Health-Care Payment System Analysis

Colorado studies health coverage for everyone

The law requires the Colorado School of Public Health to study universal health coverage, not provide it. Household coverage, premiums, and benefits do not change. The School must select a Colorado nonprofit's draft model, publish it by July 1, 2025, and report to legislative health committees by December 31, 2026. The model must cover all residents through one public, nonprofit payer, with privately delivered care and patient choice. It must include broad medical, mental health, reproductive, dental, vision, and hearing benefits, plus long-term services at least matching Medicaid. Contributions must reflect ability to pay, with no deductibles or copayments and fair hospital and drug pricing. The study must estimate operating costs for years 1, 2, 5, and 10. It must assess provider recruitment and retention, including payment rates at 120% of Medicare and other rates. It must examine household spending by ability to pay, long-term care costs and funding, hospital payment methods, and specialty drug and rare-disease treatment costs. Other required reviews cover legal compliance, existing benefits, rural access, racial and economic fairness, employers, insurers, and options for changing the Colorado Option. A state advisory group must meet at least twice before October 1, 2026; its invited nonlegislative members receive no pay but may receive expense reimbursement. Both the study and advisory group require sufficient funding for each other's work. The School must apply for a health-claims database scholarship grant, and the law allows gifts, grants, and donations. Subject to available appropriations, the Department of Higher Education must arrange fee-for-service contracts for the analysis. The study, advisory group, and contract provisions expire December 1, 2027.