JBC proposes cap, benefit changes for Cover All Colorado amid rapid enrollment growth

Rep. Taggart presented HB14‑11, an orbital aimed at limiting the growth of Cover All Colorado after enrollment and costs far exceeded early projections. He said the program grew from an expected mature cost of roughly $26–30 million to nearly $100 million in 2025‑26 and could approach $127–130 million next year if unchecked.

The proposal contains three main elements: an enrollment cap (25,000, with current enrollment near 21,000); changes to benefits for new entrants (effective Jan. 1 for most changes, July 1 for dental), including eliminating additions to many home‑and‑community‑based waiver programs and shifting some behavioral‑health capitated services to fee‑for‑service; and dental changes that reduce child and pregnant dental benefits to a $750 monthly cap in the orbital’s language. Taggart estimated six‑month savings of about $16.3 million and annualized savings of roughly $32 million from those changes.

Members pressed for context and consequences. Representative Bradley said she feared the cuts would shift uncompensated care onto rural hospitals and harm providers; Representative Rutgers argued the cap was a necessary start to prevent an uncapped entitlement. Taggart said HB14‑11 was a hard compromise reached to avoid unchecked growth and stressed that without a cap “the program continues to grow” and could overwhelm other services.

Audits and enforcement: Several members asked about program misuse and provider fraud. Taggart pointed to a companion orbital (HB14‑12) directing case reviews and extrapolation audits for problem areas (non‑emergent transport, PBT, home‑and‑community‑based services) and said JBC seeks to target abuse without decimating compliant providers.

Next steps: Taggart said orbitals require unanimous support among the JBC to advance; he urged members to weigh the political and human consequences of the cap but said the alternative risked an uncapped program and rapidly rising costs. The committee did not vote on HB14‑11 in this session; more debate and potential amendments are expected.