All Roll Calls
Yes: 295 • No: 41
ColoradoSB26-1382026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET
Reducing Administrative Burdens on Health Care
Sponsored By: Katie Stewart (Democratic), Kyle Mullica (Democratic), Lindsey Daugherty (Democratic)
Signed by Governor
Health Care & Health InsurancePublic Health
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
11 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.
Another path to discounted patient care
Patients who complete the uniform application and qualify can receive the discounts available under existing law. Facilities generally cannot deny discounted care solely because a patient did not apply for public benefits. The protection has an exception when initial screening finds the patient presumptively eligible for state medical assistance.
Billing protections while patients seek coverage
Facilities must explain how to apply for likely public coverage and offer reasonable help or a referral. Applying is the main way to resolve hospital bills until coverage is denied or 45 days after discharge, whichever comes first. After 45 days without a coverage decision, facilities must proceed with a discount decision; further delay requires billing-and-collection protections. Hospital debt-sale agreements must allow return or recall when a patient should have been screened and qualifies for discounts, or the bill qualifies for public reimbursement. If the debt stays with the buyer, the agreement must limit payment to the patient's personal share.
Patient complaints trigger discount corrections
The state must accept complaints by phone, mail, or online and review them within 30 days. It must also check facilities and licensed professionals for correct eligibility decisions and discounted charges. Providers that delay or deny an owed discount must submit a correction plan within 90 days after notice. Providers may request up to 120 days to submit the plan. Overcharges require patient notice and a financial correction; the state may keep providers under a correction plan until compliant.
Patient screening expands, but claims face limits
Facilities must screen uninsured patients for public coverage and discounted care unless they decline. Insured patients get screening and any needed eligibility application when they ask. Facilities may use standard outside tools, a state questionnaire, or both; screening for their own assistance programs is optional. Patients can refuse screening. A refusal documented under state rules gives the facility a complete defense against specified patient claims about screening-related violations.
Clearer applications and notices for patients
Facilities must gather needed application information and provide requested applications, unless discounts have already reduced the balance to zero. They must share patient-rights information and an application link; the state must post the application in all required languages. Qualified patients receive their result, income percentage under federal poverty guidelines, and maximum monthly installment payment. Patients likely not qualified receive screening results and application information; application decisions include applicable discounts, appeal options, or a zero balance. Certified medical assistance sites must explain presumptive eligibility and enrollment; facilities may also share their own assistance-program information after screening.
Hospitals get longer financial-report deadlines
Hospitals have 150 days, rather than 120, after their fiscal year ends to file audited financial statements. Extensions must be granted in writing before the deadline. The State Board sets report content and format by rule; the 2026 format remains unless changed by rule. Hospitals follow requirements adopted at least 30 days before their fiscal year starts. Draft transparency reports are due to referenced hospitals by December 1, with at least 15 business days for hospital and statewide association review and corrections.
Formal rules protect discounted-care applicants
The State Board of Health must adopt application rules by July 1, 2027, covering deadlines, appeals, and minimum income documents. Income checks cannot count patient assets; rules may allow standard outside screening tools, including major credit bureaus. Agencies must use rulemaking with stakeholder input for changes to forms, reporting, documents, data, or program criteria. Changes issued only in manuals or policies are advisory and cannot support enforcement. Rules for state budget year 2026–27 are due September 1, 2026; later rules are due June 1 before each budget year. Exceptions cover annual poverty-guideline updates and demonstrated urgent trends that limit program effectiveness. The Department must publicly archive policy issuances, their reasons, and legal citations.
General opioid training requirement ends
Regulators must repeal general opioid-training rules by July 1, 2027. Those rules required up to four hours per licensing cycle for affected health-care providers. Optometrists are removed from the listed provider types. The statutory training provision is repealed effective September 1, 2029.
Facilities renew licenses every two years
Beginning July 1, 2028, covered health-care facilities generally apply for licenses every two years instead of annually. Community residential homes follow a separate licensing rule. For licenses issued on or before July 1, 2030, the public health department may require another application after one year.
Veterinarians need substance-use prevention training
Veterinarians must complete at least one hour of substance-use prevention training per license renewal period. Topics include veterinary opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing, human substance-use recognition and referral, and prescription monitoring. Veterinarians are exempt with national board certification requiring equivalent training or an attestation that they do not prescribe opioids.
Dental training authority includes education credit
The dental board may require dentists, dental therapists, and dental hygienists to complete up to four training hours per licensing cycle. Topics cover opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing, substance-use recognition and referral, and prescription monitoring. A board-adopted requirement applies to license renewal, reactivation, or reinstatement. The board must count up to four hours of completed opioid-prescriber training toward continuing education, even without a training mandate.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Katie Stewart
Democratic • House
Kyle Mullica
Democratic • Senate
Lindsey Daugherty
Democratic • Senate
Cosponsors
Andrew Boesenecker
Democratic • House
Jennifer Bacon
Democratic • House
Julie McCluskie
Democratic • House
Karen McCormick
Democratic • House
Monica Duran
Democratic • House
Mandy Lindsay
Democratic • House
Cathy Kipp
Democratic • Senate
Chris Kolker
Democratic • Senate
Dylan Roberts
Democratic • Senate
Iman Jodeh
Democratic • Senate
Jeff Bridges
Democratic • Senate
John Carson
Republican • Senate
James Coleman
Democratic • Senate
Jessie Danielson
Democratic • Senate
Janice Marchman
Democratic • Senate
Lisa Cutter
Democratic • Senate
Matt Ball
Democratic • Senate
Scott Bright
Republican • Senate
Tony Exum
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
Senate vote • 5/8/2026
House amendments: Concur
Yes: 34 • No: 0
Senate vote • 5/8/2026
House amendments: Repass
Yes: 30 • No: 4
House vote • 5/7/2026
Third reading: Bill
Yes: 49 • No: 15
House vote • 5/7/2026
Third reading: Amd (l.019)
Yes: 52 • No: 12
House vote • 5/7/2026
Third reading: Perm
Yes: 62 • No: 2
House vote • 5/5/2026
Refer Senate Bill 26-138, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Yes: 9 • No: 4
Senate vote • 5/1/2026
Third reading: Bill
Yes: 32 • No: 3
Senate vote • 4/30/2026
Refer Senate Bill 26-138 to the Committee of the Whole.
Yes: 7 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/30/2026
Reconsider
Yes: 7 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/30/2026
Refer Senate Bill 26-138 to the Committee of the Whole.
Yes: 6 • No: 1
Senate vote • 4/23/2026
Refer Senate Bill 26-138, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Yes: 7 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
6/2/2026HouseSigned by the President of the Senate
5/21/2026SenateSigned by the Speaker of the House
5/21/2026HouseSent to the Governor
5/21/2026HouseSenate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
5/8/2026SenateHouse Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor
5/7/2026HouseHouse Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
5/6/2026HouseHouse Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
5/5/2026HouseSenate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
5/1/2026SenateIntroduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services
5/1/2026HouseSenate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to Senate Committee of the Whole
4/30/2026SenateSenate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
4/30/2026SenateSenate Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to Appropriations
4/23/2026SenateIntroduced In Senate - Assigned to Health & Human Services
3/11/2026Senate
Bill Text
Engrossed
Final Act
House Health & Human Services Preamend
Introduced
Reengrossed
Rerevised
Revised
Senate Health & Human Services Preamend
Signed Act
Related Bills
HB26-1298, Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements
HB26-1250, Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture
HB26-1414, Medical Record Requests
HB26-1430, Transportation Funding Adjustments
SB26-155, Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise
HB26-1429, County Administration Public Assistance Programs