Colorado § 26-11-205.7 - Community long-term care study - older Coloradans study cash fund - strategic plan - authority to implement.

§ 26-11-205.7. Community long-term care study - older Coloradans study cash fund - strategic plan - authority to implement.

(1) (a) Subject to the receipt of sufficient moneys pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subsection (1), the state department or, if appropriate, the department of health care policy and financing shall contract for a study of the population eligible for services under the older Coloradans program created pursuant to section 26-11-205.5. The state department and the department of health care policy and financing shall make necessary data available to the contractor. In selecting a contractor to perform the study, the state departments are not required to follow the competitive bidding requirements of the "Procurement Code", articles 101 to 112 of title 24, C.R.S. The study shall include research and analysis of:

(I) The demographic changes that will impact the demand for long-term care services and supports;

(II) The number of persons sixty years of age or older who would benefit from receiving additional services through the older Coloradans program thereby avoiding more expensive care needs;

(III) The types of services and supports needed by persons over sixty years of age to remain in their own residences and communities for as long as possible and any existing or projected needs for those services and supports;

(IV) The overall amount of savings to the state across the continuum of care associated with providing services to older adults in their own homes and communities;

(V) Other states' experiences with long-term care services and supports, including cost savings or cost avoidance; and

(VI) Recommendations for a long-term strategic implementation plan for providing services through the older Coloradans program.

(b) (I) The state department is authorized to seek and accept gifts, grants, or donations from private and public sources for the purposes of this section; except that the state department may not accept a gift, grant, or donation that is subject to conditions that are inconsistent with this section or any other law of the state. The state department shall transmit all private and public moneys received through gifts, grants, or donations to the state treasurer, who shall credit the same to the older Coloradans study cash fund, which fund is hereby created and referred to in this section as the "fund". The moneys in the fund shall be subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the state department for the direct and indirect costs associated with implementing this section.

(II) Any moneys in the fund not expended for the purpose of this section may be invested by the state treasurer as provided by law. All interest and income derived from the investment and deposit of moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. Any unexpended and unencumbered moneys remaining in the fund at the end of a fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not be credited or transferred to the general fund or another fund.

(2) If the study conducted pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section concludes that increasing funding for community-based services as provided in the older Coloradans program would result in cost savings, by July 1, 2011, subject to the receipt of sufficient money pursuant to subsection (1)(b) of this section, the state department shall report to the members of the health and human services committees of the senate and house of representatives, or any successor committees, and to the members of the joint budget committee a long-term strategic implementation plan, developed in cooperation with the area agencies on aging designated pursuant to section 26-11-203, that identifies the expected needs for services and recommends potential funding sources.

(3) If the study conducted pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section concludes that one or more changes would result in cost savings to the state, without adversely affecting the care provided, and the changes are recommended in the strategic implementation plan developed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section, the state department or the department of health care policy and financing shall request, through the state budget process, that the changes be implemented and, if necessary, shall recommend legislation to implement the changes to the health and human services committees of the senate and house of representatives, or any successor committees, or the joint budget committee.

(4) (a) If the strategic implementation plan developed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section identifies additional studies that should be conducted, subject to the receipt of sufficient moneys pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (1) of this section, the state department or the department of health care policy and financing shall contract for one or more studies identified in the strategic implementation plan. The state department and the department of health care policy and financing shall make necessary data available to all the contractors. In selecting a contractor to perform any study conducted pursuant to this subsection (4), the state departments are not required to follow the competitive bidding requirements of the "Procurement Code", articles 101 to 112 of title 24, C.R.S.

(b) If one or more studies conducted pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (4) concludes that implementing the changes recommended by the study would result in cost savings to the state, without adversely affecting the care provided, the state department or the department of health care policy and financing shall request, through the state budget process, that the changes be implemented and, if necessary, shall recommend legislation to implement the changes to the health and human services committees of the senate and house of representatives, or any successor committees, or to the joint budget committee of the general assembly.

Source: L. 2010: Entire section added, (HB 10-1053), ch. 276, p. 1265, § 3, effective May 26. L. 2011: (2) amended, (HB 11-1303), ch. 264, p. 1170, § 74, effective August 10. L. 2022: (2) amended, (HB 22-1035), ch. 38, p. 206, § 10, effective March 24.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in the 2010 act adding this section, see section 1 of chapter 276, Session Laws of Colorado 2010.