Bill For Patients With Rare Conditions Fights 'A Huge Problem'
DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado legislators debated on a bill that would help about 7,000 Coloradans with rare medical conditions.
State Sen. Rachel Zenzinger is sponsoring a bill that would grant an exemption in non-compete contracts for doctors - which means the bill would allow a doctor to keep seeing a patient with a rare disease even if the doctor changes hospitals.
This bill was inspired by 7-year-old Gracie Hoyt who has a rare condition that prevents her from feeling pain.
Gracie's family says her doctor switched hospitals, but a non-compete contract blocked him from seeing former patients for two years, including Gracie.
Lawmakers agreed on Tuesday this shouldn't happen.
"If you're a patient, and in this particular case Gracie - a kid - is a patient, was searching around to find a doctor who would be able to treat her extremely rare condition. And when you find that doctor who can help you and they change their employer and cannot keep treating you, that's a huge problem leaving the patient in the lurch," said Rep. Chris Kennedy.
The bill is expected to pass the House and has already passed the Senate.