Colorado 2025 Regular Session

Colorado House Bill HB1297 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	First Regular Session
2	2	Seventy-fifth General Assembly
3	3	STATE OF COLORADO
4	4	INTRODUCED
5	5
6	6
7	7	LLS NO. 25-0887.01 Brita Darling x2241
8	8	HOUSE BILL 25-1297
9	9	House Committees Senate Committees
10	10	Health & Human Services
11	11	A BILL FOR AN ACT
12	12	C
13	13	ONCERNING UPDATES TO THE HE ALTH INSURANCE AFFORDABILITY101
14	14	ENTERPRISE TO PROVIDE CONT INUING COVERAGE FOR HEALTH102
15	15	INSURANCE NEEDS IN THE STATE .103
16	16	Bill Summary
17	17	(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
18	18	not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
19	19	passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
20	20	applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
21	21	http://leg.colorado.gov
22	22	.)
23	23	Beginning in 2026, the bill authorizes an increase to the health
24	24	insurance affordability fee assessed and collected from insurance carriers
25	25	(carriers) by up to one percentage point to implement and administer the
26	26	health insurance affordability enterprise (HIAE). The bill includes
27	27	objectives for the commissioner of insurance (commissioner) to consider
28	28	HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
29	29	Brown and Gilchrist,
30	30	SENATE SPONSORSHIP
31	31	Jodeh,
32	32	Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
33	33	Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
34	34	Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. in determining whether to increase the HIAE fee, including, in part,
35	35	maintaining HIAE programs to achieve a premium reduction in the
36	36	reinsurance program and to provide subsidies for individuals with low
37	37	income who purchase insurance on the Colorado health benefit exchange.
38	38	The commissioner shall notify carriers of the amount of the HIAE fee for
39	39	the upcoming calendar year.
40	40	The bill changes the allocation of the HIAE fee assessed for 2026,
41	41	dedicating up to 40% each to state-subsidized individual health coverage
42	42	plans purchased by qualified individuals and to the reinsurance program
43	43	cash fund, with the remaining revenue allocated for other purposes
44	44	specified in the bill, including new and emerging health insurance
45	45	affordability initiatives.
46	46	The bill authorizes the enterprise to seek, accept, and expend gifts,
47	47	grants, or donations for the purposes of the HIAE.
48	48	Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
49	49	SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 10-16-1203, amend2
50	50	(12)(c) as follows:3
51	51	10-16-1203. Definitions. As used in this part 12, unless the4
52	52	context otherwise requires:5
53	53	(12) "Qualified individual" means an individual, regardless of6
54	54	immigration status, who:7
55	55	(c) Is not eligible for the premium tax credit, medicaid, medicare,8
56	56	or the children's basic health plan;
57	57	EXCEPT FOR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS9
58	58	ELIGIBLE PURSUANT TO SECTION 25.5-5-201 (6) OR 25.5-8-109 (7).10
59	59	SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 10-16-1205, amend11
60	60	(1)(a)(I) introductory portion, (1)(b)(II), and (2)(d)(I) introductory12
61	61	portion; and add (1)(a.5), (1)(b)(VI), (1)(b)(VII), (2)(d)(IV), and (2)(e)13
62	62	as follows:14
63	63	10-16-1205. Health insurance affordability fee - special15
64	64	assessment on hospitals - allocation of revenues. (1) (a) (I) Starting in16
