I am a family physician and it might surprise you that I support the repeal of Obamacare.
The deal-breaker flaw for me is that private insurance companies were invited to the table and are now making astronomical profits at the expense of we the people. We continue to pay co-pays, deductibles, extreme drug costs and other out-of-pocket expenses in addition to unacceptable premiums.
Sens. Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner and Rep. Scott Tipton all say they will protect our health care. What a fabulous opportunity for them to promote affordable health care for all while being a model for other states to follow.
ColoradoCare was handily defeated in the election because of politics. The major opponent was Anthem Insurance, who donated $1 million to “Coloradans for Coloradans,” formed to campaign against ColoradoCare for obvious reasons. Our own Centura Health donated $250,000 in opposition. That is our Catholic, nonprofit hospital system. The Herald opposed ColoradoCare (Oct. 14), and stated that people would “be responsible for their own insurance choice.”
In fact, all Colorado residents would have the same coverage (see Coloradocare.org for details).
Opponents mention the $30 billion cost (actually $25 billion) while failing to note that we’re currently spending $30 billion. Funding will come from employers who pay 6.66 percent of payroll, compared with the average 13 percent they’re paying now for coverage that has the above-mentioned additional costs to the employee. Employees will pay 3.33 percent of their payroll and none of the above additional costs.
In addition, ColoradoCare will negotiate with the pharmaceutical industry and avoid the current crisis in drug costs. Medicare and Medicaid dollars will continue to flow through the state as they do now, but they will be spent much more efficiently when industry profits are no longer a factor (a hospital’s nonprofit status simply means that they do not pay taxes).
ColoradoCare has been eight years in development with the support of T.R. Reid (author of The Healing of America), UMass Amherst economist Gerald Friedman and Colorado’s own state senator, Dr. Irene Aguilar, among others. Let’s make history and provide healthcare for all!
Lauri Costello, M.D.
Durango
