18-1260 (support) Concerning prescription drug price transparency
17. HB 18-1282 (support) Concerning a requirement that a health care provider include
certain identifying information on all claims for reimbursement for health care services
18. HB 18- 1284 (support) Concerning the cost of prescription drugs purchased at a
pharmacy
19. HB 18-1321 (support) Concerning efficient administration of non-emergency
medical transportation within the existing benefit under the medical assistance program 7
Bridging
The Gap
Some of the most common barriers to all Coloradans living a healthy life are the
substantial disparities faced by many of our neighbors. Those include access
divides between urban and rural citizens, health outcome differences between
people of color and white people, access to jobs depending on region, and
many others. Economic development and shrinking gaps between our fellow
Coloradans are priorities for Healthier Colorado.
Important bills aimed at decreasing health disparities in 2018 took the shape
of efforts to expand insurance options and affordability, increase the number
of Coloradans with access to high-speed internet service, and improve rural
education.
KEY BILLS
8
SENA TE BILL 18-085
Financial Incentives for Education in Rural Areas
Prime Sponsors: Senator Nancy Todd and Representative Barbara McLachlan
Co-sponsors Upon Introduction: Senators Don Coram, Michael Merrifield,
and Rachel Zenzinger
Pro-health Position: Support
Final Action: Signed into law 5/24/18
Summary: Communities in Colorado that are struggling economically are also facing a serious
barrier to those communities’ access to a local health care provider. This bill increases the number
of stipends available to teachers in rural parts of the state as they seek national certification or
other professional development through continuing education. By maintaining additional options for
employment, communities may be more appealing for physicians to live and practice in the same
rural areas of the state, helping lift those communities on multiple economic fronts at once.
9
Bridging
the Gap
Seventeen legislators stood out from the crowd when it came to working
on reducing health disparities in our state. Their leadership helps us get
ever-closer to a state where all Coloradans have the same chance at
living a healthy life.
*pictured
10
BRIDGING THE GAP BILLS SCORED
11
Healthy
Communities
KEY BILLS
12
SENA TE BILL 18-040
Substance Use Disorder Harm Reduction
Prime Sponsors: Senators Kent Lambert and Cheri Jahn and Representative Jonathan Singer
Co-sponsors Upon Introduction: Senators Irene Aguilar, Dominick Moreno, Kevin Priola and
Jack Tate and Representatives Chris Kennedy and Britany Pettersen
Pro-health Position: Support
Final Action: Postponed indefinitely Senate State Veterans and Military Affairs, 2/14/18
Summary: People who become addicted to legally obtained opioids often have few places to turn
when their legal prescriptions run out. Many have resorted to illegal drugs, heroin being the most
common. This has led to a sharp increase in overdoses. In hopes of reducing deaths and harm, safe
use sites provide medical support and overdose treatment to those not yet in recovery from opioid
addiction. Had SB 18-040 passed, one site in Colorado would be allowed to pilot a safe use site to
determine if this approach was appropriate for our state.
13
Healthy
Communities
These twelve legislators planted a flag for healthy communities during the
2018 Legislative Session, coming out on top for their leadership on the most
critical health issues facing communities throughout Colorado.
