URGENT HCAC NEEDS
Do you or someone you know have a health insurance horror story? Let us know!
We are looking for people willing to help with our communications and online outreach programs (Website, Facebook, Twitter, email, video production and editing, etc.). If you have time and skills to assist, email Nathan for more information.
HB24-1075 –Analysis of Universal Health Care Payment System- is scheduled for a hearing in the House Health & Human Services Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 1:30.
In the first week of the Colorado 2024 legislative session, a new bill has been introduced to finally create a robust and detailed analysis of universal health care in Colorado!
Prime sponsor, Representative Karen McCormick has introduced HB24-1075 "Analysis of Universal Health-Care Payment System" into the Colorado legislature. A similar bill, HB23-1209, was introduced last year but ultimately fell victim to the legislative clock running out. By introducing the new, updated bill this early in the session (first week!) it is much more likely to make it through the legislative process. The goal is to have this bill get through both the House and Senate by March 25th, ahead of the "long bill" that tends to delay remaining legislative work.
Representative Boesenecker, Representative McCormick, and Senator Jaquez Lewis have introduced a bill this session to authorize a formal study that would fully analyze the impacts of a proposed universal health care system.
If enacted, the Colorado School of Public Health would conduct a detailed analysis of the feasibility of creating a publicly financed, privately delivered universal health care system in Colorado, including how to equitably finance the system and the economic impacts. Given that every prior (smaller scale) study has arrived at the same overwhelming conclusion — that universal health care would be overwhelmingly beneficial and billions of dollars cheaper statewide — you can guess who (and how financially loud and wrong) our opposition is going to be.
This is REALLY BIG and BREAKING NEWS! Stay tuned here for updates (or make sure you sign up for our email alerts) as we let you know more about what's going on, why we support this, and how you can help!
While this is a topic I tried to keep below my radar for years, it has become an issue to be dealt with and elucidate for others! Long ago my late husband, an internist, would rant about all the headaches caused by Medicare Advantage (MA) and similar ‘insurance’ plans. They interfered in the doctor patient relationship, delaying needed care while creating headaches for his office billing staff. I took note, but didn’t understand the full picture until Medicare became my insurer. Thanks to an honest insurance broker who reminded me of my late husband’s hatred for the MA plans, I was happy to get a supplement to Medicare which even covers me when traveling abroad. While I understand the ‘scene’ better, I can say I do not fully understand this ‘market’ as it is utterly complex and the rules keep changing on both sides of the ‘game.’
July 30, 2021, marks Medicare’s 56th birthday, the federal program implemented with bipartisan support to provide health insurance to people over 65 regardless of income or medical history. When President Johnson signed the bill into law in 1965, the goal was to expand access to health coverage and move toward the goal of a single payor national health system.
At our previous Zoom webconference, Drs. Cecile Rose and Rick Bieser, Co-Chairs of the Physicians for a National Health Program Colorado Chapter, gave outstanding presentations.
For those of you looking for Dr. Bieser's slides, download a copy by clicking here.
Read MoreThe goal of Health Care for All Colorado is to achieve universal, affordable, accessible, undeniable, and portable health care for all Coloradans.
In reviewing this year's Colorado ballot, the Board of Health Care for All Colorado has voted to take a position on the following Ballot Measures.
|
Type |
Title |
Subject |
Description |
HCAC Position |
|
CISS |
Proposition 115 |
Abortion |
Prohibits abortion after 22 weeks gestational age. HCAC Rationale for Opposing Proposition 115: Currently an abortion can be performed at any time during pregnancy. This proposal would prohibit abortion after 22 weeks of gestational age of the fetus, interfering with the patient provider relationship in making healthcare decisions, and denying access to care. |
Oppose |
|
CISS |
Proposition 116 |
Taxes |
Decreases the state income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55%. HCAC Rationale for Opposing Proposition 116: Colorado’s economy and people have suffered from the COVID economic and health crisis. The cuts in revenue following a tax cut would add to the losses in education, health care and other state services. Education is a social determinant of health. |
Oppose |
|
CISS |
Proposition 118 |
Healthcare |
Establishes a program for paid medical and family leave. HCAC Rationale for Supporting Proposition 118: Provides partial wage replacement so that eligible employees can take time off for medical reasons or to provide care for family members. |
Support |
|
LRCA |
Amendment B |
Taxes & Property |
Repeals the Gallagher Amendment of 1982, which limited the residential and non-residential property tax assessment rates so that residential property taxes amounted to 45% of the total share of state property taxes and non-residential property taxes amounted to 55% of the total share of state property taxes. HCAC Rationale for Supporting Amendment B: Amendment B does not increase property taxes and helps preserve funding for local districts that provide fire protection, police, ambulance, hospital, kindergarten through twelfth grade education, and other services. Education is a social determinant of health. |
Support |
|
LRSS |
Proposition EE |
Tobacco & Taxes |
Increases taxes on tobacco, creates a new tax on nicotine products such as e-cigarettes; dedicates funds to education and health programs. HCAC Rationale for Supporting Proposition EE: Proposition EE initially uses the tax revenue primarily for public school funding to help offset revenue that has been lost as a result of the economic impacts related to COVID-19 and then for programs that reduce the use of tobacco and nicotine products. Enhances the voluntary Colorado preschool program and makes it widely available for free and maintains the funding for programs that currently receive revenue from tobacco taxes, with the state keeping and spending all the new revenue as a voter-approved revenue change. Education is a social determinant of health. |
Support |
CISS = Initiated State Statute; LRCA = Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment; LRSS = Legislatively Referred State Statute (Source: BALLOTPEDIA)
During the HCAC Annual Meeting on June 6, 2020, HCAC Board Member Pamela S. Parks, MD gave two presentations related to COVID.
Copies of those presentations may be downloaded here.
1. COVID-19 Recession and Job Loss
2. COVID-19 and Medicare For All
The HCAC Denver Chapter meeting in February included a presentation by
HCAC Board Member and former Senator Jeanne Nicholson,
an Analysis of Ro Khanna's Bill, H.R.5010, State-based Universal Health Care Act of 2019
HCAC supporters may access and download a copy of the presentation here.
On Saturday, March 7th, both Colorado Democratic and Republican Parties are holding their party caucuses. The caucus process is how the grassroots informs the party of what issues are important to them. At caucus precincts, resolutions are proposed and voted upon. Resolutions with significant support make their way into County and State party platforms. Improved Medicare for All has been consistently prominent in past years within the Colorado Democratic Party Platform, but there's no reason to stop now! We believe in the benefits of health care for all regardless of party. Health needs do not discriminate based on party affiliation. Given the strong support for universal health care among Republican voters as well, we'd love to see our Republican and Republican-leaning Independent voters promote resolutions in the GOP caucus as well!
Read More