The proposed regulations required by Senate Bill 16-069
(Concerning Measures to Provide Community-Based Out-of-Hospital Medical
Services) are in draft form and are being provided for your review on the
Health Facilities website.
The draft rules for Standards for Community Integrated Health Care Service
Agencies, 6 CCR 1011-3, will be presented to the Board of Health on August 16,
2017 to ask that the Board schedule a hearing.
The rulemaking hearing is planned for October 18, 2017. These rules
create a new licensing category at the Department of Public Health and
Environment for Community Integrated Health Care Service (CIHCS) Agencies.
These agencies will be licensed to offer out-of-hospital medical services to
consumers who may lack the resources, financial or otherwise, for their medical
needs and who may be utilizing the emergency medical services system to address
needs that could be met more effectively and efficiently in a different
manner. For eleven months, the
Department worked with a task force consisting of representatives of the
Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials, Center for Health
Progress (fka Colorado Coalition of Medically Underserved), Colorado Counties,
Inc., Colorado Hospital Association, Colorado Municipal League, Colorado Nurses
Association, Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association, Emergency Medical Services
Association of Colorado, Home Care Association, Home Care Advisory Committee,
International Association of Fire Fighters, and the State Emergency Medical and
Trauma Services Advisory Council to create rules that address the requirements
of Senate Bill 16-069:
(1)
CIHCS Agency medical direction;
(2)
Department inspection of agencies;
(3)
Minimum educational training and experience standards for administrator and
staff;
(4)
License fees from applicants, including governmental entities;
(5)
Insurance;
(6)
Occurrence reporting; and
(7)
Record retention and agency reporting.
In addition to addressing these requirements, the proposed
rules set forth necessary definitions such as “out-of-hospital medical
services” and standards governing CIHCS Agency operations, including consumer
eligibility, types of services CIHCS Agencies may provide, and required service
plan, assessment, and discharge procedures. These proposed rules reflect the
consensus reached by the task force as to who is eligible to receive CIHCS
Agency services; the characteristics that distinguish CIHCS Agencies and their
providers from other health care agencies and providers; and the level of
medical direction necessary in a CIHCS Agency.
Please direct any comments or questions regarding the
proposed rules to Alexandra.haas@state.co.us
by August 31, 2017.