March 11, 2026 · Health & Human Services · 2,254 words · 17 speakers · 81 segments
Senate Health and Human Services will come to order. Mr. Brown, please call the roll.
Senators Ball.
Here.
Bright.
Here.
Carson.
Present.
Cutter. Present.
Doherty.
Did you elevate her? She used to be elevated.
There we go. We see you, Senator Doherty.
Here.
Grizelle.
Excuse.
Judah. Pleasant.
Weissman.
Good afternoon.
Mr. Chair Mullica.
Here.
Members, we do have a confirmation hearing first on the agenda. I believe the individuals online is Dr. Barry Martin online. Do we have something to introduce him? Is there something to introduce him? Are you Dr. Martin?
No.
Yeah, come on up, Mr. Sykes.
Yes, thank you.
That's what I was just asking. Thank you, Mr. Sykes. We have Mr. Sykes with Hickpuff. Is that what you said? Hickpuff? Here to introduce Dr. Martin. Start us off, Mr. Sykes.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair and fellow committee members. My name is Chris Sykes, and I am the Medical Services Board Administrator at the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. My role facilitates the Medical Services Board meetings. The Board consists of 11 Board members with at least one member from each of the state's congressional districts and no more than six members from any political party. Board members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, and it is the responsibility of the board to adopt the rules that govern the department's programs. With me today, I have Dr. Barry Martin for his second appointment to the Medical Services Board. He is currently serving as our Vice President of the board, and Dr. Martin is a compassionate and active listener on the board. Thank you, and I present Dr. Martin.
Thank you, Mr. Sykes. Dr. Martin, if you want to introduce yourselves, tell us why you're interested in serving on this board some more.
Hi, this is Dr. Barry Martin. Can you hear me okay?
I can hear you, Dr. Martin.
Great, thanks. I am a primary care physician. I've been taking care of people with disabilities primarily for the last 35 years or so. So I was previously the medical director of a community health center system in the Denver metro area. And so, of course, we worked a lot with Medicaid. and with those two different kinds of experience, I think I can be helpful on the Medical Services Board in looking at rules proposed by Medicaid and how they would affect the people who use Medicaid for insurance.
Thank you, Dr. Martin. Does the committee have any questions for this nominee? Seeing none, Senator Weissman.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation. the appointment of Dr. Barry Martin to the Medical Services Board.
That is a proper motion Mr Brown please call the roll Senators Ball Aye Wright
Aye. Carson.
Aye.
Cutter.
Aye.
Doherty.
Yes. Judah.
Aye.
Weissman.
Aye.
Frizzell. Aye.
Mr. Chair Mullica.
Yes.
On the record reflect, Senator Frizzell has joined us. Congratulations. That passes unanimously. Senator Weissman.
Thank you. If there's no objection, I move that the confirmation be on the consent calendar.
That is a proper motion. Seeing no objection, this nomination will be placed on the consent calendar. Congratulations, Dr. Martin. Have a good day.
Thank you, all.
Thank you, Mr. Sykes.
I can run back to the floor. I can get my laptop. I'll be right back.
Okay. Next up, members, we are to House Bill 1042. We have Senator Ball with us. This is allowing dry nadaling by occupational therapists. Welcome to Health and Human Services, Senator Ball.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Fellow, at least for the day, members of the Health Committee, it's a pleasure to be here. I know no bill is simple in this building, but I think this bill is actually pretty simple. All this bill does is it allows occupational therapists to do dry needling. I have a bad back from the Army. I have done dry needling, and it's been very effective in my experience. I also have some members of my family who have done acupuncture, which is very different, and I think you'll hear some testimony today about the differences between those two things. This bill was amended in the House to bring the acupuncturists to a good place, and so I believe we have some testimony on that as well. But really the goal behind this bill is just to increase the number of people who can get treatment that helps with physical therapy by allowing occupational therapists to do this as they are allowed to in several other states.
Perfect. Thank you, Senator Ball. Does the committee have any questions for the sponsor? Seeing none, we will get to the witness phase. First up, remotely in a neutral position, can we pull up Laralee Hollinghorst?
Hi everybody. I should probably leave my video off as I am in a car. Sorry about that.
You're fine, Ms. Hollinghorst. If you want to just state your name and who you represent, you'll have three minutes to testify when you're ready. Thank you very much.
My name is Lylee Hollinghorst, and I represent the Acupuncture Association of Colorado, and I want to thank the committee for the opportunity to testify. I'm really just here today to say how much I appreciate the sponsors and the occupational therapy stakeholders for listening to our concerns and for including amendments that we believe contribute to patient safety. Dry needling is an invasive technique, and we understand that there need to be some guardrails. And again, we want to thank the sponsors and the OTs for assisting. we are also looking very forward very much forward pardon me to being a part of the conversation in the rulemaking process as that is where a lot of the rubber is going to meet the road on educational and other requirements and again we want to thank the sponsors and the occupational therapy stakeholders for assuring us that as subject matter experts and long-time practitioners of dry needling that the acupuncturists will be included in that process as a primary stakeholder and the other.
Perfect, thank you.
Thank you again. And yeah, thank you again. And if you have any questions, I appreciate your time.
