One legislator’s recap of the 2023 General Assembly from the Democratic Party perspective.
healthcare
Posted inEvents
Watch: Colorado health insurance experts discuss open enrollment
The Colorado Sun talks about health insurance, open enrollment, shopping tips, ways to get the most out of your plan and more.
Posted inCOVID, Health, News, Politics and Government
Coronavirus will add 500,000 people to Colorado’s Medicaid rolls — with major consequences for the health care system
For years, lawmakers in Colorado have talked about fundamentally changing the state’s health care system. They’ve talked about creating more competition in the insurance industry or providing subsidies to make coverage more affordable. They’ve talked about tackling hospital prices and trimming profits. And, now, after all that groundwork, the coronavirus pandemic has come along and […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado GOP, Catholic Church mobilize as 2020 ballot deadline for 22-week abortion ban nears
A split in the anti-abortion movement is generating questions about whether supporters can gather enough signatures in the next two weeks to put a ban on abortion after 22 weeks of pregnancy on the November ballot. The Colorado Republican Party and the Catholic Archdiocese of Denver are supporting the “End Late Abortions in Colorado” initiative […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Colorado public option opponents accused of trying to “weaponize” doctors against health insurance proposal
A newly formed organization backed by Colorado hospitals, business leaders and Republican elected officials is encouraging doctors and other medical professionals to join the fight against a proposed public health insurance option and harness the trust people have in those professions. The new tactic comes on the heels of a pricey ad campaign — costing […]
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 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’s new reinsurance program has a TABOR problem. Lawmakers fear that could cause “cascading” impacts across the budget.
Colorado’s new reinsurance program, one of Gov. Jared Polis’ biggest legislative accomplishments to date, could end up hitting the state budget a lot harder than previously expected, according to a new legislative analysis. The bigger impact is the result of two recent developments as lawmakers gear up to decide on next year’s budget. First, the […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado hospitals just avoided tens of millions of dollars in federal funding cuts — but it might not last
In what is becoming a near-monthly escape, Colorado hospitals last week narrowly avoided getting hit with tens of millions of dollars in federal funding cuts. But the victory comes with a catch — they have to do it all over again next month. The cuts would come from what are called “disproportionate share payments,” which […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado hospitals accuse Polis administration of hurting Medicaid patients, as health fight grows nastier
Executives at Colorado’s largest hospital systems on Thursday sent a blistering letter to Gov. Jared Polis and the leaders of the state Medicaid agency, saying they fear the state has “lost its focus on uninsured and Medicaid patients.” The executives accused the state Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which administers Medicaid in Colorado, […]