[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6119997,"mediaKeyId","2709679-bcc4c2fc9f503e9fdd8c559d7953bb34","parentId",2709679,"title","Committee lays over FQHC support bill after sponsors remove contested sections; testimony stresses funding pressure from Medicaid unwind","audioSeconds",1819,"startMs",2015000,"endMs",3834000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2709679-bcc4c2fc9f503e9fdd8c559d7953bb34&start=2015&end=3834","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2709679-bcc4c2fc9f503e9fdd8c559d7953bb34/thumbnail_2015000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6119997/Colorado/Committee-lays-over-FQHC-support-bill-after-sponsors-remove-contested-sections-testimony-stresses-funding-pressure-from-Medicaid-unwind","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6119997-4cc49bc844a202972101cffe8f218f17/orig.mp4?Expires=1770833398&Signature=I3jxyn-nCRm2KZ2OjYilORLiWbNn3JsALkSfPj-7ylusLUBTK1-ULMQznliz3SBUkvXQ~7YEX1s1DAczJ3XrZMt9gayEe5IrAhQiJOxjV62GKzostp3afNS7GcACJZC3~HuLYZEsNHDpstnysyRQLtkX4gcpHdMjSHFO~oVkik3xbXx~YLvO8muZEUAcrQ4oroxIQudgPCWjIfGv95BY-HFVJlOVcQ-SOrUnCJYUR3abGR6kvnKdFkVgL4PdDQYPxZ~XTR-jHPJh6zfgOfRbOqNLIES3DmYCr8nGHtdAlNB2eX3Nzf9cU0A3HPEpWMRj9s8PUbr~9IujM19GylBTzA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Colorado State Legislature","date","2025-03-18T00:00:00Z","article","The House Health & Human Services Committee heard testimony on House Bill 1288 (referred to in committee as \"House Bill 12 88\"), a bill intended to strengthen federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) by allowing the state primary care fund to accept private and public gifts that can be leveraged to increase resources for clinics.

Representative Martinez and co‑sponsor Representative Winter described the measure as focused on improving patient access to primary care and reducing downstream costs such as avoidable emergency department use. Sponsors said the bill would allow the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to accept gifts, grants and donations into a primary care fund dedicated to community health centers and that those contributions could be used to draw federal matching funds in some circumstances.

Multiple witnesses including Josh Block (Deputy Chief Financial Officer, HCPF), Katie Ryan (Denver Health), Ross Brooks (Colorado Community Health Network) and a Salud Family Health Centers representative testified about financial strain on FQHCs following Medicaid eligibility and coverage changes. Block advised the committee that federal Medicaid rules limit the ability to accept private donations and direct them to specific providers: \"The problem that we had with the bill was that section 3 would have said, take in some money from providers and then turn it into a very specific payment to a certain provider. ... That is unfortunately pretty directly prohibited by federal regulation.\" He and sponsors discussed narrower language and relocation of provisions to ensure budget neutrality and avoid double‑payment for services.

After sponsor and agency discussion, the bill sponsors withdrew two contested amendments (which would have allowed directed payments and raised federal‑compatibility concerns) to allow additional drafting and stakeholder work. The sponsors asked to lay the bill over for further revision; committee leaders agreed and the bill was laid over for continued consideration at a subsequent meeting.

Why it matters: Witnesses said Colorado's FQHC network serves hundreds of thousands of patients, many of whom are low income or uninsured, and several centers reported operating on thin reserves after recent Medicaid coverage changes. Sponsors and witnesses argued that expanding the primary care fund's ability to receive donations could attract philanthropic and private dollars that, when matched or layered with federal funds where lawful, could support clinic stability and patient access.

Next steps: Sponsors withdrew the two contested amendments and the committee laid House Bill 1288 over to allow clarifying language and further stakeholder work before the committee takes further action.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Health & Human Services [Mar 18, 2025]","oneSentenceSummary","Lawmakers laid over a bill intended to let Colorado’s primary care fund accept gifts and donations to support federally qualified health centers after state officials warned that portions of the draft could conflict with federal Medicaid rules.","taxTitle","Health & Human Services, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Committees, Legislative, Colorado","taxId",77850,"location","Colorado","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6120007,"House panel advances bill on assisted reproduction; sponsors add record-keeping, penalties and donor-notification provisions",936,43000,979000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2709679-bcc4c2fc9f503e9fdd8c559d7953bb34&start=43&end=979","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2709679-bcc4c2fc9f503e9fdd8c559d7953bb34/thumbnail_43000.jpg","/articles/6120007/Colorado/House-panel-advances-bill-on-assisted-reproduction-sponsors-add-record-keeping-penalties-and-donor-notification-provisions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6120007-180145b0f1addfbde3372fc809970152/orig.mp4?Expires=1770833398&Signature=lwCwviHnOpyXIOuD6YmzPj1jrVSRoCHd~-P6zLKx1UPUfmgaEglwF-SqfNYmqQCcY1g9i9P4~rcavsV9fEKAbyKUNv0~WLbonvjIin9ruz7HhCOf5ewQvpP~-mPuC4PWOSlQNfzm-TW2iAJNFrBODuCz~8NED3BbG2KarLTxaoyD~8PoAfAx68prcidc9f1r6NrYzlc4UQ6tZXw8LN8CiEbUyXrNZcBmR0vOp-HYDxcDLJMulQJcv~GukZt1jFD7X188sxRrrZ0sQ-EZqfs7pfsQ0djezPpqNcVFFaG4Kq5JgXtcHKUMk~DsJ1tJskYJ8yl5et2J3xkYwGAV34OTiQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health & Human Services Committee advanced House Bill 1259, a measure addressing assisted reproduction and donor‑gamete bank practices, sending the measure to the Appropriations Committee with a favorable recommendation as amended.

