During the HCAC Annual Meeting on June 6, 2020, HCAC Board Member Pamela S. Parks, MD gave two presentations related to COVID.

Copies of those presentations may be downloaded here.

1. COVID-19 Recession and Job Loss

2. COVID-19 and Medicare For All

The HCAC Denver Chapter meeting in February included a presentation by
HCAC Board Member and former Senator Jeanne Nicholson,
an Analysis of Ro Khanna's Bill, H.R.5010, State-based Universal Health Care Act of 2019

HCAC supporters may access and download a copy of the presentation here.

On Saturday, March 7th, both Colorado Democratic and Republican Parties are holding their party caucuses.  The caucus process is how the grassroots informs the party of what issues are important to them. At caucus precincts, resolutions are proposed and voted upon. Resolutions with significant support make their way into County and State party platforms. Improved Medicare for All has been consistently prominent in past years within the Colorado Democratic Party Platform, but there's no reason to stop now! We believe in the benefits of health care for all regardless of party.  Health needs do not discriminate based on party affiliation. Given the strong support for universal health care among Republican voters as well, we'd love to see our Republican and Republican-leaning Independent voters promote resolutions in the GOP caucus as well!

Last session, HCAC supported legislation that required the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) and the Division of Insurance (DOI) to develop and submit a proposal to the General Assembly concerning the implementation of a state option for health care coverage, HB19-1004.  

The final report, based on meetings with stakeholders from across the state and including extensive written public comments, was submitted in November 2019 with a preliminary actuarial analysis.  The final actuarial analysis will be completed in February 2020. 

HCAC supported the Health Care Cost Savings Act of 2019 that passed the Colorado Legislature last year with bipartisan support.  Several members of the HCAC board testified in front of committee in support of this legislation.  The bill allows for an analysis to compare how we would pay for different universal health care systems in Colorado.  The 15-member state task force, including bill sponsor Rep. Emily Sirota and author T. R. Reid have begun their work.  

In 2019, the Colorado Legislature passed HB19-1004, A Proposal For Affordable Health Coverage Option.  The result was a Health insurance Public Option proposal developed by the Colorado Division of Insurance and Colorado's Health Care Policy and Financing Department, which has been published along with significant public comment.

What does the Proposal look like?  What would have to happen to enact it?  What decisions are still left up to the state legislature this year as they review the proposal?

Are You Interested in Becoming
a 2020 Candidate Liaison?

In the 2020 election, health care will be one of the most important issues. We are looking for volunteers to provide information to candidates on universal health care and single payer or Improved Medicare for All type finance systems. We hope to reach all Colorado candidates, unaffiliated and from all political parties, who are running in 2020.

If you are willing to participate in this important project click here to sign up.

For more info contact Laurie Beckel or Virginia Gebhart at Liaison.Coordinator@candidateliaisonproject.org.

ROLE:

Provide all Colorado candidates, unaffiliated and from all political parties, in the 2020 elections with information about universal health care and single payer or Improved Medicare for All type health care finance systems.

1)Choose a candidate(s) with whom you would like to partner. This may be a candidate(s) where you are the candidate’s constituent or where you are not a constituent. Offer to be their personal contact for information and support on Improved Medicare for All type health care finance reform.

2)Create a friendly, respectful relationship with the candidate(s) while encouraging them to make health care finance reform a top issue in their campaign.

CONTEXT:

We are interested in finding ways that every Coloradan could have comprehensive, affordable health care. We want elected officials to know that changing to a single payer or Improved Medicare for All type of public financing is the best way to cut costs and cover everybody. We will do an on-line survey of all the candidates about health care finance reform issues. We want candidates to know about single payer, Improved Medicare for All type systems so that they can provide thoughtful responses. The candidates’ responses will be reported to voters.

IMPORTANT DISTINCTION:

Candidate Liaisons will form alliances with candidates around health care issues. You can anticipate that the candidates(s) with whom you are partnered will look forward to hearing from you. Your interactions will be supportive, not confrontational. The candidate(s) will come to trust that you provide accurate facts and insights that help them look smarter and well informed. Only if a candidate feels comfortable with a topic will the candidate be willing to talk about it. When candidates talk about it, the public listens and gets educated. When the candidate gets elected, he, she, or they will have a connection to you and to our support organizations (Indivisible, Colorado Foundation for Universal Health Care, etc.).

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1)Read the information training materials and become skillful with the conversation about the facts and in engaging your candidate(s).

2)Drop off an information handout to your candidate (materials provided) and include your contact information.

3)Develop and maintain a supportive and trusting relationship with your candidate for the duration of their candidacy—you decide what is appropriate for you with your time availability and/or what is requested from your candidate(s).

SUPPORT:

You choose the name(s) of candidate(s) with whom you’d like to partner. As much as possible, we want Candidate Liaisons to be constituents. Check out and choose local candidates for local offices as well as State Legislative and Congressional races. You know your local community election scene and where you might be most effective as a Candidate Liaison. You don’t have to know all the answers. You’ll get support with information, access to people to answer your candidate’s questions, supplemental resource materials and some basic training and directions. The conversation on health care finance reform is evolving quickly during this election season. We want to ensure that candidates know their constituents who expect real health care finance reform that will provide simple guaranteed quality health care for all for life.

If you are willing to participate in this important project click here to sign up.

For more info contact Laurie Beckel or Virginia Gebhart at Liaison.Coordinator@candidateliaisonproject.org

Denver Post, Letter To Editor

Re: “A public option could be costly for Coloradans”  December 10, 2019

HB19-1004 was well intentioned, as is the recently submitted proposal for implementation.  Health Care for All Colorado (HCAC)  thanks the sponsors of HB19-1004 for bringing this bill forward with the objective of providing more affordable health care coverage.  HCAC also appreciates the work of the HCPF and DOI in including stakeholders from across the state in developing the implementation proposal.

However, the Colorado Public Option Plan, like every other proposal other than Medicare-For-All, revolves around premiums, profits, and markets, the very factors that make our current system so expensive and incomplete.  If it does not fail entirely (like the vaunted co-ops of Obamacare) it will make only a small dent in the expense, complexity, and cruelty of our current system.

Judith Burke, RN
Secretary, Health Care for All Colorado

The goal of Health Care for All Colorado (HCAC) is to achieve universal, affordable, accessible, undeniable and portable health care for all Coloradans.  HCAC supported HB19-1004, A Proposal for Implementing a Competitive State Option for More Affordable Health Care Coverage.  HB19-1004 requires the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) and the Division of Insurance (DOI) to develop and submit a proposal concerning the design, costs, benefits, and implementation of a state option for health care coverage to Colorado’s General Assembly by November 15, 2019.

HCAC appreciates attempts to increase affordability, but, after review of the final report and recommendations, has concluded that the proposal is flawed in many ways as it...

Above: On July 30, 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Medicare bill into law with former President Harry S. Truman at his side.  Photo credit: The Associated Press.

On this day fifty-four years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed Medicare into law, guaranteeing millions of Americans over 65 health care who were previously left in the dark, unable to afford a private plan or who were solely dependent on the kindness of family, friends and neighbors. Fifty-four years later, Health Care for All Colorado and health care activists across the country are still fighting for Improve Medicare for All to guarantee that same right to all Americans.