SB22-081 (Smallwood) Health Exchange Education Campaign Health Care Services
Summary
The bill requires the Colorado health benefit exchange board of directors to create and implement a consumer outreach campaign that provides consumers with information regarding the details of the Colorado medical assistance program. To pay for the campaign, the board is required to collect a special fee from insurers. In addition, the amount of tax credits that the commissioner of insurance is allowed to allocate to contributing insurers increases from $5 million to $10 million.
Position
The Children’s Campaign supports this bill. It will help individuals across Colorado learn about their health insurance coverage options, including coverage available through Connect for Health Colorado, Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program), and CHP+. It will be a key support in helping connect families to coverage as the Public Health Emergency – and the corresponding “lock-in” to Medicaid and CHP+ coverage — winds down. Further, it will support Connect for Health Colorado in informing consumers about Special Enrollment Periods that allow individuals to sign up for coverage mid-year, and occur when individuals experience qualifying life events like the birth or adoption of a child.
Current Status
The bill passed out of the Senate Finance Committee, and now heads to Appropriations.
