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Colorado lawmakers are working to ensure all Coloradans with health coverage for ambulance services are not hit with surprise bills or charged higher out-of-network rates.

Representative Karen McCormick, D-Longmont, said when patients are in their most vulnerable moments, their focus should be on their health, not navigating coverage loopholes or worrying about affording a bill.

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"When people call 911, they don't have a choice on who is going to show up," McCormick pointed out. "They don't have the ability to kind of shop around."

The bill would close a gap in surprise-billing protections passed in 2019 to include the nearly 75 percent of Colorado ambulance services that are operated by cities, special districts and other political subdivisions. First responders and consumer advocates support House Bill 1088. Some insurance companies are lobbying against the measure and claimed it could lead to higher premiums paid by individuals and their employers.

McCormick underscored the measure would apply to people who already have coverage for ambulance services listed in their insurance plans.

"If indeed these services are covered, if (insurers) are saying it's going to raise premiums, it doesn't make any sense because they should have been covering it all along," McCormick contended. "We do have data that shows that it will not raise premiums."

McCormick noted the bill also provides assurances to ambulance agencies across the state by requiring insurance carriers to pay the full rates set at the local level by cities and other governing bodies. Currently, insurance companies get to decide how much of the rate to pay.

"This is very much a local control issue," McCormick stressed. "It will also create a public-facing website of rates that have been adopted by these political subdivisions."