HB25-1002 Saves Coloradans Money by Making Sure They Receive the Life-Saving Mental Health Care Coverage Promised by Their Plans
DENVER, CO – Today, Governor Polis signed HB25-1002 to create fair standards in mental health care coverage in Colorado. The bipartisan bill, sponsored by Representatives Kyle Brown (D-Louisville) and Lindsay Gilchrist (D-Denver) and Senators Judy Amabile (D-Boulder) and Byron Pelton (R-Sterling), establishes a standard definition of “medical necessity” in line with evidence-based best practices. It ensures that carriers are not denying coverage for doctor-prescribed, medically necessary mental health and substance use treatment that should be covered under the patient’s health plan. Additionally, the law clarifies that if insurers deny care because they have determined it is “medically unnecessary,” the criteria they use to make that decision will be transparent, aligned with the standards established by national clinical speciality associations, and available to the patient and their physician.
1.11 million people living in Colorado have a diagnosed mental health condition, yet only 25.4% of those with a diagnosis and commercial insurance currently receive the care they need. Furthermore, Coloradans are 9 times more likely to be forced to choose an out-of-network provider for mental health care than for primary care. HB25-1002 will save Coloradans thousands of dollars in out-of-pocket expenses while ensuring they can access the essential mental health care they need before their conditions worsen.
“A huge step in addressing the mental health crisis in our state is making sure Coloradans who are already paying for mental health care can actually access that care,” said Alexis Alltop, Policy Manager at Healthier Colorado. “By putting appropriate discretion back in the hands of doctors and patients, this law will improve the health of individuals, families, and entire communities. Thank you to Governor Polis, the bill sponsors, and the bipartisan group of legislators who voted to close the gaps in coverage for mental health, behavioral health, and substance use disorder treatment in Colorado.”
“It’s a big day for us here in Colorado. By making sure that all of us can get the mental health care we need when we need it, this bill makes our loved ones and our communities healthier, stronger, and safer,” said Jake Swanton, VP of State Affairs for Inseparable. “It will also prevent insurance companies from shifting the enormous costs of untreated mental health conditions onto the state and taxpayers in the form of increases in emergency room visits, unemployment, homelessness, and incarceration. Governor Polis and an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the general assembly have advanced a solution that is right for Colorado’s families and sound for Colorado’s finances.”
“The swift passage of HB25-1002 reflects a bipartisan commitment to addressing our state’s mental health crisis and finding meaningful policy solutions to ensure our friends, family members, and neighbors who need quality mental health care don’t slip through the cracks,” said Vincent Atchity, President and CEO of Mental Health Colorado. “Too many Coloradans aren’t getting the mental health care they need, despite their insurance plans promising to cover these services. This law makes it easier for Coloradans to get the coverage they already pay for. Thank you, Colorado lawmakers and Governor Polis, for making mental health care more accessible.”
Additional information on HB25-1002 can be found in this factsheet.