*pictured
14
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES BILLS SCORED
1. SB 18-013 (support) Concerning expanding the grades eligible for the child
nutrition school lunch protection program
2. SB 18-040 (support) Concerning measures to address the opioid crisis
in Colorado and in connection therewith, providing immunity for individuals who
provide clean syringes through a clean syringe exchange program, creating a
supervised injection facility pilot program allowing school districts to develop
policies for the supply and administration of opiate antagonists, and requiring
the commission on criminal and juvenile justice to study certain topics related to
sentencing for opioid-related offenses
3. SB 18-071 (support) Concerning an extension of the repeal of the state
substance abuse trend and response task force
4. SB 18-114 (support) Concerning preventing suicide by strengthening life skills
in students
5. SB 18-139 (oppose) Concerning statewide regulations of products that
contain nicotine
6. SB 18-179 (oppose) Concerning adjustments to total gross purchases for
purposes of calculating the excise tax on tobacco products
7. SB 18-211 (oppose) Concerning licensing marijuana consumption clubs
8. HB 18-1003 (support) Concerning measures to prevent opioid misuse in
Colorado
9. HB 18-1093 (support) Concerning the allowable uses of reclaimed domestic
wastewater and in connection therewith, allowing reclaimed domestic wastewater to
be used for food crops
10. HB 18-1177 (support) Concerning multiple approaches to help prevent youth
suicide
15
YES vote NO vote SP = Sponsored Introduced Bill E = Excused
SB-002
SB-013
SB-024
SB-027
SB-050
SB-071
Legislator Awards
16
2018 SENATE VOTES
Score Card
HB18-1282
HB18-1284
HB18-1321
SB18-179
HB-1003
HB-1007
HB-1012
HB-1017
HB-1045
HB-1093
HB-1094
HB-1136
SB-085
SB-146
SB-148
SP SP SP SP E SP E
SP E E
P SP
SP SP SP SP
SP SP SP SP
SP
SP
SP SP
SP SP
SP
SP SP E SP
SP
SP
SP SP SP SP SP
SP
SP SP SP SP SP
SP SP SP SP
SP SP
SP
SP SP SP SP SP SP
SP
SP SP SP SP SP
SP
SP SP SP SP
SP
SP SP SP SP
SP E SP
SP SP SP SP SP SP SP
SP SP SP
SP SP SP
SP
17
YES vote NO vote SP = Sponsored Introduced Bill E = Excused
SB-002
SB-013
SB-024
SB-027
SB-050
SB-071
SB-085
SB-146
Legislator Awards
KC Becker (D) SP SP
SP
SP
SP
SP
SB-148
E
SP
SP
SP
SB18-179
E
E
E
SP
HB-1003
E
E
E
SP
HB-1007
E
SP
SP
HB-1012
SP
HB-1017
E
E
E
E
HB-1045
SP
SP
HB-1093
E
E
E
SP
HB-1094
E
E
SP
SP
HB-1097
E
E
E
SP
SP
HB-1136
E
E
E
HB-1177
E
HB18-1205
SP
HB18-1207
SP
SP
HB18-1212
E
E
SP
SP
HB18-1260
E
E
HB18-1282
E
SP
2018 HOUSE VOTES
HB18-1284
E
SP
SP
HB18-1321
E
SP
HB18-1384
Score Card
SP
SP
SP
SP
HB18-1392
19
YES vote NO vote SP = Sponsored Introduced Bill E = Excused
SB-002
SB-013
SB-024
SB-027
SB-050
SB-071
SB-085
SB-146
Legislator Awards
SP
SP
E
SB-148
SP
SP
SP
SP
SB18-179
SP/E
SP
SP
HB-1003
SP
SP
HB-1007
SP
SP
SP
HB-1012
E
SP
HB-1017
SP
HB-1045
SP
HB-1093
SP
HB-1094
E
E
E
HB-1097
SP
SP
HB-1136
E
SP
HB-1177
SP
SP
HB18-1205
SP
HB18-1207
HB18-1212
HB18-1260
E
SP
SP
HB18-1282
E
E
SP
2018 HOUSE VOTES
HB18-1284
SP
HB18-1321
SP
SP
HB18-1384
Score Card
SP
SP
SP
SP
SP
SP
HB18-1392
21
23
EVER Y
COLORADAN SHOULD
HAVE A FAIR CHANCE
A T LIVING A HEALTHY LIFE.
NOW YOU
KNOW THE
SCORES.
Healthier Colorado
Take action - Logo (Acceptable/Available Variations)
at healthiercolorado.org
720.515.3206
info@healthiercolorado.org
healthiercolorado.org
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