Joint Budget Committee

Tuesday, March 31, 2026·6h 40m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Colorado Joint Budget Committee advanced sweeping Medicaid cost-control measures, introduced three bills including an adoption subsidy cap projected to affect 24-40% of current recipient families, and sent a contested Medicaid extrapolation audit bill back for a complete redraft after Senator Kirkmeyer blocked broad extrapolation authority. A proposed in-state tuition framework was the only motion to fail, deadlocking 3-3.

Key Actions

·LLS 0855 – Subsidy Limits for Adoption and GuardianshipPassed

+ 12 more actions

Controversies

Extrapolation audit authority for HCPF (LLS 260978)

Senator Kirkmeyer opposed broad extrapolation audit authority, stating 'I'm not interested in doing an extrapolation audit and I certainly don't want to give the department the blanket authority' and citing RAC audit failures and an OIG recommendation that the state pay back $42.6 million in ABA payments. Vice Chair Bridges countered that not pursuing recoveries 'seems like to me not only a missed opportunity, but allows the continuation of some bad behavior that we ought to put a stop to.' JBC Staff member Mr. Kurtz disputed Kirkmeyer's analogy, stating 'I don't think it's accurate to say that the RAC audit was using the same type of procedure that we're talking about here.'

+ 3 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“The highest rate available in Colorado is $522 per month above the next highest state. So we do expect that this bill will impact families in ways that will be painful. But this program has increased by over 100% in the last couple of fiscal years.”
Emily Pope, JBC Staff — Explaining why the committee was advancing LLS 0855, which caps adoption and guardianship subsidy payments, despite the projected impact on 24% of adoption families and 40% of guardianship families currently receiving payments above the proposed caps.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Introduce LLS 0855 – Subsidy Limits and Assistance Programs for ChildrenPassed

Cover All Colorado children's program changes (age-18 limit, 25,000 enrollment cap, quarterly expenditure trigger)Passed

In-state tuition framework (3% in-state / 5% out-of-state with 25% out-of-state enrollment threshold)Failed

No (3)Mabrey, Kirkmeyer, Taggart

2% across-the-board cut to Medicaid provider ratesPassed

Exempt NICU and maternal care codes from across-the-board cut and 85% reductionPassed

Exempt PBT from any additional cuts beyond supplementalsPassed

Soft-capped hours for family caregivers (84 hours / 70 hours / 56 hours phase-in)Passed

Refinance CBMS line ($653,000, one-time) from general fund to HSMA for SNAP administrationPassed

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TranscriptPreview

Order. We have potential legislation packet number 17 with four bills to take a look at. We're starting with Ms. Pope. Tell us about LLS 0855. Thank you, madam Chair. EMILY Pope, JVC STAFF this is the bill to implement some cost controls on the adoption and relative guardianship assistance programs. The bill caps monthly subsidy payments for adoption and guardianship at different percentages of the foster care rate, depending on youth age, and removes services from the entitlement. It's estimated that this will save you $8 million in total funds, including 4.7 million general fund. That's compared to a $14.6 million general fund increase for this program. That's included in the long bill and and is why we were motivated to implement some cost controls for this program. When you improved the concept of the draft, Rep. Brown asked for more information about the number of families that will be impacted. So there is some information in a memo in your packet on page one. Originally, the department was estimating that not many families would be impacted by this change. When they provided me with data, they are showing that 24% of adoption families and 40% of guardianship families…

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