Health Care

Real Life Experience for Health Care Reform

There are over 700,000 Coloradoans – nearly 200,000 of them children – who do not have access to health care. Of those who do have access, many are underinsured, meaning that a serious illness could wipe them out financially. Addressing Colorado’s health care crisis is essential to maintaining a viable and vibrant economy. When businesses can focus on customer service, innovation and profit – instead of worrying about how to provide employee health care – everyone benefits. When employees and their dependents can focus on their careers and their families – instead of worrying about getting sick or losing their health care – everyone benefits. And when health care providers can focus on helping people get and stay healthy – instead of processing insurance paperwork and holding back necessary care – everyone benefits, including Colorado taxpayers.

In 2006, the General Assembly created the 208 Commission to study and establish health care reform models. The Commission’s goal was to decrease health care costs and explore the expansion of health care coverage to all Colorado residents. The Commission looked at health care coverage for both public and private sector markets, giving special attention to the uninsured, underinsured and those at risk of financial hardship due to medical expenses. After examining numerous proposals, the Commission determined that only one plan, a single payer, “public payer, private provider” plan would both insure all Coloradoans and save money ($1.4 billion according to the Lewin Group, an independent auditing body www.healthcareforallcolorado.org).

As a candidate for House District 8, I support the passage and implementation of that proposal, including a mental health component. The plan fosters a healthy Colorado and makes our economy more competitive in the global marketplace.

Here’s why I support the public payer, private provider model of health care for Colorado:

 FAMILIES will pay less in a progressive tax than the current costs of premiums.

 TAXPAYERS, hospitals, and consumers will no longer have to bear the cost of unpaid medical bills incurred by large numbers of uninsured and underinsured patients.

 BUSINESSES will be freed from the cost of providing employee health insurance, making them better able to compete in the global marketplace.

 PATIENTS will enjoy lower drug and equipment costs through bulk purchasing.

 PROVIDERS of health care will save millions of dollars by eliminating the need to manage the administration of multiple insurance providers.

 INSURANCE middlemen will be eliminated in a single payer system, creating additional savings.

This plan would be funded by administrative savings realized across many segments of health care, increased alcohol and tobacco taxes, an employer payroll tax (approximately 6%), and an increased personal state income tax (approximately 7.5%). In addition, current federal, state and local health care dollars would be transferred into a publicly owned, non-profit Health Trust governed by its own board.

Obviously, achieving such a bold initiative will not be easy. It will be mischaracterized and attacked every inch of the way. However, given the ever escalating costs of health care the increasing numbers of uninsured and underinsured Coloradoans and the drag on our economy, a single payer, “public payer, private provider” is healthy for our human, as well as our fiscal health. Please join me in striving for comprehensive health care coverage for all Coloradoans.