By Brian Porter | Rocky Mountain Voice
As House Democrats were slamming one bill after another through on readings Thursday, Larimer Republican Rep. Ron Weinberg wanted to know why one of them was a bill on the floor at all.
“If we want this on the agenda, why don’t we put this on the agenda?” he asked. “Why do we need a bill?”
His concerns were related to House Bill 25-1226, which would instruct the state’s health care review interim committee to study billing practices.
The bill, by Morgan County Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson, cleared the House’s Health & Human Services Committee on an 8-4 vote, splitting Republican support on the committee. Johnson responded the bill was necessary to have the issue as part of the health care review agenda.
“I’ve heard stories of people getting billing two to three years later, six years later, 10 years later, 14 years later,” Johnson said. “Why is this happening? There is lack of accountability.”
She indicates a thorough review could increase transparency for patients.
Co-Sponsor Democrat Rep. Amy Paschal added: “We have issues in transparency and just plain understandability. This is an excellent first step in consumer protection.”
The bill was passed on a second reading voice vote and will return at a later date for a third reading recorded vote and potential passage by the House.