HB 18-1357

HB 18-1357, a Colorado bill that has been signed into law, establishes an independent office of an ombudsman for behavioral health access within the Department of Human Services. This new office will help Coloradans navigate and receive necessary mental health care services more easily. Additionally, it requires insurance regulators to report on issues related to ensuring equal coverage for mental health treatments as physical health treatments. The bill also allocates funding from the state’s general fund and division of insurance cash fund to support these initiatives. This means that Coloradans will have better resources and oversight to ensure they receive fair and adequate behavioral health care.

Official Summary

Section 1 of the bill establishes an office of the ombudsman for behavioral health access to care as an independent office within the office of the executive director of the department of human services to assist Coloradans in accessing behavioral health care. Section 3 requires the commissioner of insurance to report on issues related to mental health parity requirements. $85,695 is appropriated from the general fund to the department of human services to use for the office of the ombudsman for behavioral health access to care, and $8,355 is appropriated from the division of insurance cash fund to the division of insurance to implement the bill. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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