Colorado Governor Bill Ritter has signed House Bill 1293, which would assess hospitals a provider fee to fund medical coverage to the state's uninsured, according to a report by the Colorado Statesman.
The bill, largely supported by hospitals, would require most hospitals in the state to be assessed a fee, which will be pooled and used to match funds from the federal Medicaid program.
Colorado will be the 24th state to assess a hospital provider-fee, which is expected to provide approximately $1.2 billion in funds to cover at least 100,000 Coloradoans, according to the report.
The plan will be submitted to CMS for final approval, with the hope of implementation by 2010.
Read the Colorado Stateman's report on the Colorado hospital provider-fee bill.