DENVER – State Senate Republicans are taking a step back from their own healthcare repeal and replace efforts because of a lack of concrete movement on the national level.
Senate Bill 3, which would phase out the state’s healthcare exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, by Jan. 1, 2019, was killed Monday by the GOP-held Senate when it laid the bill over until after the legislative session concludes on Wednesday.
For the GOP, it was an admission of defeat on a bill that was identified by Senate President Kevin Grantham, R-Cañon City, as a signature piece of legislation for the caucus.
Grantham said he had hoped there would have been more movement from Congress early in the Legislative session, which would have helped Republicans’ case that the repeal was necessary since there was no larger Obamacare program.
“What’s happened is a little less action on the national level than what we anticipated,” he said.
Sen. Jim Smallwood, R-Parker and sponsor of SB 3, said while the measure died he hopes the underlying message, which is that 14 counties have only one health insurance carrier on the exchange, doesn’t get lost.
“If that one carrier leaves, obviously there’s a number of people that are gonna be in real dire straits when it comes to purchasing a subsidized policy,” Smallwood said.
He added that he believes the connection of SB 3 to Affordable Care Act repeal efforts in Washington, D.C., are disingenuous to what he wanted to accomplish.
“Sure, what happens in Washington, D.C., very well could have a huge impact on Connect for Health but that’s not what this bill was about,” he said.
Both Smallwood and Grantham indicated that repeal of the exchange would be brought up by the GOP in 2018 regardless of what happens in Congress.
lperkins@durangoherald.com
