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Colorado health exchange in trouble?

Lots of things have happened in the last several months regarding health care in Colorado that have me worried. First, let me say that I am thankful for those that have health care insurance coverage today. However, my fear is that this coverage is becoming more cost prohibitive and less sustainable.

Almost daily, I have folks complaining about the huge increases in their health care premiums and deductibles. For example, one small businessman told me that his premium for a family of three went from $456 per month to more than $1,300 per month, with a deductible of $10,000. Another self-employed husband and father of two complained that his premium of almost $500 had doubled, with a deductible in the $5,000 range. This man told me that he was thinking about just paying the $695 per year fine and not having any kind of health coverage. The latest figures indicate that health care insurance costs have increased by 25.8 percent on the Western Slope of Colorado. We were promised that this would not happen under the Affordable Care Act.

The Colorado Health Insurance Cooperative, known as Colorado HealthOP, was recently shut down by the Division of Insurance because it did not meet its statutorily required minimum capital and surplus levels to remain in operation. The 82,000 Coloradans covered by the co-op will have to find different coverage. Colorado HealthOP had been promised a subsidy by the federal government that did not happen.

It looks like the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange, now known as Connect for Health Colorado, may be in trouble. This year was the first year that Connect for Health Colorado was not subsidized by the federal government. Budget projections for 2016 show that the exchange could have a $13.3 million deficit. That means the consumer will have to pay more to sustain the exchange. Additionally, a limited performance audit of Connect for Health Colorado in 2014 found the organization to be lacking in several areas. SB 19, passed by the Legislature in 2015, requires a full performance audit of the health exchange.

If we didn’t have enough problems, Coloradans will vote in 2016 whether or not to approve yet another government-run health care scheme which would raise taxes by $25 billion, called ColoradoCare. The total Colorado state budget is barely $25 billion and the general fund budget is under $10 billion, and now we will be asked to raise taxes by $25 billion? Have we lost our minds? I thought Obamacare was supposed to be the solution for our health care needs.

More government is not the answer to health care costs. We need to get back to a free enterprise system. We must encourage increased competition and eliminate unneeded regulation. Those who misuse the system must be stopped. It will not be easy, but for the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must be steadfast in our resolve to find the right solution.

J. Paul Brown represents House District 59 in Colorado’s General Assembly. The district encompasses La Plata, Archuleta, San Juan, Ouray and Hinsdale counties and part of Gunnison County. Reach him at jpaul.brown.house@state.co.us.



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