Moreno, Cutter Bill to Increase Access to Reproductive Health Care, Close Access Gaps Clears Committee
Bill will make reproductive health care more accessible and affordable for all
DENVER, CO – Legislation sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno, D-Commerce City, and Senator Lisa Cutter, D-Jefferson County, that would improve access to reproductive health care, including abortion, and make reproductive health care more equitable cleared the Senate Health & Human Services Committee today.
SB23-189 is part of the Safe Access to Protected Health Care package of legislation, and works in several ways to close gaps in accessing reproductive health care, including abortion.
“Every Coloradan deserves to be able to access the critical care they need, but for too many of our neighbors, barriers still exist that prevent them from accessing that care,” Moreno said. “Our legislation will break down those barriers, especially for vulnerable communities, and help ensure all our neighbors are able to get the life-saving care they need to thrive.”
“Investing in all aspects of sexual and reproductive health care is the right thing to do, both socially and economically,” said Cutter. “It is in our best interest as a society to help prevent unintended pregnancies, improve maternal health and prevent and treat sexually transmitted infections. I am thrilled to be part of legislation that will help build a healthier Colorado for everyone."
SB23-189 would limit surprise medical billing and remove patient cost sharing for reproductive health care services and treatment, including but not limited to sterilization, sexually transmitted infections (STI) and abortion care.
This bill expands access to contraception and related information for all Coloradans by modernizing a 1971 law and aligning it with Colorado’s Public Health code. SB23-189 also makes it possible for patients to utilize Medicaid’s non-emergent medical transportation service (IntelliRide) to get to and from their abortion services, further breaking down accessibility barriers faced by many Colorado Medicaid patients.
In order to protect patients’ privacy and confidentiality on shared insurance coverage, this bill further creates a state fund that providers can bill directly for their patient’s reproductive health care services. Lastly, SB23-189 prioritizes access to life-saving HIV medication by cutting red tape to allow any authorized provider, not only pharmacists, to offer the treatment.
SB23-189 will now move to the Appropriations Committee. Track the bill’s progress HERE.