HOUSE BILL 22-1068
BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) McCormick and Lynch, Amabile, Bernett,
Bird, Boesenecker, Caraveo, Cutter, Esgar, Exum, Froelich, Geitner,
Gonzales-Gutierrez, Gray, Hooton, Jodeh, Kipp, Lindsay, Lontine,
McCluskie, McKean, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Pelton, Pico, Ricks,
Roberts, Sirota, Snyder, Tipper, Titone, Valdez A., Valdez D., Will,
Woodrow, Young;
also SENATOR(S) Jaquez Lewis, Coram, Danielson, Fields, Ginal, Hisey,
Kolker, Lee, Moreno, Pettersen, Priola, Scott, Simpson, Sonnenberg, Story,
Winter, Woodward.
C
ONCERNING MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FOR THERAPY USING EQUINE
MOVEMENT
.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly
finds that:
(a) Therapy using equine movement, often referred to as
hippotherapy, is regarded as standard practice for occupational therapists,
physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists and is used to engage
sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems to promote functional treatment
NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative
officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill
or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative
history, or the Session Laws.
________
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. outcomes. Therapy practitioners use equine movement as a tool integrated
with the use of other standard therapy tools, equipment, and activities
during a treatment session.
(b) Since the 1980s, the American Occupational Therapy
Association, the American Physical Therapy Association, and the American
Speech-Language-Hearing Association have recognized that the use of
equine movement is included in each respective scope of practice and is an
effective therapy tool that can be utilized in patient treatment plans;
(c) Currently, there are 102 peer review journal articles, 12 peer
review case studies, and 13 meta-analyses that support the value of using
equine movement as a treatment tool to improve function within a therapy
plan of care for patients with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, Down
syndrome, postural instability, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury,
language-learning disability, and stroke; and
(d) Across the United States, there are at least 37 states that provide
medicaid reimbursement for the use of equine movement as a treatment
tool. These states recognize that it is within the role of the treating
professional to select the appropriate treatment tools and activities to meet
each client's needs.
(2) Therefore, the general assembly declares that occupational
therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists should not
be penalized and denied medicaid reimbursement for therapy services using
equine movement as part of their respective practices.
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 25.5-5-332 as
follows:
25.5-5-332. Therapy using equine movement - federal
authorization - definition. (1) S
UBJECT TO FEDERAL AUTHORIZATION AND
FEDERAL FINANCIAL PARTICIPATION
, ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 2024, THERAPY
USING EQUINE MOVEMENT MAY BE PROVIDED BY A PHYSICAL THERAPIST
LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE
285 OF TITLE 12, AN OCCUPATIONAL
THERAPIST LICENSED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE
270 OF TITLE 12, OR A
SPEECH
-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST CERTIFIED PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 305 OF
TITLE
12.
PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 22-1068 (2) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE
REQUIRES
, "THERAPY USING EQUINE MOVEMENT " MEANS THERAPEUTIC
ACTIVITIES THAT LEVERAGE HORSE
-HUMAN INTERACTIONS TO FACILITATE
PROGRESSION TOWARD MEETING THERAPEUTIC GOALS
.
SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety.
____________________________ ____________________________
Alec Garnett Steve Fenberg
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
____________________________ ____________________________
Robin Jones Cindi L. Markwell
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
APPROVED________________________________________
(Date and Time)
_________________________________________
Jared S. Polis
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 22-1068