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s_hhs_2017a_2017-02-23t13:31:35z2 Hearing Summary

Date: 02/23/2017

Location: SCR 354

Final

BILL SUMMARY for HB17-1094



SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES


Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 17-1094 to the Committee of the W PASS





03:14 PM



The meeting recessed.



03:19 PM




The meeting reconvened.



03:20 PM -- HB 17-1094



Senators Donovan and Crowder, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 17-1094. The reengrossed bill makes several modifications to the existing requirement that health benefit plans cover telehealth services. Specifically, the bill clarifies that:

          • a health plan cannot restrict or deny coverage for a covered benefit provided using telehealth services based on the communication technology or application used to deliver services;
          • the availability of telehealth does not modify insurance carriers' existing obligation under state law to maintain a sufficient network of local health care providers;
          • covered individuals may receive telehealth services from a private residence, but health insurers are not required to cover the transmission costs incurred from using telehealth services from a home or other originating site fees;
          • the applicable copayment, coinsurance, or deductible for telehealth services should be applied by the carrier and may not exceed the applicable cost sharing amounts for in-person services; and
          • HIPAA-compliant interactive audio-visual communication and HIPAA-compliant applications via cellular telephones may be used for telehealth, but that voice-only telephone and text messaging may not be used.



03:25 PM -- Sara Orrange, Colorado Association of Health Plans, testified in a neutral position on the bill and responded to questions from the committee.



03:37 PM --
Samantha Lippolis, Centura Health, testified in support of the bill and responded to questions.



03:47 PM --
Debbie Voyles, University of Colorado Health (UC Health), testified in support of the bill and responded to questions from the committee.



03:53 PM -- Tina Finlayson, University of Colorado Medicine, testified in support of the bill and responded to questions.



03:57 PM --
Diane Robinson, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.





04:00 PM



Senators Crowder and Donovan made closing comments.


BILL: HB17-1094
TIME: 04:01:20 PM
MOVED: Crowder
MOTION: Refer House Bill 17-1094 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 5-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Kefalas
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Smallwood
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



04:02 PM



The meeting adjourned.












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