HB 17-1292

HB 17-1292, also known as the Child Welfare Provider Rates bill, aims to improve how Colorado pays for child welfare services. It requires the state's Department of Human Services to work with an independent vendor to study salaries and costs related to providing care for children in out-of-home placements. The goal is to create a fair method for setting provider rates that covers all necessary expenses and includes regular cost adjustments. This bill affects providers, employees involved in child welfare services, and the families who receive these services. Since it has been signed into law, new rate-setting guidelines must be implemented by June 1, 2018, with some federal approvals required for certain parts of the plan.

Official Summary

Joint Budget Committee. The bill sets forth guidelines for the establishment of provider rates for licensed out-of-home placement providers (providers). Rules adopted by the department of human services (department) concerning provider rates shall include cost-of-living adjustments and provider rate increases approved by the general assembly. The department is directed to continue completing an annual review of the methodology by which counties evaluate and negotiate provider rates and outcomes and submit a report to the joint budget committee. As part of the continuing review, the department shall contract with an independent vendor to: Perform a salary survey and study related to the delivery of child welfare services. The study must include salary surveys for providers; child placement employees; residential child care facility employees; and state and county employees involved with the provision of child welfare services. Perform an actuarial analysis of the costs necessary to provide services at a level required by state statute, departmental rule, or federal rules and regulations, as appropriate for the families referred; and Develop a rate-setting methodology for provider compensation using the salary survey and actuarial analysis. In developing the rate-setting methodology, the independent vendor shall solicit input from representatives of the state department, counties, the provider community, and the department of health care policy and financing. The rate-setting methodology must clearly include a process by which the full amount of any provider rate adjustments to the base rate or previously contracted rate approved by the general assembly are included as part of any final contract with a provider. The department shall provide the joint budget committee with a report defining the new rate-setting methodology on or before April 2, 2018. The new rate-setting methodology must be implemented on or before June 1, 2018, except for those rates that must be approved by the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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