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Many pieces of legislation regarding health care and health insurance made their way through the 75^th General Assembly. The majority of the legislation fell into the following categories: Medicaid, health insurance, access to care, pharmacy and prescription services, rural safety net, abortion, and gender identity.

The 75^th General Assembly passed numerous pieces of legislation regarding public health. While not all of the public health legislation fell into these groups, three major themes for public health were: emergency preparedness, education and transparency, and behavioral health.

Many pieces of legislation regarding health care and health insurance made their way through the 74^th General Assembly. Most of the legislation fell into the following categories: removing barriers to treatment, and licensing requirements.

Addressing the substance use disorder epidemic and providing behavioral health resources to communities throughout Colorado were the two major behavioral health care themes that emerged during the Second Regular Session of the 74th General Assembly. Important behavioral health bills are discussed below.

Many bills were introduced this year addressing health care and the insurance industry in Colorado. Recurring topics this session including reproductive health care, hospital and facility policies, prescription drugs, and consumer protections.

Behavioral health continued to be a focus of the General Assembly in 2023.  Several bills addressing behavioral health services, mental health providers, step therapy requirements for mental health drugs, substance use, and disordered eating were considered during the legislative session.

The General Assembly adopted several measures during the 2022 legislative session related to health care and health insurance.    

During the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly considered measures related to behavioral health, including several bills recommended by Behavioral Health Transformational Task Force to address gaps in the continuum of care using federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, as well as bills addressing the establishment of the Behavioral Health Administration, youth and students, mental health holds, and crisis system facilities.

The General Assembly adopted several measures during the 2021 legislative session related to health care and insurance. 

In the 2020 session, the Colorado General Assembly considered measures related to the regulation of health care facilities, behavioral health and substance use, prescription drug costs, and abortion.

In the 2020 session, the Colorado General Assembly considered measures related to health insurance benefits, reinsurance, the Colorado Option health plan, and Medicaid.

During the 2020 session, the General Assembly considered bills related to immunizations, food safety, chemical and consumer safety, substance use disorders, and paid sick leave.

In response to the high rate of opioid-related addiction and deaths in Colorado, the Colorado General Assembly created the Opioid and Other Substance Use Disorders Study Committee.

During the 2019 session, the Colorado General Assembly considered several pieces of legislation related to state health programs, behavioral and mental health, reducing health care costs, hospital transparency, and advance directives.

During the 2019 legislative session, the General Assembly enacted several bills focused on making health insurance more affordable and increasing coverage protections for consumers.

During the 2018 legislative session, the General Assembly considered a number of measures related to Medicaid, insurance carriers, and health care facilities.  It also considered measures concerning substance use disorders, health care costs, and the health care workforce.

During the 2017 legislative session, the General Assembly considered several measures related to Medicaid, insurance carriers, and substance use disorder in Colorado. The General Assembly also considered measures related to background checks for some types of providers and made changes to the state behavioral health crisis response system.

This document summaries the major pieces of legislation considered by the General Assembly during the 2014 legislative session.