Today I sent this comment to The Denver Post and the Loveland Reporter-Herald after reading about ColoradoCare 10 Nov:

ColoradoCare! David Olinger reported (10 Nov) on Initiative 20: ColoradoCare-State Health Care System going to the 2016 ballot. Our quick question is, “What?…a 10% payroll tax (3.3% for employees)! No way! No more tax!” But, wait! What are we paying now? The Kaiser Family Foundation (http://www.statisticbrain.com/health-insurance-cost-statistics/) reports Average Annual Health Care Family Coverage at $15,745. So, if a family is earning $100,000 per year, that means the annual ColoradoCare premium would be yearly $10,000 or employee $3333! Hey!…saving an employee $12,412! All Coloradans are covered. All choose their providers. Byron McCurdy, board president of the Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters, lamented, “A single-payer system would destroy our industry.” Exactly! The first priority for sick people is to get well. Insurance companies must look after shareholders, draining money for actual care. Providers can eliminate multiple-payer costs. With single-payer ColoradoCare the patient comes first. —Bruce Harshberger, Loveland