Thank you, Ms. Hollinghorst. Does the committee have any questions for this witness Seeing none thank you so much Next up in person do we have Evan Bowe Dr Han Floyd And then online, can we pull up Brian Covert? Not on, okay. Dr. Rebecca Griffith? Okay. And then do we have Monica Sutherland here with us for questions only from the department or online? Online? Can we pull her up just for questions only? What we'll do is we'll start in person. Dr. Hahn-Floyd, if you want to state your name, who you represent, you'll have three minutes to testify. Start when you're ready.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. My name is Molly Hahn-Floyd, and I am the president of the Occupational Therapy Association of Colorado, also known as OTAC. OTAC represents occupational therapy practitioners and students across Colorado. Occupational therapists complete rigorous graduate-level education, earning either a master's or doctoral degree, which typically requires six to seven years of higher education and clinical training. Our practitioners work in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, outpatients, schools, home health, mental health, pediatrics, older adults, and community-based programs. Across all of these settings, occupational therapy is focused on function, helping people participate in daily activities that matter most, such as self-care, work, school, and family life. We have heard from individuals across Colorado that patients are experiencing delays and disruptions in their care. This is because patients are currently required to seek another provider for dry needling, even when it's clinically appropriate, with an existing occupational therapy plan of care. This bill then directly improves continuity of care. OTAC supports this bill because it improves patient outcomes by reducing delays, increasing access to care, particularly on the western slope and eastern plains where health care professionals are limited, and allowing patients to remain with their established occupational therapy provider. Importantly, this bill includes clear and robust safeguards, required education overseen by an accreditation board, demonstrated competency, written informed consent, and regulatory oversight through rulemaking. This is a safety-forward approach, and it mirrors existing requirements for physical therapists in Colorado. The American Occupational Therapy Association, which is our national professional association, supports the use of dry needling when it's clinically appropriate. Additionally, nine other states already allow occupational therapists to perform dry needling. Notably, the American Physical Therapy Association of Colorado also supports this bill. For this reasons, OTAC respectfully asks for a yes vote. Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee for serving the people of Colorado.
Thank you, Dr. Hahn-Floyd. Next up, Mr. Bowe, if you want to state your name, who you represent, you'll have three minutes. Start when you're ready.
Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. My name is Evan Bowe, and I'm an occupational therapy student here in the state of Colorado, and I'm here in support of Bill HB 26-1042. In a master's or doctorate level occupational therapy program like the one I am currently attending, we receive rigorous training in anatomy and physiology, clinical reasoning, and maintaining a strong focus on safety. This includes screening for contraindications, precautions, monitoring patient responses, and practicing patient-centered informed consent. My program follows strict accreditation standards set by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. Patient safety is a foundational part of everything we are taught to do in our clinical training. From my clinical learning experiences, I've also seen how pain and movement limitations can block function, and how care can become fragmented when a patient has to navigate additional referrals and separate episodes of care to access a single modality What I appreciate about the bill is its structure It doesn treat dry needling casually It links authorization to education demonstrated competency, and written informed consent under regulatory requirements established through rulemaking. I respectfully ask for your support for Bill HB 26-1042.
Thank you for your time and your consideration. Thank you Mr. Bowe. Next up online. Dr. Griffith, if you want to unmute yourself, state your name and who you represent, you'll have three minutes. Start when you're ready.
Good afternoon, Mr. Chair and members of the committee. My name is Dr. Rebecca Griffith, and I'm a physical therapist practicing in Colorado and the president of the American Physical Therapy Association in Colorado. And I'm testifying today in support of this bill on behalf of the APTA. Occupational therapists are highly trained rehabilitation professionals, and dry needling is an evidence-based technique used to address neuromuscular skeletal dysfunction as part of a broader plan of care. Allowing appropriately trained occupational therapists to utilize this intervention helps improve access to effective rehabilitative services while maintaining appropriate professional standards to Coloradans. On behalf of the Physical Therapists of Colorado, we wholeheartedly support this bill. Thank you for your time and
consideration. Thank you, Dr. Griffith. And members online, we also have Monica other than from Dora here to answer any questions that you may have. Does the committee have any questions for these witnesses?
Senator Weissman. Thank you. Just out of curiosity, how does it usually go if I'm seeking dry needling? Is it something insurance will usually cover, usually not, sometimes, depending on the plan?
Dr. Han Floyd. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Actually, I would need to, as someone who doesn't perform dry needling, I would need to go back and confirm with people who do and let you know more about that. Sometimes it's cash pay, I know that, and I don't know which plans would cover dry needling, if so. But I believe majority are cash pay.
Dr. Griffith. The majority of health care insurance plans do cover dry needling and it is also offered on a cash pay basis. We do provide people with advance notice of the cost that may relate to them out of pocket, but generally it is covered by many insurance plans.
Perfect. Thank you for that.
Any further questions for these witnesses? Seeing none, thank you so much for being here. That concludes the list of witnesses before me. Is there anyone online or in person who wishes to testify on House Bill 1042? Seeing none, the testimony phase is closed. Welcome back, Senator Ball.
Do you have any amendments? No, Mr. Chair, I do not.
Do we have any amendments from the committee? Seeing none, the amendment phase is closed. You want to wrap us up?
Yes, thank you, Mr. Chair. Good bill. Vote yes to increase the number of people who can get treatment that they need with dry needling. Thank you.
Thank you, Senator Ball. Any closing remarks from the committee? Seeing none, Senator Ball, the proper motion is to the Committee of the Whole.
Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move House Bill 261042 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation.
That's a proper motion.
Mr. Brown, please call the roll. Senators Ball.
Aye.
Wright. Aye. Carson. Yes. Cutter. Aye. Doherty. Yes. Rizal. Aye. Judah. Aye. Weissman. Aye. Mr. Chair Mullica. Yes. Congratulations. That passes unanimously.
Senator Ball. Thank you, Mr. Chair. If there are no objections,
I recommend this be placed on the consent calendar. Seeing no objections, this will be placed on the consent calendar. Members, that concludes our business and Senate health. We are adjourned. Thank you.