65	65	the 2021 calendar year, the enterprise shall assess and collect from17
66	66	HB25-1297-2- carriers, by July 15 each year, a health insurance affordability fee. EXCEPT1
67	67	AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (1)(a.5) OF THIS SECTION, the fee amount is2
68	68	based on the following percentages of premiums collected by the3
69	69	following carriers in the immediately preceding calendar year on health4
70	70	benefit plans issued in the state:5
71	71	(a.5) (I) S
72	72	TARTING IN THE 2026 CALENDAR YEAR , THE6
73	73	COMMISSIONER MAY INCREASE THE HEALTH INSURANCE AFFORDABILITY7
74	74	FEE BY UP TO ONE PERCENTAGE POINT ABOVE THE PERCENTAGES SPECIFIED8
75	75	IN SUBSECTION (1)(a)(I) OF THIS SECTION.9
76	76	(II) I
77	77	N DETERMINING WHETHER TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF10
78	78	PREMIUMS COLLECTED BY THE CARRIERS PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION11
79	79	(1)(a)(I)
80	80	OF THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL CONSIDER THE12
81	81	FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:13
82	82	(A) M
83	83	AINTAINING THE ENTERPRISE PROGRAMS TO ACHIEVE A14
84	84	STATEWIDE AVERAGE TWENTY PERCENT PREMIUM REDUCTION IN THE15
85	85	REINSURANCE PROGRAM, PROVIDING SUBSIDIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AN16
86	86	INCOME OF UP TO TWO HUNDRED FIFTY PERCENT OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY17
87	87	LINE WHO PURCHASE INSURANCE ON THE EXCHANGE , AND PROVIDING18
88	88	COVERAGE FOR QUALIFIED INDIVIDUALS AT THE 2025 CALENDAR YEAR19
89	89	ENROLLMENT LEVEL;20
90	90	(B) C
91	91	OVERING THE COSTS OF ENSURING COMPLIANCE IN THE21
92	92	INDIVIDUAL MARKET WITH THE FEDERAL HYDE AMENDMENT OR A SIMILAR22
93	93	AMENDMENT; AND23
94	94	(C) S
95	95	UPPORTING ADDITIONAL AFFORDABILITY EFFORTS TO24
96	96	MAINTAIN OR INCREASE COVERAGE IN THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET .25
97	97	(III) T
98	98	HE COMMISSIONER SHALL NOTIFY CARRIERS OF THE HEALTH26
99	99	INSURANCE FEE AMOUNT FOR THE CALENDAR YEAR NOT LATER THAN27
100	100	HB25-1297
101	101	-3- AUGUST 31 OF THE YEAR BEFORE THE CALENDAR YEAR FOR WHICH THE1
102	102	FEE AMOUNT IS ASSESSED.2
103	103	(b) The enterprise shall use the fee, the special assessment on3
104	104	hospitals, and any other money available in the fund as follows, allocated4
105	105	in accordance with subsection (2) of this section:5
106	106	(II) To provide payments to carriers to increase the affordability6
107	107	of health insurance on the individual market for Coloradans who receive7
108	108	the premium tax credit PURCHASE INSURANCE ON THE EXCHANGE ;8
109	109	(VI) T
110	110	O COVER THE COSTS OF ENSURING COMPLIANCE IN THE9
111	111	INDIVIDUAL MARKET WITH THE FEDERAL HYDE AMENDMENT OR A SIMILAR10
112	112	AMENDMENT; AND11
113	113	(VII) T
114	114	O SUPPORT ADDITIONAL AFFORDABILITY EFFORTS TO12
115	115	MAINTAIN OR INCREASE COVERAGE IN THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET .13
116	116	(2) (d) (I) The enterprise shall allocate the revenues collected in14
117	117	2023 and each year thereafter
118	118	THROUGH 2026, and any other money15
119	119	deposited in the fund in 2023 and each year thereafter THROUGH 2026, in16
120	120	the following amounts and order of priority:17
121	121	(IV) F
122	122	OR THE 2025 AND 2026 CALENDAR YEARS, THE ENTERPRISE18
123	123	MAY USE A PORTION OF THE REVENUES COLLECTED IN 2025 AND 2026 FOR19
124	124	THE PURPOSES SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTIONS (1)(b)(VI) AND (1)(b)(VII) OF20
125	125	THIS SECTION.21
