HB 22-1289

HB 22-1289, also known as the "Health Benefits for Colorado Children and Pregnant Persons," aims to provide health insurance coverage to low-income pregnant individuals and children who are ineligible due to their immigration status. The bill ensures full health coverage for these groups, including lactation support services, and creates a special enrollment period for pregnancy-related health insurance. It also requires the state department of health care policy and financing to develop strategies to enroll eligible people into new coverage options and report on its progress. Signed into law, this act will improve access to healthcare for vulnerable populations in Colorado by providing financial assistance and expanding eligibility criteria.

Official Summary

The act makes the following changes to health insurance coverage for low-income pregnant people and children in low-income families: Provides full health insurance coverage for Colorado pregnant people who would be eligible for medicaid and the children's basic health plan (CHIP) if not for their immigration status and continues that coverage for 12 months postpartum at the CHIP federal matching rate; Provides comprehensive health insurance coverage for all Colorado children who would be eligible for medicaid and CHIP if not for their immigration status; Requires the state department of health care policy and financing (department) to create an outreach and enrollment strategy for enrolling eligible groups into new coverage options; Requires the department to report to the joint budget committee in its 2024 presentation, as well as in its "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act" reports, beginning in January 2026, information concerning the state-funded health and medical care program, the state children's basic health plan, and its plans and progress in implementing the coverage expansion for lawfully residing persons; Allows the state controller to allow the department to make an expenditure in excess of the amount authorized if the amount is for the state medical assistance program or the state children's basic health plan; Provides comprehensive lactation support services, lactation supplies and equipment, and maintenance of multi-use loaned equipment. Removes the annual enrollment fee for a family whose income is at or below one hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty line or an enrollee who is a pregnant person. Draws down federal funds to improve perinatal and postpartum support and requires that priorities for the funds be determined through a stakeholder process; Creates a special enrollment period for health insurance coverage due to pregnancy so that an eligible person can sign up for insurance as soon as the person becomes pregnant; and Improves the quality of health insurance coverage available through the health insurance affordability enterprise. For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the following appropriations are made for the purpose of implementing this act: $730,573 is appropriated to the department of health care policy and financing from the general fund; $423,626 is appropriated to the department of public health and environment from the general fund for use by the center for health and environmental information; The 2022 long bill cash funds appropriation from the children's basic health plan trust for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was decreased by $340,727; The 2022 long bill cash funds appropriation from the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was decreased by $564,678; The 2022 long bill appropriation to the department of health care policy and financing from the general fund for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs was increased by $144,229; and The 2022 long bill was adjusted as a result of an assumption by the general assembly that the department of health care policy and financing will receive $761,176 in federal funds for children's basic health plan medical and dental costs to implement this act.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Votes