Legislation to Protect Access to Health Care, Stabilize Health Care Safety Net Passes Committee Unanimously

SB25-290 would support medical providers that serve low-income communities, protecting access to essential health care for thousands of Coloradans

DENVER, CO – Bipartisan legislation sponsored by Senator Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, to protect access to essential health care for thousands of Coloradans passed the Senate Health and Human Services Committee unanimously on Thursday.

SB25-290, also sponsored by Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County, would provide immediate financial support to a broad cross-section of safety net health providers including rural hospitals, community health centers, and behavioral health clinics to provide stability while long-term, comprehensive solutions can be developed. 

“In every corner of Colorado, our healthcare safety net is in crisis. Senate bill 290 is a much-needed lifeline to ensure the most vulnerable people of our state continue to have access to healthcare,” said Mullica. “Between higher costs and workforce shortages, our safety net providers are facing unprecedented pressures, with more than half reporting operating in the negative. This bill fills an immediate need to ensure these safety net providers can keep their doors open and the people of Colorado can still receive the care they need.”

The bill would create the Provider Stabilization Fund within the Colorado Healthcare Affordability and Sustainability Enterprise to distribute provider stabilization payments to safety net providers who provide care to low-income, uninsured individuals on a sliding scale or for free. The bill would transfer interest earnings on the Unclaimed Property Tax Trust Fund to the Provider Stabilization Fund. Payments would be distributed based on the proportion of low-income, uninsured individuals that the provider serves. 

SB25-290 now heads to the Senate Finance Committee for further consideration. Track its progress HERE.