CO Code § 25.5-6-1303 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 25.5 - Health Care Policy and Financing|Article 6 - Colorado Medical Assistance Act - Long-Term Care|Part 13 - Complementary and Alternative Medicine for a Person With a Spinal Cord Injury|§ 25.5-6-1303. Pilot Program - Complementary or Alternative Medicine - Rules

     The general assembly authorizes the state department to implement a pilot program that would allow an eligible person with a disability to receive complementary or alternative medicine to the extent authorized by federal waiver. The pilot program may begin no later than January 1, 2012. The state department shall design and implement the pilot program with input from an advisory committee that must include, but need not be limited to, persons with spinal cord injuries who are receiving complementary or alternative medicine. The state department may seek any federal waivers that may be necessary to implement this part 13.    Subject to available funds, it is the intent of the general assembly that the state department enroll every eligible person that applies for the waiver and that an eligible person is not placed on a waiting list for services.         The purpose of the pilot program is to expand the choice of therapies available to eligible persons with disabilities, to study the success of complementary and alternative medicine, and to produce an overall cost savings for the state compared to the estimated expenditures that would have otherwise been spent for the same persons with spinal cord injuries absent the pilot program.    In order to qualify and to remain eligible for the pilot program authorized by this section, a person shall:   Be diagnosed with a primary condition of a spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, a brain injury, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, or cerebral palsy, with the total inability for independent ambulation directly resulting from one of these diagnoses;    Be willing to participate in the pilot program;    Demonstrate a current need, as further defined in rule by the state board, for complementary or alternative medicine; and    Be eligible for medicaid, including but not limited to persons who meet the functional level of care and financial criteria described in rules promulgated by the state board relating to long-term care services.       The state department shall implement subsection (2)(b) of this section no later than July 1, 2022.    The pilot program is available to all eligible individuals in Colorado.       The state department shall develop the accountability requirements for the pilot program necessary to safeguard the use of public moneys and to promote effective and efficient service delivery.    The state board shall adopt rules as necessary for the implementation and administration of the pilot program.    The state department shall cause to be conducted an independent evaluation of the pilot program to be completed no later than January 1, 2025. The state department shall provide a report of the evaluation to the health and human services committee of the senate and the public health care and human services committee of the house of representatives, or any successor committees. The report on the evaluation must include the following:   The number of eligible persons with disabilities participating in the pilot program;    The cost-effectiveness of the pilot program;    Feedback from consumers and the state department concerning the progress and success of the pilot program;    Any changes to the health status or health outcomes of the persons participating in the pilot program;    Other information relevant to the success and problems of the pilot program; and    Recommendations concerning the feasibility of continuing the pilot program beyond the pilot stage and changes, if any, that are needed.       Repealed.    Unless the state department receives sufficient appropriations, the state department is not required to seek federal approval or implement the pilot program.      History. Source: L. 2009: Entire part added, (HB 09-1047), ch. 395, p. 2129, § 1, effective August 5. L. 2015: (1), (2)(a), (2)(b)(III), (5), and (7) amended and (6) repealed, (SB 15-011), ch. 333, p. 1355, § 3, effective June 5. L. 2019: IP(5) amended, (SB 19-197), ch. 335, p. 3089, § 1, effective May 29. L. 2021: (1)(a) and (2)(b) amended and (2)(c) and (2)(d) added, (SB 21-038), ch. 404, p. 2684, § 1, effective September 7.