126	126	(e) T
127	127	HE ENTERPRISE SHALL ALLOCATE THE REVENUES ASSESSED22
128	128	FOR THE 2026 CALENDAR YEAR AND FOR EACH CALENDAR YEAR23
129	129	THEREAFTER, AND ANY OTHER MONEY DEPOSITED IN THE FUND IN 202624
130	130	AND EACH YEAR THEREAFTER , IN THE FOLLOWING WAY:25
131	131	(I) U
132	132	P TO FORTY PERCENT FOR SUBSIDIES FOR STATE-SUBSIDIZED26
133	133	INDIVIDUAL HEALTH COVERAGE PLANS PURCHASED BY QUALIFIED27
134	134	HB25-1297
135	135	-4- INDIVIDUALS;1
136	136	(II) U
137	137	P TO FORTY PERCENT TO THE REINSURANCE PROGRAM CASH2
138	138	FUND;3
139	139	(III) U
140	140	P TO TEN PERCENT TO REDUCE THE COSTS OF INDIVIDUAL4
141	141	HEALTH PLANS FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO PURCHASE AN INDIVIDUAL HEALTH5
142	142	BENEFIT PLAN ON THE EXCHANGE ;6
143	143	(IV) U
144	144	P TO THREE AND ONE -HALF PERCENT FOR ACTUAL7
145	145	ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AS SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION (1)(b)(IV) OF THIS8
146	146	SECTION; AND9
147	147	(V) U
148	148	P TO SIX AND ONE-HALF PERCENT, AND ANY MONEY10
149	149	REMAINING AFTER THE ALLOCATIONS ARE MADE IN THIS SUBSECTION11
150	150	(2)(e),
151	151	THAT THE COMMISSIONER MAY DESIGNATE FOR :12
152	152	(A) A
153	153	NY ALLOCATION SPECIFIED IN THIS SUBSECTION (2)(e); OR13
154	154	(B) N
155	155	EW AND EMERGING HEALTH INSURANCE AFFORDABILITY14
156	156	INITIATIVES, INCLUDING THE PURPOSES SPECIFIED IN SUBSECTIONS15
157	157	(1)(b)(VI)
158	158	AND (1)(b)(VII) OF THIS SECTION AND HEALTH INSURANCE16
159	159	AFFORDABILITY CASH FUND RESERVES .17
160	160	SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 10-16-1206, amend18
161	161	(1)(f) and (1)(g); and add (1)(h) as follows:19
162	162	10-16-1206. Health insurance affordability cash fund -20
163	163	creation - repeal. (1) There is created in the state treasury the health21
164	164	insurance affordability cash fund. The fund consists of:22
165	165	(f) All interest and income derived from the deposit and23
166	166	investment of money in the fund; and
167	167	24
168	168	(g) The federal share of the medical assistance payments received25
169	169	pursuant to section 25.5-4-503 (2);
170	170	AND26
171	171	(h) G
172	172	IFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS RECEIVED FROM PRIVATE OR27
173	173	HB25-1297
174	174	-5- PUBLIC SOURCES FOR THE OPERATION, RESERVES, AND SUSTAINABILITY OF1
175	175	THE ENTERPRISE.2
176	176	SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 10-16-1207, add3
177	177	(4)(e) as follows:4
178	178	10-16-1207. Health insurance affordability board - creation -5
179	179	membership - powers and duties - subject to open meetings and6
180	180	public records laws - commissioner rules. (4) The board is authorized7
181	181	to:8
182	182	(e) S
183	183	EEK, ACCEPT, AND EXPEND GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS9
184	184	FROM PRIVATE OR PUBLIC SOURCES FOR THE OPERATION , RESERVES, AND10
185	185	SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ENTERPRISE. THE ENTERPRISE SHALL CONSIDER11
186	186	THE FEASIBILITY OF ALLOCATING GIFTS, GRANTS, OR DONATIONS RECEIVED12
187	187	FROM SPECIFIC LOCALITIES OR DIRECTED TO SPECIFIC LOCALITIES TO BE13
188	188	USED ONLY IN THOSE LOCALITIES.14
189	189	SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,15
190	190	determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate16
191	191	preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for17
192	192	the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state18
193	193	institutions.19
194	194	HB25-1297
195	195	-6-