ColoradoCare Questions

When will there be ANSWERS to everyone’s questions?

My wife and I are on Medicare and TRCARE for life (pays copays). We do not need Coloradocare. We see that SS payments and some pension income (I am retired Army) are exempt from the 10% premium tax. Will we be taxed on other income, like dividends and interest and cashing in IRAs?

I’m curious how doctors will be paid under the Colorado single payer system. Will they be salary from the State? Will they be reimbursed by the State for services rendered?

How will TABOR affect ColoradoCare? I want universal healthcare, but someone said that because of TABOR, we could end up with our healthcare system horrifically underfunded…

How does it affect those on Medicare?

What will happen if I get sick out of state?

Am still working at 72 paying for Medicare insurance out of Social Security payments.

Will I pay 10% tax on earnings and pay Medicare Insurance premiums too?

Is the tax on all income, just wages, and how about Social Security payments?

My husband and I were initially ready to vote “YES” on Amendment 69. But after speaking with several people we know, and from reading in the “green booklet”, we see that there are some vaguely worded points, leading us to ask you some important, still unanswered questions. We need you to answer our questions, to our satisfaction, before we can, in good conscience, vote “YES” on Amendment 69:

I look forward to hearing back from you, as soon as possible.

Please see these unanswered questions, below, that my husband and I need to get answers to, from you, soon.

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1) Please define “preventative care”, regarding ColoradoCare, if Amendment 69 is voted in.

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2) Would there be anything “mandated”, in ColoradoCare, if Amendment 69 is voted in?

Here are examples, and please elaborate on the following, in your answers:

a) childhood vaccinations?

b) flu shots—for pregnant women, for adults, for seniors, for children?

c) vaccines of any kind(s), for adults, including pregnant women, for seniors, for children of school age, for infants? (ebola, ZICA, shingles, flu shots, other?)

d) water fluoridation?

e) medical treatments &/or medications, of any kind(s)?

f) other?

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3) Which of the following would be “covered” (paid for), by ColoradoCare, if Amendment 69 is voted in?

a) Chiropractic_____

b) Acupuncture_____ &/or Acupressure_____

c) Nutritional supplements (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc.)_____

d) Homeopathy and homeopathic (under the tongue) products_____

e) Physical Therapy_____

f) Occupational Therapy_____

g) Massage Therapy_____

h) Feldenkrais Method (a type of Physical Therapy)_____

i) REIKI_____

j) other_____

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4) Please define & explain in more detail, what the following sentences actually mean, from the “Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine” section, at the top of page 7, of the “green booklet”:

The “green booklet” is entitled: “Amendment 69, ColoradoCare, How it will work, If approved by the voters, ColoradoCare will cover Coloradans like Medicare covers seniors. Vote Yes on Amendment 69.

Prepared by ColoradoCareYES.”

(Here’s a link to the “green booklet”:

http://www.coloradocare.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Green-Booklet-5_5_16.pdf )

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a) “—ColoradoCare would pay for demonstrably effective treatments and wellness interventions.”

Please define and explain what “demonstrably effective treatments and wellness interventions” means, and please give examples.

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b) “—Providers may offer additional complementary treatments at patient expense.”

Please describe what exactly this means, and please give examples.

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c) “-ColoradoCare would follow accepted standards of practice and require evidence that the treatments are effective-as do all health care financing organizations.”

What exactly is meant by the sentence, that “ColoradoCare would follow accepted standards of practice”, and what does it actually mean, for ColoradoCare to “require evidence that the treatments are effective…”, ?

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Okay, I like the idea of a single payer system. I have lots of questions, though, before I know if I can support this one. First of all, I heard that Vermont tried this “exact same thing” in their state, and it went bankrupt (failed). What, if any, differences are there between the failed Vermont plan and the proposed Colorado plan that would help to prevent the same result in Colorado? Secondly, my husband works full time, I am self-employed and work part time. Would the taxes be out of our combined household income or just out of his? Would I have to pay the “employer” amount as well as the “individual”? Also, would the tax amount the same regardless of number of children?

My friend had to provide proof of health insurance coverage for her son at a local community college. If she didn’t the fees would be increased.


I remember the same issue when I was a student.


How does this affect Colorado residents who go to school out of state?


Will out of state students in Colorado be considered beneficiaries? That doesn’t seem fair. There parents nor their parents ployers aren’t paying the tax that will be imposed.

Will Colorado state Registered Midwives be included as care providers under this plan? We are regulated by DORA and provide full pregnancy, birth and postpartum care.

I have Medicare and supplemental insurance. Will Colorado Care replace this? If so, will I be allowed to opt out of Medicare and therefore not have to pay for Medicare parts B and D? If so will the care be comparable to Medicare? Will physicians who currently accept Medicare be required to accept Colorado Care? Does the tax on income start on dollar one or is there a deductible?

What is the coverage if we are out of state?

How are civilian Federal Employees affected by ColoradoCare? Would they be required to give up their federal benefits in exchange for the state plan? Our benefits are won through union contract. Giving up our benefit would leave a lot of money on the table.

NEW YORK TIMES April 28, 2016…“The estimated $ 38 billion-a-year …” cost of ColoradoCare exceeds by 13 billion a year your fiction of 25 billion a year….response?

Will retired military senior citizens who currently have Medicare A&B and Tricare For Life see their state taxes increase if Amendment 69 is enacted? If so by approximately how much?

will illegal immigrants or people who are paid in cash be covered?

How many healthcare refugees do you project coming to Colorado for what will be to the impoverished refugees FREE? In addition to free healthcare to these refugees will be the array of other government services required. As you fix prices and wages for services by medical providers and no direct cost to users of these services you will see demand explode and supply quickly contract. The 25 billion dollar a year bill is before any good or service is provided. What do your cost projections show in first 5 years? This is a dynamic model people will adjust behavior in response to the what will be the highest state tax rate in the nation. Property values will plummet as those able to will leave the state, reducing demand and value for real estate. Replaced by impoverished healthcare refugees, quite the recipe for economic growth.

I would like to make a cash donation. Where do I send it?

I can’t believe that there is no information [as of May 20th] with which to challenge the statements of detractors. What’s the deal here?

My community is curious as to when the policy will go into effect if voted in. Thanks!

I am a private practice mental health therapist. If single payer passes in Colorado, what does this mean for mental health care? Would people have to pay out of pocket for mental health? What if they don’t want to go to a government run clinic but want to see a private therapist, such as myself?

If I have income from rental property or some other side business above my income from employment is that income subject to the 10% tax?

I am self employed and after 20 years of working very hard, I have finally gotten to the point of earning an OK living of around $300,000 per year. If I have to pay a new 10% healthcare tax that would be a new personal cost of $2,500 per month. That is totally crazy. I would likely move to Cheyenne to avoid this level of tax increase. I hope you consider this and add a maximum taxable amount per year similar to social security. If you don’t this is a totally unfair funding method that makes a select few people pay way too much!

As a business with Union field personnel we pay the Union monthly for their Welfare (healthcare) benefit to each worker. Would we be exempt from paying a payroll tax on these guys so their insurance would still be in place or would we stop paying the Union and the workers would be covered by ColoradoCare? The contractual obligation of our company to the Union is bound by a 5 year contract, who deals with changing that contract?

Will there be a tax penalty for not purchasing or having health insurance?