By James Anderson, The Associated Press Health insurance premiums are expected to stay stable next year for individuals buying coverage on the Colorado insurance exchange, continuing a cost-saving trend under a state-run program that covers the most expensive cases, Gov. Jared Polis said Tuesday. Individuals buying on the exchange are expected to save more than […]
reinsurance
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Democrats’ big health insurance bill may deliver the nation’s lowest premiums. But much is still unclear.
In 2014, a thunderbolt struck the normally un-sizzling world of Colorado health policy: A report from the nationally respected Kaiser Family Foundation discovered that Western Slope resort communities had the highest prices for health insurance in the country. What followed was more than five years of work by lawmakers to lower costs, culminating this year […]
Posted inOpinion, Opinion Columns
Opinion: A Colorado public option for health care is a backwards step
Health care is both critically important and far too expensive. It is a problem that Colorado businesses and individual Coloradans struggle with, and one that we’re committed to helping solve. However, House Bill 1232, a proposal before the state legislature to create a new government-run health plan, is the wrong approach. Full of big and […]
Posted inElection 2020, Politics and Government
Proposition 117 explained: Colorado voters would have more control over government fees
It’s the rare point of bipartisan agreement in Colorado politics where public spending is concerned: Since the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights took effect in 1992, state lawmakers have increasingly turned to fees to fund government operations. But how you feel about that development, depends on your politics. To the left, it’s an unfortunate side effect […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, Health, News, Politics and Government
Coronavirus complicated efforts to lower Colorado’s health care prices. But one idea is still moving forward.
Back in February — six months and untold mental eons ago — the biggest issue in health care in Colorado was lowering its price. Hospitals were raking in record profits, state lawmakers were champing at the bit to do something about it and ambitious plans to rewrite chunks of the health care playbook dominated the […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Democrats just proposed an enormous change to how health insurance programs are funded
In a budget-panicked, coronavirus-interrupted legislative session that has already seen major proposals for how health insurance should work in the state come and go, Colorado lawmakers have just proposed another massive change. Senate Bill 215 would create a new fee on the health insurance premiums paid by close to a million people in the state. […]
Posted inCOVID, Education, Health, Politics and Government
Colorado’s coronavirus budget crunch is putting Democratic accomplishments at risk
Anna Layden makes $57,000 a year as an educator in Durango and owes the same amount in student debt after putting herself through college and graduate school. To pay it down, she applied for a $5,000 loan repayment through a new initiative for Colorado teachers. Deana Cairo wanted to see her 19-year-old son with developmental […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Hospitals are backing off a budget fight over Colorado’s reinsurance program. Is a deal possible?
The association that represents Colorado hospitals says it is talking with lawmakers about a potential budget deal over the state’s new, multimillion-dollar reinsurance program. The program, which is expected to spend half a billion dollars over two years, is one of Gov. Jared Polis’ biggest achievements from his first year, dramatically lowering health insurance premiums […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
The Polis administration just cut $51 million from its budget request for Colorado’s reinsurance program
The administration of Gov. Jared Polis has scaled back how much money it is requesting to continue the state’s new reinsurance program after pushback from lawmakers and a happy surprise from the federal government. Polis had asked lawmakers to spend an additional $60 million on the program, which helps health insurers pay their highest-cost claims. […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Why Colorado hospitals just sued the Polis administration over the health care reinsurance program
The association that represents Colorado’s hospitals filed a lawsuit Tuesday against the Polis administration over the state’s new health care reinsurance program — a fresh challenge to a program that has been one of Gov. Jared Polis’ signature achievements but is also facing a clouded budget picture. The reinsurance program, which is currently planned to […]