Bill > SB084

This bill addresses the challenges facing Medicaid members who require parenteral nutrition (a specialized medical feeding method that delivers nutrients directly into a patient's veins) by creating new requirements for the Colorado Medicaid program. The bill recognizes that many infusion pharmacies (specialized pharmacies that prepare complex nutritional solutions) have stopped providing parenteral nutrition due to financial pressures, particularly for children who may need this life-sustaining treatment. To address this issue, the bill requires the state to create specific professional dispensing fees for infusion pharmacies that prepare parenteral nutrition, with fees not exceeding 30% of the pharmacy's administrative costs, and mandates annual reporting on the availability of these pharmacies across Colorado. The legislation aims to ensure Medicaid members, especially children, have access to this critical medical treatment by encouraging more pharmacies to participate in the Medicaid program. The bill includes a modest appropriation of $54,832 for the 2025-26 fiscal year to support implementation, with an expectation of matching federal funds, and requires the state to seek necessary federal approvals to establish the new reimbursement structure.