A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning requirements for health-care practitioner
Page 1, Line 102identification.
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill creates the "Know Your Health-Care Practitioner Act" (act), requiring a health-care practitioner (practitioner) practicing in a health-care profession or occupation specified in the "Michael Skolnik Medical Transparency Act of 2010" to:
- In advertising health-care services using the practitioner's name, identify the type of state-issued license, certificate, or registration held by the practitioner and ensure that the advertisement is free from deceptive or misleading information;
- Affirmatively display the practitioner's specific state-issued license, certificate, or registration, without the use of abbreviations, on an identification name tag; and
- When establishing a practitioner-patient relationship, and as necessary to facilitate patient understanding, verbally communicate to the patient the practitioner's specific state-issued license, certificate, or registration.
A practitioner practicing at a facility that follows the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations standards and who is in compliance with a facility policy that requires wearing visible identification containing the practitioner's license, certificate, or registration satisfies the requirement to use an identification name tag.
The act allows a practitioner to conceal or omit the practitioner's name in certain circumstances relating to the practitioner's safety.
The act does not apply to a practitioner who works in a non-patient-care setting or who does not have any direct patient care interactions or when clinically not feasible.
A violation of the act does not create a private right of action.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. Short title. The short title of this act is the "Know Your Health-Care Practitioner Act".
Page 2, Line 3SECTION 2. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly finds and declares that:
Page 2, Line 4(a) Health-care practitioners possess distinct and specialized
Page 2, Line 5education, training, and expertise in their respective fields of practice.
Page 2, Line 6These differences often reflect the training and skills necessary to
Page 2, Line 7correctly detect, diagnose, prevent, and treat serious health-care conditions.
Page 2, Line 8(b) Different health-care practitioners play important roles within
Page 2, Line 9modern team-based patient care, contributing their respective skills and
Page 2, Line 10knowledge to support comprehensive delivery of health-care services;
Page 3, Line 1(c) The commitment of health-care practitioners to patient welfare
Page 3, Line 2and safety, coupled with their substantial investment in education, clinical
Page 3, Line 3training, and accumulated professional experience, warrants prompt and transparent recognition within the health-care delivery system;
Page 3, Line 4(d) The increasing complexity of delivering modern health-care
Page 3, Line 5services, combined with the variety of professional degrees, titles, and
Page 3, Line 6designations used in clinical settings, can create confusion among patients
Page 3, Line 7regarding the specific education, training, and qualifications of those providing their care;
Page 3, Line 8(e) Clear identification and acknowledgment of a health-care
Page 3, Line 9practitioner's license, certificate, or registration and role serves the public
Page 3, Line 10interest by fostering transparency, building trust in patient-practitioner relationships, and promoting informed decision-making in health care;
Page 3, Line 11(f) There is a compelling state interest in patients being promptly
Page 3, Line 12and clearly informed of the training and qualifications of the health-care practitioners who provide health-care services; and
Page 3, Line 13(g) There is a compelling state interest in protecting the public
Page 3, Line 14from potentially misleading and deceptive health-care advertising that
Page 3, Line 15might cause patients to have undue expectations regarding their treatment and outcomes.
Page 3, Line 16SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 12-30-102, add (8.5) as follows:
Page 3, Line 1712-30-102. Medical transparency act of 2010 - disclosure of
Page 3, Line 18information about health-care providers - fines - rules - short title -
Page 3, Line 19legislative declaration - review of functions - definitions - repeal.
Page 3, Line 20(8.5) Point-of-service disclosure requirements - definitions. (a) As
Page 3, Line 21used in this subsection (8.5), unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 4, Line 1(I) "Advertisement" means any communication or
Page 4, Line 2statement used in the course of business, whether printed,
Page 4, Line 3electronic, or verbal, that names a health-care practitioner in
Page 4, Line 4relation to the practice, profession, or institution in which the
Page 4, Line 5practitioner is employed, volunteers, or otherwise provides
Page 4, Line 6health-care services. "Advertisement" includes business cards,
Page 4, Line 7letterhead, patient brochures, signage, email, internet
Page 4, Line 8advertising, audio and video, and any other communication or statement used in the course of business.
Page 4, Line 9(II) "Deceptive or misleading" means any advertisement or
Page 4, Line 10affirmative communication or representation that misstates,
Page 4, Line 11falsely describes, falsely represents, or falsely details a
Page 4, Line 12health-care practitioner's profession, occupation, skills,
Page 4, Line 13training, expertise, education, board certification, or credential.
Page 4, Line 14(III) "Health-care practitioner" or "practitioner" means
Page 4, Line 15an individual who practices a profession or occupation specified in subsection (3)(a) of this section.
Page 4, Line 16(b) On and after June 1, 2026, an advertisement for
Page 4, Line 17health-care services that identifies a health-care practitioner
Page 4, Line 18by name must identify the type of state-issued license,
Page 4, Line 19certificate, or registration held by the practitioner. The
Page 4, Line 20advertisement must not include any deceptive or misleading information.
Page 4, Line 21(c) Except as provided in subsection (8.5)(e) of this section,
Page 4, Line 22on and after June 1, 2026, a health-care practitioner shall
Page 5, Line 1affirmatively display the practitioner's specific state-issued
Page 5, Line 2license, certificate, or registration held, without the use of
Page 5, Line 3abbreviations, on an identification name tag or similar worn
Page 5, Line 4display of a sufficient size and that is worn in a conspicuous
Page 5, Line 5manner so as to be visible and apparent during patient
Page 5, Line 6encounters. A health-care practitioner at a facility that
Page 5, Line 7follows the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare
Page 5, Line 8Organizations standards and who is in compliance with a
Page 5, Line 9facility policy that requires wearing visible identification
Page 5, Line 10containing the practitioner's license, certificate, or
Page 5, Line 11registration satisfies the requirements of this subsection(8.5)(c).
Page 5, Line 12(d) When establishing a practitioner-patient relationship,
Page 5, Line 13and as necessary to facilitate patient understanding, a
Page 5, Line 14health-care practitioner shall verbally communicate to the
Page 5, Line 15patient the practitioner's specific state-issued license, certificate, or registration.
Page 5, Line 16(e) The name of a health-care practitioner may be
Page 5, Line 17concealed or omitted when the practitioner is concerned for
Page 5, Line 18their safety, when wearing identification would jeopardize the
Page 5, Line 19practitioner's safety, or when the practitioner is delivering
Page 5, Line 20direct care to a patient who exhibits signs of irrationality or violence.
Page 5, Line 21(f) This subsection (8.5) does not apply:
Page 5, Line 22(I) To a health-care practitioner who works in a
Page 5, Line 23non-patient-care setting or who does not have any direct
Page 5, Line 24patient care interactions; or
(II) When clinically not feasible.
Page 6, Line 1(g) A violation of this subsection (8.5) does not create a private right of action.
Page 6, Line 2SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 6, Line 3takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 6, Line 4ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 6, Line 5that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 6, Line 6of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 6, Line 7act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 6, Line 8effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 6, Line 9November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.