SB 17-106

Senate Bill 17-106, which has been signed into law, extends the regulation of naturopathic doctors by Colorado’s director of professions and occupations for three more years until September 2020. It also requires insurance companies to report any malpractice cases against naturopathic doctors to the state. The bill adds requirements for naturopathic doctors to report child abuse, elder mistreatment, and neglect of adults with disabilities. Additionally, it clarifies what medicines and devices naturopathic doctors can use in their practice and corrects a name in existing regulations. This means that naturopathic doctors will continue to be regulated by the state, insurance companies must now report malpractice cases involving these doctors, and they are required to report abuse or neglect as other healthcare providers do.

Official Summary

Sunset Process - Senate Health and Human Services Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies, as contained in the department's sunset review of naturopathic doctors, with modifications, as follows: Continues the regulation of naturopathic doctors by the director of the division of professions and occupations for 3 years, until September 1, 2020 ( sections 1 and 2 ); Requires insurance carriers to report to the director any malpractice judgments against or settlements entered into by a naturopathic doctor ( sections 5 and 6 ); Adds naturopathic doctors to the list of persons required to report child abuse or neglect ( section 8 ) and mistreatment of at-risk elders and at-risk adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities ( section 7 ); Clarifies that the naturopathic formulary that lists the medicines naturopathic doctors may use in the practice of naturopathic medicine includes prescription substances and devices authorized under the 'Naturopathic Doctor Act' ( section 3 ); and Corrects the name of the homeopathic pharmacopoeia as it appears in the act ( section 3 ). Additionally, section 4 of the bill specifies that a naturopathic doctor registered under the 'Naturopathic Doctor Act' may use the titles 'registered naturopathic doctor' or 'registered doctor of naturopathy' or the abbreviation 'R.N.D.'.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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