Colorado Hospital Association

Mar 23, 2023

Noah Schwartz - Wednesday, March 22nd, 2023 Colorado House Bill 23-1215, legislation that originally proposed a ban on hospital facility fees for care provided outside a hospital, is being rolled back to just ban facility fees for telehealth services, preventive services and primary care, The Denver Post reported March 22. Additionally, the revised bill would exempt critical access hospitals and sole community hospitals. The second edition of the bill would still require hospitals to notify patients how much they are charged in facility fees and allow the Colorado attorney general to investigate violations as "deceptive trade practices." The Colorado Hospital Association still opposes the revised edition of the bill. "Even if scaled back per the proponents' message, this will still harm access to care — and especially essential primary and preventive care that is helping Coloradans stay healthier and out of the hospital," CHA spokesperson Cara Welch told the Post. "It will also have a detrimental impact on access to specialty care through telehealth, which many Coloradans — especially in rural parts of the state — have come to depend on."