Senate Bill 25-186 Rerevised

A Bill for an Act

• Page 1, Line 101Concerning the continuation of the workers' compensation

• Page 1, Line 102accreditation of health-care providers program, and,

• Page 1, Line 103in connection therewith, implementing the

• Page 1, Line 104recommendations contained in the 2024 sunset report

• Page 1, Line 105by the department of regulatory agencies and making

• Page 1, Line 106an appropriation.

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/.)

Sunset Process - Senate Business, Labor, and Technology Committee. The bill implements the recommendations of the department of regulatory agencies (department) in its 2024 sunset review of the workers' compensation accreditation of health-care providers program (program), including extending the program for 11 years to September 1, 2036, and authorizing any health-care professional regulated by the division of professions and occupations in the department who provides treatment in the workers' compensation system to obtain level I accreditation from the division of workers' compensation in the department of labor and employment.

• Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

• Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 8-42-101, amend

• Page 2, Line 3(3.5)(a)(I)(A), (3.5)(a)(I)(E), (3.5)(c)(I), and (3.6)(r)(I); repeal (3.5)(a)(I)(C); and add (3.5)(a)(I)(D.5) as follows:

• Page 2, Line 48-42-101.  Employer must furnish medical aid - approval of

• Page 2, Line 5plan - fee schedule - contracting for treatment - no recovery from

• Page 2, Line 6employee - medical treatment guidelines - accreditation of physicians

• Page 2, Line 7and other medical providers - mental health provider qualifications

• Page 2, Line 8- mileage reimbursement - rules - definition - repeal.

• Page 2, Line 9(3.5) (a) (I) (A)  "Physician" means, for the purposes of the level I and

• Page 2, Line 10level II accreditation programs only, a physician licensed under the

• Page 2, Line 11"Colorado Medical Practice Act", article 240 of title 12. For the

• Page 2, Line 12purposes of level I accreditation only and not level II accreditation,

• Page 2, Line 13"physician" means a dentist licensed under the "Dental Practice Act",

• Page 2, Line 14article 220 of title 12; a podiatrist licensed under article 290 of title 12;

• Page 2, Line 15and a chiropractor licensed under article 215 of title 12. A physician is

• Page 2, Line 16not deemed accredited under either level I or level II solely by reason of being licensed.

• Page 2, Line 17(C)  A physician shall not be deemed accredited under either level

• Page 2, Line 18I or level II solely by reason of being licensed.

• Page 3, Line 1(D.5)  A health-care professional regulated pursuant to

• Page 3, Line 2title 12 and listed in the utilization standards created in

• Page 3, Line 3accordance with subsection (3.5)(a)(II) of this section may receive level I accreditation.

• Page 3, Line 4(E)  Nothing in this subsection (3.5)(a) grants any person other

• Page 3, Line 5than a physician licensed under the "Colorado Medical Practice Act",

• Page 3, Line 6article 240 of title 12, the authority to determine that no permanent

• Page 3, Line 7medical impairment has resulted from the injury pursuant to subsection

• Page 3, Line 8(3.6)(b) of this section or that a claimant has attained maximum medical improvement pursuant to section 8-42-107 (8)(b)(I).

• Page 3, Line 9(c) (I)  This subsection (3.5) is repealed, effective September 1, 2025 September 1, 2036.

• Page 3, Line 10(3.6)  The two-tier accreditation system shall comprise the following programs:

• Page 3, Line 11(r) (I)  This subsection (3.6) is repealed, effective September 1, 2025 September 1, 2036.

• Page 3, Line 12SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-34-104, repeal (26)(a)(II); and add (37) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 1324-34-104.  General assembly review of regulatory agencies

• Page 3, Line 14and functions for repeal, continuation, or reestablishment - legislative

• Page 3, Line 15declaration - repeal. (26) (a)  The following agencies, functions, or both, are scheduled for repeal on September 1, 2025:

• Page 3, Line 16(II)  The accreditation of health-care providers under the workers'

• Page 3, Line 17compensation system in accordance with section 8-42-101 (3.5) and (3.6), C.R.S.;

• Page 3, Line 18(37) (a)  The following agencies, functions, or both, are

• Page 3, Line 19scheduled for repeal on September 1, 2036:

• Page 4, Line 1(I)  The accreditation of health-care providers under the

• Page 4, Line 2workers' compensation system in accordance with section 8-42-101 (3.5) and (3.6).

• Page 4, Line 3(b)  This subsection (37) is repealed, effective September 1, 2038.

• Page 4, Line 4SECTION 3.  Appropriation. (1)  For the 2025-26 state fiscal

• Page 4, Line 5year, $123,933 is appropriated to the department of labor and employment

• Page 4, Line 6for use by the division of workers' compensation. This appropriation is

• Page 4, Line 7from the workers' compensation cash fund created in section 8-44-112

• Page 4, Line 8(7)(a), C.R.S. To implement this act, the division may use this appropriation as follows:

• Page 4, Line 9(a)  $108,545 for personal services, which amount is based on an assumption that the division will require an additional 1.6 FTE; and

• Page 4, Line 10(b)  $15,388 for operating expenses.

• Page 4, Line 11SECTION 4.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act

• Page 4, Line 12takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the

• Page 4, Line 13ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except

• Page 4, Line 14that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V

• Page 4, Line 15of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this

• Page 4, Line 16act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take

• Page 4, Line 17effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in

• Page 4, Line 18November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.