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Bill > HB1244


CO HB1244

CO HB1244
Department of Public Health and Environment Nursing Home Penalty Fund


summary

Introduced
02/18/2026
In Committee
02/18/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

Current law requires the department of public health and environment (CDPHE) to consider certain criteria as a basis for distributing grants from the nursing home penalty cash fund (fund). The bill strikes these criteria and instead requires CDPHE to distribute such grants in accordance with priorities and allowable uses identified by the centers for medicare and medicaid services within the federal department of health and human services (centers). Current law requires the nursing home innovations grant board (board) to make recommendations for the approval of grants from the fund. The bill requires such recommendations to be consistent with the processes for grant cycles of, and priorities and allowable uses identified by, the centers. Current law requires CDPHE and the department of health care policy and financing, with the board's assistance, to jointly submit an annual report to the governor and certain legislative committees of reference regarding the expenditure of money in the fund. The bill changes the due date of the report from October 1 to January 1. In current law, the term "benefit residents of nursing facilities" is defined to mean that a grant has a direct impact on the residents of nursing facilities or has an indirect impact on the residents through education of nursing facility staff. The bill amends this definition to include training, as well as education, of nursing facility staff. Current law states that a governmental entity may not apply for or receive a grant from the fund unless the entity is a facility that is owned or operated by a governmental agency and licensed as a nursing care facility. The bill removes this restriction.

AI Summary

This bill modifies how funds from the Nursing Home Penalty Cash Fund are distributed and reported. It removes the specific criteria previously used by the Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) for grant distribution, instead requiring these grants to align with priorities and allowable uses set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), a federal agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid. The bill also clarifies that the Nursing Home Innovations Grant Board's recommendations for grants must be consistent with CMS's grant processes and priorities. The definition of what "benefits residents of nursing facilities" is expanded to include training, not just education, for nursing facility staff. Additionally, a restriction preventing most governmental entities from applying for grants is removed. Finally, the annual report on the fund's expenditures, which is jointly submitted by CDPHE and the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, will now be due on January 1 instead of October 1.

Committee Categories

Health and Social Services

Sponsors (4)

Last Action

House Health & Human Services Hearing (00:00:00 3/10/2026 Room 0112) (on 03/10/2026)

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