Denver Health Federal Funds for Physician Services

HOUSE BILL 26-1366

BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Brown and Sirota, Taggart, Lindsay; also SENATOR(S) Amabile and Kirkmeyer, Bridges, Ball, Weissman.

CONCERNING ENHANCING STATE-DIRECTED PAYMENTS FOR PHYSICIAN SERVICES RENDERED BY MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS AT DENVER HEALTH AND HOSPITAL AUTHORITY, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, MAKING AN APPROPRIATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25.5-4-402.4, add (5)(b)(I.7) and (9)(1.5) as follows: 25.5-4-402.4. Hospitals - healthcare affordability and sustainability hospital provider fee - healthcare affordability and sustainability nursing facility provider fee - healthcare affordability and sustainability intermediate care facility fee - receipt of public funds - Colorado healthcare affordability and sustainability enterprise federal waiver - funds created - reports - rules - legislative declaration - definitions - repeal. (5) Healthcare affordability and sustainability hospital provider fee cash fund.

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of the act.

(b) All money in the hospital provider fee cash fund is subject to federal matching as authorized under federal law and, subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, shall be expended by the enterprise for the following purposes: (1.7) TO MAXIMIZE REIMBURSEMENT FOR PHYSICIAN SERVICES AT DENVER HEALTH AND HOSPITAL AUTHORITY THROUGH A STATE-DIRECTED PAYMENT PROGRAM, AS PERMITTED IN 42 CFR 43 8.6(c). (9) Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise reqmres: (1.5) "PHYSICIAN SERVICES" MEANS MEDICALLY NECESSARY SERVICES THAT ARE RENDERED BY A LICENSED PHYSICIAN OR QUALIFIED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL AND ARE BILLED SEPARATELY FROM HOSPITAL FACILITY FEES. SECTION 2. Appropriation. (1) For the 2026-27 state fiscal year,

$3,527,482 is appropriated to the department of health care policy and financing. This appropriation is from the healthcare affordability and sustainability hospital provider fee cash fund created in section 25.5-4-402.4 (5)(a)(I). To implement this act, the department may use this appropriation for medical and long-term care services for Medicaid-eligible individuals. (2) For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, the general assembly anticipates that the department of health care policy and financing will receive $7,803,973 in federal funds for medical and long-term care services for Medicaid-eligible individuals to implement this act. The appropriation in subsection (1) of this section is based on the assumption that the department will receive this amount of federal funds. SECTION 3.

Safety clause. The general assembly finds,

determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for

the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.

Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

James Rashad Coleman, Sr. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Esther van Mourik SECRETARY OF THE SENATE

APPROVED on Thursday May 28th 2026 at 12:00pm (Date and Time)

Jared S. Polis GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO