SB 17-300

Senate Bill 17-300, also known as the High-risk Health Care Coverage Program, asks Colorado's insurance commissioner to study ways to help people with pre-existing conditions get health coverage and lower premiums for individual market plans. The commissioner will look into options like high-risk pools or reinsurance programs, consider federal rules, funding sources, and costs. They must submit a report by October 1, 2017, and present it before the next legislative session starts. Since the bill has been signed, the study is now underway to address these issues for Colorado residents.

Official Summary

The bill directs the commissioner of insurance to study methods of providing health care coverage to high-risk individuals and reducing health insurance premiums in the individual market, which study is to explore the feasibility of high-risk pools, reinsurance programs, or other high-risk programs and consider requirements under applicable federal law, potential financial impacts on consumers and businesses, potential funding mechanisms to ensure financial sustainability of a high-risk or reinsurance program, and necessary procedural requirements for seeking any required federal waivers or other authorization to implement and fund such programs. The commissioner is to submit a report on the study to the joint budget committee and other specified legislative committees by October 1, 2017, and present the report to specified legislative committees during SMART Act hearings prior to the 2018 legislative session. The commissioner is authorized to seek, accept, and expend public and private gifts, grants, and donations or any federal funding to defray the study costs. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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