provider fee

Today, Gov. John Hickenlooper announced plans to proceed with expansion of Medicaid in Colorado as part of the Affordable Care Act. Beginning in 2014, Coloradans will be eligible for enrollment in Medicaid if their annual incomes are less than 133 percent of the federal poverty level – $30,657 per year for a family of four or $14,856 per year for an individual.

The Health Care Affordability Act of 2009 is one of Colorado's most effective reforms, but the program it fostered could be in jeopardy because budget-cutters in Washington are targeting the federal funding that makes the act work.

As talks continue on deficit reduction and increasing the debt ceiling, a number of proposals are zeroing in on the federal matching funds that cover hospital "provider fees" and help support Medicaid funding. Colorado is not alone among states that could lose funds.

Yesterday, during a hearing of the House Health and Environment Committee, Rep. Janak Joshi, R-Colorado Springs, ended his attempt to repeal the hospital provider fee that became law in 2009. Upon his request, the bill died by a unanimous vote.

Bob Semro, a policy analyst at the Bell, was scheduled to present an Opportunity Note on the hospital provider fee and the Health Care Affordability Act of 2009 (House Bill 1025) to the House Health and Environment Committee on Tuesday. The Bell opposes the bill, which would overturn the act.

Here are excerpts of the Opportunity Note. For pdf version, click here.

A few years ago, many Colorado hospitals faced a common problem: how to cover the cost of patients without insurance.

Hospitals can't turn away the sick, and if uninsured patients couldn't pay for their care, or public programs did not cover the hospital's cost, the bill for that "uncompensated care" was passed on, or shifted, to individuals and businesses with health-care coverage.

In 2009, lawmakers passed the Colorado Health Care Affordability Act to help address this problem. The Colorado Hospital Association and doctors and consumer groups supported the law.

By Bob Semro

A few years ago, many Colorado hospitals faced a common problem: how to cover the cost of patients without insurance.

Hospitals can't turn away the sick, and if uninsured patients couldn't pay for their care, or public programs did not cover the hospital's cost, the bill for that "uncompensated care" was passed on, or shifted, to individuals and businesses with health care coverage.

A few years ago, many Colorado hospitals faced a common problem: how to cover the cost of patients without insurance.

Hospitals can't turn away the sick, and if uninsured patients couldn't pay for their care, or public programs did not cover the hospital's cost, the bill for that "uncompensated care" was passed on, or shifted, to individuals and businesses with health care coverage.

In 2009, lawmakers passed the Colorado Health Care Affordability Act to help address this problem. The Colorado Hospital Association and doctors and consumer groups supported the law.