Author: doris beaver

Doris Beaver’s
EYE ON THE LEGISLATURE . . . 
April 30, 2012 
Two weeks two days to adjournment . . .  
Senate Bill 12-134: “Concerning Financial Assistance to Colorado Hospitals,” SB 134 passed and now awaits action by Governor Hickenlooper. SB 134 imposes “a requirement on hospitals regarding financial aid to qualified patients who are uninsured, have a family income of less than 250 percent of the federal poverty income guidelines, and who do not qualify for the Colorado-Indigent Care Program.” Hospitals are “limited to charging persons eligible for financial assistance the lowest negotiated rate from a private payer for emergency or other medically necessary care.” 
   SB 134 also requires hospitals to: 
•	provide information to all patients concerning the hospital’s financial assistance, charity care and payment plan policies; 
•	communicate the required information in a clear and understandable way and in languages appropriate to communities and patients served; 
•	post the information conspicuously on its web site and in waiting areas; 
•	provide the information upon each patient’s discharge; and
•	offer to screen uninsured patients for eligibility for financial aid, and to offer financial assistance to qualified patients on a community-specific basis. 
Lead Sponsors of Senate Bill 12-134:  Senator Irene Aguilar and Representative Cindy Acree. 
Senate Bill 12-046:  This bill concerns disciplinary measures in public schools, and as amended by the Senate Education Committee, “allows public school officials discretion in suspensions and expulsions where punishment is mandatory under current law.” Also established by SB 046 is a “mechanism for data sharing between public schools, law enforcement and state agencies.” 
   School districts will be required to alter policies in a number of ways if SB 046 passes and is enacted. As examples: 
•	requires additional data collection as part of any school safety plan; 
•	the use of new methods of disciplining, including restorative justice, and 
•	principles must notify parents when school resource officers notify principles of a student’s arrest or summons. 
   Significant in the legislative declaration is that schools are to implement a graduated set of age-appropriate responses to misconduct that are fair and proportionate in relation to each student’s individual conduct.” To the extent practicable, school boards are to: 
•	impose interventions and consequences, including but not limited to in-school suspensions in response to student misconduct; and
•	limit the use of out-of-school suspensions to incidents involving conduct that poses a serious credible threat to the safety of pupils and staff. 
   SB 12-046 passed in the Senate by a vote of 32-3, and now goes to the House for consideration. 
Lead Sponsors of Senate Bill 12-046:  Senators Linda Newell, D-Arapahoe/Jefferson, 866-4846, and Evie Hudak, D-Jefferson, 866-4840; and Representatives B. J. Nikkel, R-Larimer/Weld, 866-2907, and Claire Levy, D-Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, 866-2578.
Senate Bill 12-159:  The number of children diagnosed with autism continues to escalate. SB 159 “clarifies the frequency and content of evaluations for children receiving Medicaid home- and community-based services (HCBS) through the Children With Autism (CWA) waiver program,” at entry, every six months and upon leaving the program. The evaluation is to be conducted by “the lead therapist or a professional who is not a member of the child’s ongoing treatment team.” 
   The state fiscal impact analysis specifically points out that SB 159 directs the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (DHCPF) to “develop criteria for program eligibility that prioritizes enrollment of children with autism who are most vulnerable to be institutionalized and have significant intellectual and adoptive behavior impairments.” 
   Further, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires states to “maintain the eligibility standards, methodologies and procedures that were in effect when ACA became law in March 2010.” Thus, under the bill, DHCPF is precluded from making changes in eligibility that would be more restrictive than federal standards, such as differentiating eligibility based on a child’s risk for institutionalization.” 
Lead Sponsors of SB 12-159:  Senator Evie Hudak, D-Jefferson, 866-4840; and Representative James E. Kerr, R-Jefferson, 866-2939. 
House Bill 12-1236:  This bill concerns assistance to the elderly as provided in the Colorado Constitution. The state board of human services has adopted rules that set the monthly standard at $699.00; the bill encourages an increase to $725.00. The state constitution authorizes the state board to “increase the award over one hundred dollars per month if ‘living costs have changed sufficiently to justify that action.’”
   The Dental Assistance Program in the Department of Public Health and Environment provides grants to dental providers to provide services to seniors who are eligible for Medicaid, but not for Medicaid long-term care services; according to the state revised impact analysis, that program has not been funded for the last several years. The $26.00 per month increase seems a very small amount, but considering the bare-bones income many of our seniors live on, it will mean a lot. 
Lead Sponsors of House Bill 12-1236:  Representatives Cindy Acree, R-Arapahoe/Elbert, 866-2944, and John Kefalas, D-Larimer, 866-4569; and Senator Jeanne Nicholson, D-Boulder, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Summit; 866-4873. 
Senate Bill 12-083:  Far too often, legislation is passed with little or no official follow up as to its effectiveness and impact. SB 083 “concerns dynamic modeling to analyze the fiscal impact of proposed legislation,” specifically, “to analyze the direct and indirect or secondary economic effects related to a limited number of bills making a tax policy change.” 
   SB 083 also changes the process by which legislative council staff obtains a dynamic model and states that “only bills that make a tax policy change are to be analyzed.” Ten bills will be analyzed the first year the model is used. 
   The Dynamic Modeling Cash Fund must reach a certain level of revenue from gifts, grants and donations before a dynamic model will be purchased. According to the state impact analysis, research found costs for such a model could vary from $164,000.00 to more than $1 million (California’s late 1990’s cost to develop such a model). 
Sponsors of Senate Bill 12-083:  Senator Mark J. Scheffel, R-Douglas El Paso, Lake, Park, Teller, 866-4869; and Representative Brian Delgrosso, R-Larimer, 866-2947. 
The reader’s comments or questions are always welcome.  E-mail me at doris@dorisbeaver.com.
Doris Beaver