Colorado Health Insurance

With health care costs consistently rising in Colorado, legislators are looking for a quick and easy way to provide quality, affordable health care to all Coloradoans.  While this is a noble goal, accomplishing it is not as easy as it may seem. 

As we speak, Colorado Legislators have already approved HB-1273 through Committee and House Appropriations.  Colorado HB-1275 will create a single-payer health care system in the State of Colorado.

There are many dangers in attempting to provide single-payer healthcare in just one state (as opposed to nationwide).  First and Foremost, the biggest problem that you can run into is that people from other states who are either sick or disabled will come to Colorado for "free" healthcare, which will put a strain on the existing statewide system and limited health care resources.

Since, by nature, Single-Payer health care systems operate on a system of controlling costs, an influx of users to our health care system will result in the need to slash payments to doctors and hospitals which could have a very negative impact on the amount of health care resources available to Coloradoans.  The natural outcome will be an exodus of health care providers from our state or the refusal of health care providers to accept the single-payer health care plan.  Since market forces will continue to affect the availability and quality of health care in our State, and since other surrounding states will not have the same provider reimbursement constraints that our state will have, there is nothing to stop doctors that decide not to accept the terms and conditions of the new single-payer system from leaving our state for better compensation elsewhere. 

The unintended consequences mentioned above are just the beginning.   In the 1990's the State of Tennessee tried to implement a similar type of system, and it failed miserably, nearly bankrupting the state.  Is this what we want for the State of Colorado?   Read more about the failures of TennCare and what the State of Colorado can do to avoid the same mistakes.

If you feel the same way as I do, contact your State Representative before Colorado makes a terrible mistake. 

Then also call:

Rep. Joel Judd - D - Dist 5
303-866-2925

Rep. Jim Riesberg - D - Dist 50
303-866-2929
jim.riesberg.house@state.co.us

Rep. and SPEAKER: Terrance Carroll (D-CO 7th District)
Phone: (303) 866-2346
Fax: (303) 866-2218
terrance.carroll.house@state.co.us

Rep Christine Scanlan
Phone: (303) 866-2952
Fax: (303) 866-2218