Colorado Bill Expands Definition of Emergency Services

CO Legislature Bill Search

Published January 1st, 2026

Detected March 10th, 2026

Summary

Colorado HB26-1069 clarifies that emergency services include non-hospital transport and telemedicine, and expands the definition of 'first responder'. The bill mandates reimbursement for certain services starting January 1, 2027, and requires rule adoption by June 1, 2027.

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What changed

Colorado Bill HB26-1069 expands the definition of emergency medical services to explicitly include transportation to locations other than hospitals and the use of telemedicine to prevent unnecessary hospital transport. It also broadens the definition of 'first responder' to include mental health professionals. The bill mandates that the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing reimburse ambulance services and qualified providers for on-scene treatment and telemedicine evaluations starting January 1, 2027.

Regulated entities, particularly healthcare providers and insurers in Colorado, should review these changes to ensure compliance with the updated definitions and reimbursement requirements. The Department of Public Health and Environment is required to adopt rules by June 1, 2027, concerning the administration of medications and procedures by community paramedics, which will require further attention. Compliance with the new reimbursement structure begins January 1, 2027.

What to do next

Review updated definitions of 'emergency services' and 'first responder' in Colorado HB26-1069.
Prepare for new reimbursement requirements for ambulance services and telemedicine evaluations effective January 1, 2027.
Monitor rule adoption by the Department of Public Health and Environment by June 1, 2027, regarding community paramedic services.

Source document (simplified)

HB26-1069

Availability of Emergency Medical Services

| Type | Bill |
| --- | --- |
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Health Care & Health Insurance Insurance Labor & Employment |
Concerning increasing the availability of emergency medical services, and, in connection therewith, making and reducing an appropriation.

Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:

The bill clarifies that "emergency services" includes transportation of an individual to an appropriate location other than a hospital or community integrated health-care service agency (agency).

The use of telemedicine when an insured person has encountered an ambulance service or agency to prevent the need to transport the person to an emergency department is included in the definition of "emergency services", which services are required to be made available to insured persons 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The bill defines "first responder" to include:

A peace officer;
A firefighter;
A volunteer firefighter;
An emergency medical service provider; or
A mental health professional who responds in a professional capacity to a justifiable medical emergency. The bill requires the executive director of the department of public health and environment to adopt rules by June 1, 2027, authorizing an emergency medical service provider with a community paramedic endorsement who is employed by, volunteering for, or contracting with a licensed agency to provide for the inventory, compliance, and administration of, or to directly administer, medications, procedures, or diagnostic testing.

Beginning January 1, 2027, the bill requires the department of health care policy and financing to reimburse the following entities under the "Colorado Medical Assistance Act":

An ambulance service or an agency for transportation by an ambulance or other vehicle to a hospital or other destination as deemed appropriate by the ambulance service's or agency's medical director;
An ambulance service or an agency for treatment on the scene of a medical emergency, which treatment does not result in transportation; and
A qualified provider, an ambulance service, or an agency for evaluation by telemedicine of a person being treated by an ambulance service or an agency for the purpose of preventing the need to transport the person to a hospital. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Prime Sponsors

Representative

Lisa Feret
Representative

Katie Stewart
Senator

Kyle Mullica

Committees

House

Health & Human Services Appropriations

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Status

Under Consideration

Introduced

Under Consideration

Related Documents & Information

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/09/2026 | Reengrossed | PDF |
| 03/06/2026 | Engrossed | PDF |
| 01/27/2026 | Introduced | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/06/2026 | PA2 | PDF |
| 02/27/2026 | PA1 | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 02/16/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/04/2026 | SA1 | PDF |

| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adopt amendment J.001 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer House Bill 26-1069, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | The motion passed on a vote of 10-0. | Vote summary |
Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment I). | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment J). | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.007 (Attachment K). | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer House Bill 26-1069, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | The motion passed on a vote of 13-0. | Vote summary |
Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF
| Date | Calendar | Motion | Vote | Vote Document |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 03/09/2026 | Third Reading | BILL | 62 AYE 0 NO 3 OTHER | Vote record |

| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 03/06/2026 | L.008 | Second Reading | Passed [*] | PDF |
| 03/06/2026 | J.001 | HOU Appropriations | Passed [] | PDF |
| 02/24/2026 | L.007 | HOU Health & Human Services | Passed [] | PDF |
| 02/24/2026 | L.006 | HOU Health & Human Services | Passed [] | PDF |
| 02/24/2026 | L.002 | HOU Health & Human Services | Passed [*] | PDF |
* Amendments passed in committee are not incorporated into the measure unless adopted by the full House or Senate.

** The status of Second Reading amendments may be subsequently affected by the adoption of an amendment to the Committee of the Whole Report. Refer to the House or Senate Journal for additional information.

| Date | Location | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/09/2026 | House | House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 03/06/2026 | House | House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor |
| 03/06/2026 | House | House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 02/24/2026 | House | House Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to Appropriations |
| 01/27/2026 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services |
Prime Sponsor

Rep. L. Feret | Rep. K. Stewart

Sen. K. Mullica

Sponsor

(None) Co-Sponsor