Senate Health & Human Services

Thursday, January 29, 2026·2h 12m·▶ Watch / Listen

Colorado's Senate Health & Human Services Committee sent a hard-won compromise on out-of-network payment disputes to Appropriations without a dissent, then split 6-3 along party lines to advance a bill shielding the state's immunization programs from federal turbulence — over emotional testimony from families of the vaccine-injured.

Key Actions

·Out-of-Network Health Insurance Dispute ResolutionPassed

+ 1 more action

Notable Quotes

“when the physician believes that the patient's health plan has underpaid for those services, the current dispute resolution process is inefficient, costly and unfairly puts the burden on physicians. The arbitration process and statute would often cost the physician more to access than the amount of the reimbursement discrepancy.”
Lindsey Daugherty — The core problem the bill targets: arbitration that costs providers more than the disputed reimbursement, leaving underpayments unchallenged.

+ 5 more quotes

Votes

Referred to Committee on AppropriationsAction

Yes (9)Scott Bright, John Carson, Lisa Cutter, Lindsey Daugherty, Lisa Frizell, Iman Jodeh, Mike Weissman, Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Kyle Mullica

Referred to Committee of the WholeAction

Yes (6)Lisa Cutter, Lindsey Daugherty, Iman Jodeh, Mike Weissman, Dafna Michaelson Jenet, Kyle Mullica

No (3)Scott Bright, John Carson, Lisa Frizell

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TranscriptPreview

Senate Health and Human Services Committee, Senate Health and Human Services Committee will come to order. Mr. Brown, please call the roll. Senators Bright, good afternoon. Carson. President. Cutter. Present. Doherty. Here. Frizzell. Excused. Judah. Present. Weissman. Good afternoon. Michaelson. Janae. Present. Mr. Chair. Malika. Here. Members, we're going to go out of order a little bit. We're going to HEAR Senate Bill 17 first with Senator Daugherty and Senator Bright. Senator Daugherty, thank you, Mr. Chair and Committee. I'm excited to be bringing you the first bill this year. A little history. This is the third time we've been trying to solve this problem. We have had, I think, a lot of really successful conversations in the interim leading up to this point, and I am proud to say we have, I think, come to a Kumbaya moment on this bill. So here we are. Just a little bit about this bill. We're talking about out of network billing. And this issue occurs most frequently in emergency departments. So you will also be hearing from several emergency medicine physicians today about this particular issue. Physicians are committed to providing emergency care and ensuring patients are treated even when an…

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