HB 24-1322

House Bill 24-1322, which has been signed into law in Colorado, directs the state’s health care department to study how Medicaid can cover additional services like nutrition and housing support for people who need them. The goal is to see if these extra services can improve members' health while not costing more money from the state's budget. If the study shows it’s feasible and won’t increase costs, the state will seek federal approval to start offering these services by July 1, 2025. The bill also allocates funds for conducting this study and implementing any new programs that come out of it. This means that people covered by Medicaid in Colorado could see expanded support for their health-related needs beyond just medical care if the plan moves forward.

Official Summary

The act directs the department of health care policy and financing (state department) to conduct a feasibility study (study) to explore seeking federal authorization to provide nutrition, housing, and tenant supportive services that address medicaid members' health-related social needs (HRSN). The state department shall report the study's findings to the joint budget committee on or before November 10, 2024. The study and report must address integrating HRSN services with existing nutrition-related, housing-related, and tenant supportive services. The act requires the state department to seek federal authorization to provide HRSN services no later than July 1, 2025, if seeking federal authorization would be budget neutral to the general fund. The act appropriates $222,920 from the general fund to the state department for use by the executive director's office (office). From this appropriation, the office may use $67,070 for personal services, $3,975 for operating expenses, and $151,875 for general professional services and special projects. The act anticipates that the state department will receive $222,919 in federal funds for the act's implementation. APPROVED by Governor June 3, 2024 EFFECTIVE June 3, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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