§ 25-1.5-401 — Legislative declaration

Colorado § 25-1.5-401

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 25: Public
• Art.: Powers and Duties of the Department

Text

(1) The general assembly hereby finds
and declares that:

(a) There is a shortage of qualified health-care professionals in most areas of
the state, particularly in rural and low-income communities;

(b) Lack of access to health care increases health inequities in Colorado and
increases the overall cost of health-care services;

(c) Communities designated as health professional shortage areas, medically
underserved areas, or medically underserved populations may benefit from:

(I) Federal, state, and private programs that enhance reimbursement for
medical services, provide grants for health service infrastructure, and create
incentives for the placement of additional health-care professionals in those
communities; and

(II) The placement of physicians through federal waiver programs such as
the national interest waiver program, the Conrad 30 J-1 visa waiver program, and
the national health service corps; and

(d) Assessing the health service needs of the state and coordinating
workforce programs to address those needs is an important strategy for increasing
access to health services in Colorado.

(2) The general assembly therefore finds that it is in the best interests of the
citizens of the state of Colorado to create the primary care office within the
department of public health and environment for the purpose of identifying the
areas within the state that lack sufficient health-care resources and coordinating
available resources to maximize medical reimbursements, grants, and placements
of health-care professionals within those areas.

Legislative History

Source: L. 2013: Entire part added with relocations, (HB 13-1074), ch. 150, p. 479, � 1, effective August 7.