Coloradans have an opportunity to prevent a looming health care crisis that will likely include rising premiums, higher deductibles and co-pays, waning federal support for Medicaid and Affordable Care Act subsidies and the prospect of people dropping health insurance when the individual mandate expires next year.
One solution is to develop a state plan that negotiates drug prices, lowers costs and covers everyone, giving us all needed relief from overpriced health insurance and exorbitant drug prices.
Did you know there are other proposals being floated this election year? Here are examples: a publicly-owned insurance company operating alongside the private, an expanded marketplace of private companies with state subsidies for low-income people and a public/private mix that covers all.
Rather than have a fact-free debate about what is best, let’s put all these plans to the test by taking a hard look at each of the proposals and then judge which option best reflects the needs and values we all share.
State Representative Edie Hooton (D-Boulder) has proposed the Health Care Cost Analysis Act of 2018 to conduct a comprehensive inquiry into each of these proposals. Her bill would create an independent body to vet these plans for cost, coverage and other criteria.
Support passage of Hooton’s bill and get the facts. Then we can pick the best plan for all Coloradans.
Lauren Patterson
Durango
