Bill to Protect Health Coverage and Expand Preventative Care Moves Forward
SB 20-156 Codifies The Affordable Healthcare Act and Increases Accessibility
Denver, CO – Today the Senate Health & Human Services Committee passed critical legislation to codify protections created by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), as well as expand preventative healthcare services covered by insurance carriers.
SB20-156 enshrines provisions already set out by federal law by solidifying their place in Colorado law and ensuring that regardless of potential national rollbacks of insurance coverage– Coloradans will be protected.
"Thousands of Coloradans who rely on benefits provided by the ACA, are deeply concerned that their coverage could be taken away any moment," said Sen. Brittany Pettersen (D-Lakewood). "This bill makes sure that no matter what happens in Washington, Coloradans can count on their coverage."
The bill also mandates an expansion of covered preventative healthcare benefits to include: osteoporosis screening, urinary incontinence screening, and the screening and treatment of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).
"By increasing preventative treatments available to Coloradans, we will more substantially protect the health and safety of our community while also ensuring that folks get the treatment they need as early as possible," said Sen. Dominick Moreno (D-Denver).
Due to the rising number of STI cases in Colorado, covered screenings are especially important for public health. As reported by the Westword: in 2017, there were 36,291 newly reported STI cases here in Colorado: 26,995 involving chlamydia, 8,478 pertaining to gonorrhea and 818 dealing with all stages of syphilis. Those are the highest figures ever recorded in the state for each of the three conditions.
Under current law, a health care provider or facility is only required to perform a diagnostic exam for an STI and subsequently prescribe treatment, when a patient is experiencing symptoms. However, many STIs do not result in external symptoms– leaving large portions of the population, especially men, untreated.
The bill allows a health care provider to administer, dispense, or prescribe preventive measures or medications to all patients without the hurdle of a copay. Moreover, it allows minors to receive confidential treatment and care without the consent of a guardian. This measure is meant to increase the health of young adults as well as decrease the frequency of STI transmission in minor populations.
The bill will now be head in the Senate Appropriations Committee.