HB 15-1186 Summary

• Expands eligible age for autism waiver services from birth to six years to birth to eight years, with children able to continue services for a total of three full years if they begin before their eighth birthday.

• Removes the $25,000 annual service limit per child and delegates authority to the Medical Services Board to set annual dollar limits within appropriated funds.

• Eliminates requirement that services depend on available balance in the Colorado autism treatment fund; establishes legislative intent to provide services to all eligible children without wait lists.

• Requires annual program evaluations on or after June 1 each year to assess effectiveness of home- and community-based services in meeting waiver program goals.

• Appropriates $5,207,767 for fiscal year 2015-16 ($367,564 general fund and $4,840,203 from autism treatment fund) for program expansion, administration, medical services, and behavioral health services.