Colorado § 25.5-1-138 - Data transparency and public reporting - definitions.

§ 25.5-1-138. Data transparency and public reporting - definitions.

(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Adult financial programs" means a state-run benefit administered by the department of human services and includes the old age pension, aid to the needy disabled, and home care allowance.

(b) "Departments" means the department of health care policy and financing, the department of human services, and the department of early childhood.

(c) "Public assistance programs" means the medical assistance program established pursuant to articles 4 to 6 of this title 25.5; the children's basic health plan established pursuant to article 8 of this title 25.5; the supplemental nutrition assistance program established pursuant to part 3 of article 2 of title 26; the Colorado child care assistance program established pursuant to part 1 of article 4 of title 26.5; the temporary assistance for needy families program, as defined in section 26-2-703; the old age pension program established pursuant to article XXIV of the Colorado constitution; and adult financial programs.

(2) Beginning January 2027, and monthly thereafter, the department of health care policy and financing, in collaboration with the department of human services and the department of early childhood, shall establish a single, shared online dashboard used to publish county-level and statewide performance on the metrics for each of the public assistance programs:

(a) For the medical assistance program, established pursuant to articles 4 to 6 of this title 25.5 and the children's basic health plan established pursuant to article 8 of this title 25.5:

(I) The number of applications and renewal applications approved within the timelines required in federal law and regulation for all applications, including applications based on disability;

(II) The number of applications and renewal applications denied within the timelines required in federal law and regulation for all applications, including applications based on disability;

(III) The total number of renewal applications processed each month, including:

(A) The number of applications renewed using existing data sources and the number of applications renewed using additional completed documentation submitted by the recipients;

(B) The number of initial applications and renewal applications processed and determined ineligible;

(C) The number of initial applications and renewal applications denied for procedural reasons; and

(D) The number of initial applications and renewal applications pending review;

(IV) The number of formal complaints or appeals regarding eligibility, benefits, or services filed with the department of health care policy and financing; and

(V) The total number of initial applications and renewal applications that are pending determination and the total number deemed untimely based on the timelines required by federal law and regulation for applications based on disability, and for all other applications;

(b) For the supplemental nutrition assistance program, established pursuant to part 3 of article 2 of title 26:

(I) The rate of application processing timeliness for standard applications;

(II) The rate of application processing timeliness for expedited applications; and

(III) The rate of recertification processing timeliness;

(c) For the child care assistance program, established pursuant to part 1 of article 4 of title 26.5:

(I) The percentage of initial applications and applications for redetermination approved within the timelines required by rules adopted by the department of early childhood; and

(II) Enrollment in each of the following income eligibility tiers:

(A) One hundred thirty percent of the federal poverty line and below; and

(B) Above one hundred thirty percent of the federal poverty line;

(d) For the temporary assistance for needy families program, as defined in section 26-2-703, the percentage of applications and redeterminations approved within the timelines required by rules adopted by the department of human services;

(e) For adult financial programs, the percentage of applications and redeterminations approved within the timelines required by rules adopted by the department of human services; and

(f) For each of the public assistance programs:

(I) The monthly caseload;

(II) The percentage of applications, enrollments, and renewals processed through the state's online system for application and management of public assistance programs, and the percentage of applications, enrollments, and renewals processed by other methods; and

(III) On a quarterly basis, the number of appeals filed with the office of administrative courts that name a county as a party.

(3) Except as provided in subsection (2)(f)(III) of this section, the data reported pursuant to subsection (2) of this section must:

(a) Be published on each of the department's websites in a publicly accessible format;

(b) Be updated monthly and published in accordance with data privacy and confidentiality laws of the state; and

(c) Be maintained from previous months in a publicly accessible manner.

(4) Beginning in September 2026, and monthly thereafter, each county department shall provide the information detailed in subsection (2) of this section, other than the information detailed in subsection (2)(a)(V) of this section, to each respective department.

(5) The state department, in collaboration with the department of human services and the department of early childhood, shall provide technical support, technology assistance, and training to the county departments, as reasonably necessary, on how to provide the information required by subsection (2) of this section to the respective departments.

Source: L. 2026: Entire section added, (HB 26-1429), ch. 374, p. 2290, § 5, effective June 4.

Editor's note: Subsections IP(3), (3)(a), (3)(b), and (3)(c) were numbered as IP(3)(a), (3)(b), (3)(c), and (3)(d), respectively, in HB 26-1429 but were renumbered on revision for ease of location.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 26-1429, see section 1 of chapter 374, Session Laws of Colorado 2026.