Senate Bill 60, sponsored by State Senator Ellen Roberts, and passed with nearly unanimous bipartisan support, will put some teeth into the prosecution of Medicaid fraud across the state. Currently, the Attorney General’s office prosecutes provider fraud. But recipient fraud is handled through the counties, who often lack the personnel to conduct the investigative process. …
Bill Strengthens State’s Medicaid Fraud Prosecution
30 Apr
by Catherine Strode MPA, posted in Health Care, Health Care Advocacy Program, Interview | No Comments
House Minority Leader Rates Jobs Bills As Success
23 Apr
House Minority Leader Mark Ferrandino rates the passage of bills that have supported small businesses as the most significant ‘hallmark’ action of the Democratic caucus during the 2012 legislative session. Bills which have been proposed by the Democratic caucus to support job growth, but have failed, he rates as his greatest disappointment. In an interview …
Report Debunks High Salaries For Insurance Execs
16 Apr
by Catherine Strode MPA, posted in Health Care, Health Care Advocacy Program, Interview | 1 Comments
The Colorado Division of Insurance regulates the insurance industry and assists consumers with insurance issues. It handles (on average) 2000 telephone inquiries and over 4000 consumer complaints every month. The Division’s recent annual health insurance report to the Colorado legislature revealed some significant trends in the state’s insurance industry. The report also proved false some …
Long Term Care Bill Stirs ‘Turf Wars’
09 Apr
State Senator Linda Newell is sponsoring Senate Bill 127, ‘Medicaid Health Homes Long-term Care Providers.’ The bill creates a provision for long-term care services to be included in Medicaid health homes for those individuals who are “Dual Eligibles” – or – eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid benefits. It ensures that these services will be …
JBC Member Supports Reinstating Funds For DD Individuals
26 Mar
by Catherine Strode MPA, posted in Health Care, Health Care Advocacy Program, Interview | No Comments
Letters are going out this week to 249 individuals with developmental disabilities from the State Department of Human Services telling them how to pick up their checks for extra funds. The extra dollars were restored to eligible individuals with developmental disabilities by a new state law sponsored by State Senator Mary Hodge and signed into …
Legislator With Commitment to DD Services Asked to Carry Transfer Bill
19 Mar
by Catherine Strode MPA, posted in Health Care, Health Care Advocacy Program, Interview | No Comments
Representative Bob Gardner, from Colorado Springs, has been asked to sponsor a bill that would transfer services for the developmentally disabled from the state’s Department of Human Services to Health Care Financing and Policy. Throughout his legislative career, Representative Gardner has advocated for funding to provide services and programs for the developmentally disabled. In …
The Waiting Period
13 Mar
by AdvocacyDenver, posted in Adults, Health Care, Individual Advocacy, Medicaid, Parent/Family Support | 3 Comments
“How much of human life is lost in waiting.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson In order to enroll in Medicaid waiver programs in Colorado, adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) must meet certain criteria in determining their eligibility. This criterion, determined by the Colorado Division of Disability, is also used to determine the level of …
Legislator’s Sister’s Disability Spurs Reform Bills
12 Mar
State Representative Dave Young, a member of the House Health and Environment Committee, is a passionate advocate for people with developmental disabilities. During this legislative session, he has supported several bills to help this vulnerable population. These include: House Bill 1177 to restore state support to families from the Home Grant Allowance, House Bill 1281 …
Action Alert: Stop Children From Being Tried as Adults!
06 Mar
The Issue In the state of Colorado, when 14-17 year old children are charged as adults in criminal court, C.R.S. §19-2-517 gives prosecutors sole decision making power and denies children the right to a hearing before a judge on the life changing decision of whether their case should be heard in juvenile court or adult …