Hey, Colorado, feeling a little blue that the Broncos won’t be in the Super Bowl this year? Well, dust off those foam fingers because there’s another Super Bowl coming our way in less than a week: the start of the legislative session. “This is kind of the Super Bowl of Colorado health policy right now,” […]
health care costs
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Groups tied to hospitals, insurance companies launch pricey ad blitz against Colorado public option
Two affiliated organizations with ties to hospitals and insurance companies have launched a six-figure public relations ad blitz against the creation of a “public” health insurance option in Colorado. The campaign began earlier this month and comes ahead of the 2020 legislative session, which begins next week and is expected to feature an intense battle […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
How do Coloradans want the state’s health care system to work? It depends on how you ask.
Colorado is poised to embark on what could be one of the most ambitious re-orderings of the health care system in decades. Lawmakers are set this coming session to do battle over a plan to offer a “public option” for health insurance that allows state officials to dictate hospital prices. A plan to import prescription […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado may try to import prescription drugs from more countries than just Canada
Colorado officials continue to work on their plan to import lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada, but some state lawmakers are already looking to expand the program. Sen. Joann Ginal, D-Fort Collins, said Thursday she is drafting a bill for the upcoming legislative session that would expand the importation program to include additional countries. She hasn’t […]
Posted inHealth, News
A procrastinator’s guide to buying health insurance in Colorado
Note: This story was originally written for the 2019-2020 regular open-enrollment period. But its tips work just as well for any time you are trying to buy health insurance without help from your employer. We’re going to take a guess here and say that if you clicked on that headline, you’re probably scrambling a bit […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
The Polis administration wants a greater say over hospital prices for more than 1 million Coloradans
Colorado’s top insurance regulator on Thursday said he will soon propose a rule that allows him to dig deeper into hospitals’ deals with health insurance companies, the latest in the Polis administration’s push for greater say over hospital prices. Michael Conway, the state’s commissioner of insurance, already reviews and approves the rates that insurance companies […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado officials have finalized their proposal for a public health insurance option. Here’s what we still don’t know about it.
Colorado regulators last week unveiled their final proposal for a public health insurance option, a program that would, in theory, provide a more affordable choice for people who buy coverage on their own. The final details of the proposal aren’t much different from what was originally offered. But make no mistake: This is a big […]
Posted inHealth, Opinion, Opinion Columns, Politics and Government
Opinion: Veterans’ sacrifice has earned our lasting gratitude — and the promise of quality, affordable health care kept
As we celebrate the 101st anniversary of when “the war to end all wars” was ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, we remember those who fought for our country. Even before our first days as a country, colonial America recognized the high value of those who defended its […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado’s reinsurance program has been lauded as a way to reduce health care costs. Here’s the fine print.
For months, Gov. Jared Polis and state health officials have been talking about how Colorado’s new reinsurance program is going to lower insurance prices across the state for people who purchase coverage on their own. But, as open enrollment kicks off Friday, two new analyses show that tens of thousands of people could end up […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Why both hospitals and insurance companies are so worried about a Colorado “state option” plan
In what is shaping up to be the major health care battle at the state Capitol this coming legislative session, Colorado hospitals and insurance companies both have raised concerns about a proposal to dictate hospital prices for a slice of people with private health coverage. The idea, unprecedented across the country in its precise details, […]