Proposed Amendment 69 – ColoradoCare – has three fatal flaws:

Twenty percent of Coloradans will not be covered, but still have to pay. Coloradans covered by Medicare, TriCare, or the VA will not receive ColoradoCare. For you 20 percent – multiply your adjusted gross income by 10 percent – that is your annual contribution to the “social good,” for which you will personally receive no benefit.ColoradoCare will cost more than projected. Every health care plan – Medicare, ObamaCare, Vermont and Massachusetts plans – has cost way more than initially projected. Each one promised to cut administrative costs and fraud. Health care costs are driven by profit making providers and needy citizens.Does Colorado think it can succeed as a single state where no one has before, including the federal government and nationwide insurance companies? How will it do it? Cut payment rates? Limit services?

Twenty-one trustees (no qualifications required) will solely determine how $25 billion is to be spent. They cannot be recalled and their ability to raise their tax rate is exempt from Tabor or legislative review. There is no way to correct faulty decisions.Peter Bartol

Durango