Senate Bill 25-229

BY SENATOR(S) Kirkmeyer and Bridges, Amabile, Catlin, Cutter, Exum, Frizell, Liston, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Pelton B., Pelton R., Rich, Simpson, Wallace;

also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Bird and Taggart, Sirota, Bacon, Brown, Carter, Gilchrist, Hamrick, Lieder, Ricks, Stewart K., Story, Valdez, Velasco, McCluskie.

Concerning medicaid reimbursement for community health workers, and, in connection therewith, reducing an appropriation.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25.5-5-334, amend (10); and add (11) as follows:

25.5-5-334.  Community health worker services - federal authorization - reporting - rules - definition. (10)  On or before January 31, 2026January 31, 2027, the state department shall report on ways community health workers are being utilized through the state medical assistance program and include available data or any identified costs or savings associated with community health worker services and considerations for the general assembly to expand community health worker services in community-based organizations that are outside of the traditional health-care setting in its presentation to the joint budget committee of the general assembly and in its presentation to the health and human services committee of the senate and the health and insurance committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committees, at the "SMART Act" hearing held pursuant to section 2-7-203. (2)(a) of the "State Measurement for Accountable, Responsive, and Transparent (SMART) Government Act".

(11)  Subject to available appropriations, upon receiving any necessary federal authorization, beginning January 1, 2026, the state department shall reimburse community health workers who comply with the requirements of subsection (8) of this section.

SECTION 2.  Appropriation - adjustments to 2025 long bill. (1)  To implement this act, appropriations made in the annual general appropriation act for the 2025-26 state fiscal year to the department of health care policy and financing for medical and long-term care services for medicaid-eligible individuals are adjusted as follows:

(a)  The general fund appropriation is decreased by $1,364,558, which is subject to the "(M)" notation as defined in the annual general appropriation act for the same fiscal year; and

(b)  The cash funds appropriation from the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund created in section 25.5-4-402.4 (5)(a), C.R.S., is decreased by $342,750.

(2)  The decreases of appropriations in subsection (1) of this section are based on the assumption that the anticipated amount of federal funds received for the 2025-26 state fiscal year by the department of health care policy and financing for medical and long-term care services for medicaid-eligible individuals will decrease by $4,006,038.

SECTION 3.  Safety clause. The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.