Department of health care policy and financing created - executive director - powers, duties, and functions - report

(1) There is hereby created the department of health care policy and financing, the head of which shall be the executive director of the department of health care policy and financing, which office is hereby created. The executive director shall be appointed by the governor, with the consent of the senate, and shall serve at the pleasure of the governor. The reappointment of an executive director after an initial election of a governor shall be subject to the provisions of section 24-20-109, C.R.S. The executive director has those powers, duties, and functions prescribed for the heads of principal departments in the "Administrative Organization Act of 1968", article 1 of title 24, C.R.S., and any powers, duties, and functions set forth in this title. (2) The department of health care policy and financing shall consist of an executive director of the department of health care policy and financing, the medical services board, and such divisions, sections, and other units as shall be established by the executive director pursuant to the provisions of subsection (3) of this section. (3) The executive director may establish such divisions, sections, and other units within the state department as are necessary for the proper and efficient discharge of the powers, duties, and functions of the state department; except that such action by the executive director shall not conflict with the implementation requirements for the plan for restructuring the delivery of health and human services in this state, as set forth in article 1.7 of title 24, C.R.S. (4) The department of health care policy and financing shall be responsible for the administration of the functions and programs as set forth in this title. (5) (a) The executive director of the state department shall appoint an internal auditor who shall have the status of a division director and, as such, shall have the authority to appoint such personnel as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the internal auditor. (b) The internal auditor appointed by the executive director pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subsection (5) shall: (I) Conduct and supervise internal audits of the state department; (II) Coordinate and facilitate external audits that are performed on the state department by state and federal entities; (III) Conduct and supervise performance audits for the purpose of determining the efficiency and effectiveness of the state department's operation and administration of programs; and (IV) Conduct such other audits and perform such other duties as may be specified by the executive director. (6) (a) (I) The state department shall collaborate with the department of education, the department of public health and environment, and the department of human services to develop an interagency resource guide pursuant to section 22-2-410 to assist facilities to become licensed or authorized as approved facility schools and to recommend changes related to the interagency resource guide to the state department's statute, rule, or administrative procedures. (II) The state department shall prominently post the interagency resource guide created pursuant to subsection (6)(a)(I) of this section on the state department's website. (b) On or before November 1, 2023, the state department, after consulting with the facility school work group created in section 22-2-407.5, shall recommend a plan to provide guidance to approved facility schools on the eligibility standards required to request and receive medicaid reimbursement funding for therapeutic services to the maximum extent possible to reduce reliance on school district revenues for tuition payments required pursuant to section 22-20-109. The plan must include best practices from other states, recommendations on required federal or state authority changes, cost estimates, and cost-saving potentials.