Concerning Material Change in Transfer of Hospital Ownership

Medicaid Family Planning

Preventing Responsible Sex Education & Reproductive Health Care

Delay in Health Care

HB 1203 amends the Hospital Transfer statute C.R.S. 6-19-203 insofar as sales or transfers of control of non-profit hospitals to other non-profit hospitals are concerned. Currently, the Attorney General may consider whether there is a change in the use of charitable assets as a result of a proposed transaction. HB 1203 allows the Attorney General to consider whether there will likely be a reduction in the availability and accessibility of health care services in the communities served by the hospital. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

If the Attorney General concludes that a reduction in health care services is likely as a result of the proposed transaction, the Attorney General may ask for more information from the sponsors of the transaction and/or require a public hearing to be held before determining whether to approve the transaction.

As amended, HB 1203 contains an effective date upon signature of the Governor and applies only to transactions of which the Attorney General has been notified after January 1, 2008. Because the proposed Sisters of Charity/Community First/Exempla transaction in Jefferson and Boulder counties was submitted for review by the Attorney General before that date, HB 1203 is unlikely to affect that proposed transaction and instead would impact future transactions.

02/11/2008 Postponed Indefinitely in Senate State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee

Senate Bill 95 (Schultheis, Lundberg) imposes a delay in the right of a woman to receive an abortion by requiring physicians to disclose certain information, to perform or refer out certain medical procedures, and to document a woman’s receipt of such information and/or procedures at least 24 hours before an abortion is performed. Under the proposed bill, physicians performing an abortion, or in some instances qualified people assisting the physician, must:

1. Notify women seeking abortions, verbally and in person, that fetal ultrasound and fetal auscultation services are available for the woman to view the fetus and hear the heartbeat of the fetus prior to the abortion being performed;
2. Provide, upon request of the woman seeking an abortion, either a real-time ultrasound image or auscultation of the fetal heart at the request of the woman or a list of health care providers, facilities, and clinics where free ultrasounds are available;
3. Receive the woman’s signature certifying receipt of above information and documenting her decision to either receive or decline ultrasound imaging and auscultation services.