Sponsors and committee members said the bill aims to balance access to assisted reproductive technologies, including in‑vitro fertilization, with protections for donor‑conceived people and oversight of donor gamete banks. Representative Brown, the bill sponsor, said the measure \"does not remove the cap on families that is in existing law\" and that the amendments restore civil penalties and strengthen record keeping.

The committee adopted four amendments. L001 restored civil penalties in the existing statute so the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) can fine banks for noncompliance; L008 added and clarified robust record‑keeping requirements intended to preserve donor records if a clinic closes; L009 created requirements and an informed‑consent process for clinically significant adverse medical findings tied to donors; and L010 specified privacy expectations and timing of disclosures, including that donor‑conceived people generally receive identifying information when they turn 18.

Representative McCormick asked whether the amendment requires removing a donor from use when a later‑discovered genetic disease is reported; sponsors clarified that banks must take future donations from that donor out of circulation but that families who previously used a donor may be informed and may choose to continue use under an informed‑consent process. Representative Froelich described the amendments as encouraging donors and recipient families to report medical updates and creating a pathway for informed consent when a donor is associated with a potentially significant health outcome.

In committee discussion, Representative Bradley said she supported most of the bill but expressed remaining concerns in cases involving fertilized embryos in split families and urged continued stakeholder engagement. Representative Brown said stakeholders including donor‑conceived people and gamete banks had been consulted over the preceding two weeks.

Formal action: Representative Brown moved the amended bill to the Appropriations Committee with a favorable recommendation. The committee recorded the motion and the bill passed in committee by a vote of 9 to 4.

Why it matters: Supporters said the bill aims to preserve access to donor gametes and IVF while improving oversight, long‑term record retention and notification procedures that affect donor‑conceived people as they reach adulthood.

Next steps: House Bill 1259, as amended, goes to the House Appropriations Committee for further consideration.

","The House Health & Human Services Committee advanced House Bill 1259, a measure focused on assisted reproduction and donor‑gamete bank oversight, after adopting four amendments that restore civil penalties, require robust record keeping and set notification and informed‑consent rules for donors with later‑identified medical concerns.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6120003,"Committee sends COPA 2 bill to Committee of the Whole to let smaller rural nonprofit hospitals jointly purchase supplies and services",907,1013000,1920000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2709679-bcc4c2fc9f503e9fdd8c559d7953bb34&start=1013&end=1920","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2709679-bcc4c2fc9f503e9fdd8c559d7953bb34/thumbnail_1013000.jpg","/articles/6120003/Colorado/Committee-sends-COPA-2-bill-to-Committee-of-the-Whole-to-let-smaller-rural-nonprofit-hospitals-jointly-purchase-supplies-and-services","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6120003-1a9be22582d46fd7f9f2f1a5697b8e73/orig.mp4?Expires=1770833398&Signature=P12-Zhn9bpw6CI4SmqGFpYMk4Y4wBi08AXKstaP3XwFpoP5vZ6-vvEIKDJDg-8XyQIlux809iUQAwwB8OHXicGe8TQl-6Id4zh6qBqW7BO7i6Q8RtAfcnaLqhgoEpfa1GytlRV8OAzKoDfX-VGSGy~jA5B0rdCpv5Tr4PZmJPpGvGWAXvO~alXBRJIiOK-plLCpJC8l~R4jA9tT~6ky1kCAWTB-48yFirZ337YDdMjBYw1Znd4JyFsXUlftYYu8sIUHL-bdgfNiU3A~YBirmZrbeONlu8GSGQfYyvnhCqR1j9BpiqapcUtyhShvvJqZpEVz~IAqbTCBQeJxAfud4tg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Health & Human Services Committee voted to send Senate Bill 25,078, described by sponsors as a second‑phase rural hospital cooperation measure (COPA 2), to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation.

Representative Lukens, the sponsor, told the committee the bill would allow independent rural nonprofit hospitals to enter collaborative agreements with one another and with public county hospitals to increase purchasing power for pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment without running afoul of antitrust law. She said the Senate had amended the language to define a hospital eligible for the program as \"a facility which is not owned by or affiliated with a health system that is comprised of 3 or more hospitals,\" broadened from an earlier fewer‑than‑50‑beds threshold.

Kevin Stansbury, CEO of Lincoln Health in Hugo and a founding member of the Eastern Plains Healthcare Consortium, testified in support and described operating challenges for rural hospitals, saying the hospitals often serve older, poorer and sicker populations and face thin margins. He said collaborative purchasing and shared services can reduce costs and improve access. Austin Wozniak of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing told the committee he assists in operating the existing program and was available for questions.

Representative McCormick asked how the fewer‑than‑50‑beds threshold had been handled; Lukens explained the Senate amendment replaced the strict bed count with a test based on affiliation with a health system of three or more hospitals so independent hospitals with slightly larger bed counts could still participate. Representative Bradley asked about cost savings; witnesses said an existing program has produced meaningful savings in staffing costs in at least one hospital (about a 20% per‑person reduction in agency staffing costs at one participant) and that a prior COPA program showed measurable savings.

The committee motion to advance the bill carried unanimously; sponsors reported the committee vote as 12–0 with one member excused. The measure will now proceed to the Committee of the Whole for floor consideration.

","The House Health & Human Services Committee sent Senate Bill 25,078 (COPA 2) to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation after sponsors said the bill will let independent rural nonprofit hospitals jointly purchase supplies and contract for services to lower costs.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee lays over FQHC support bill after sponsors remove contested sections; testimony stresses funding pressure from Medicaid unwind

House panel advances bill on assisted reproduction; sponsors add record-keeping, penalties and donor-notification provisions

Committee sends COPA 2 bill to Committee of the Whole to let smaller rural nonprofit hospitals jointly purchase supplies and services