Location: SCR 354
Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB17-1126
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
BILL SUMMARY for HB17-1126
SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
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01:39 PM -- HB 17-1126
Senator Crowder, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 17-1126. The bill, recommended by the Interim Study Committee on Communication Between the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and Medicaid Clients, requires administrative law judges to review the legal sufficiency of Medicaid notices of action when a client appeals a termination or reduction in benefits (adverse action). The legal review of notices will take place at the start of an appeal. If the administrative law judge determines that the notice is not legally sufficient, he or she shall inform the client that the adverse action may be set aside. The client may then ask the administrative law judge to decide the case in his or her favor on the basis of the insufficient notice. Alternately, the client may waive his or her defense on the basis of insufficient notice and request that the appeal proceed to a hearing on the merits of the case. Administrative law judges must inform clients that the HCPF may issue a legally sufficient notice in the future and that the client may be required to repay any benefits received, as provided under current law, if the adverse action is upheld after the new notice is issued.
01:40 PM -- Jeanette Hensley, Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the bill.
01:41 PM -- Jack Regenbogen, Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in support of the bill and provided a handout to the committee (Attachment B). Mr. Regenbogen responded to questions from the committee.
01:48 PM -- Judge Matthew Azer, Office of Administrative Courts, testified in neutral position on the bill. Judge Azer responded to questions from the committee.
02:00 PM
Committee discussion and questions continued.
02:08 PM -- Julie Reiskin, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, testified in support of the bill and provided two handouts to the committee (Attachments C and D). Ms. Reiskin responded to questions from the committee.
02:21 PM
Senator Crowder made closing comments. Committee discussion followed. Senator Smallwood laid the bill over.