IT Director, Health Care for All Colorado
Profile
Nathan Wilkes
I and my family have always been covered by the best insurance possible, yet we have still been put through hell on a daily basis, facing one private insurance crisis after another and accumulating six-figure medical debt in the process. Despite playing by all the rules, the game is fixed and there is no way to win.
The current system is tragic, unnecessary, and irreparably broken -- and we pay a huge premium (in money, lives, and limitations on society & business) for the privilege of having one of the worst health financing and delivery systems in the world.
It's time to rethink a system based on American ideals of freedom, innovation, and cooperation -- and end the reign of the profiteering middleman in health care that adds absolutely no value and constantly gets in between the care that a patient and provider deem necessary and beneficial. We can create a universal Colorado health care system that offers better care to everyone at a lower cost (over $1.4 Billion per year) without making any sacrifices to the people of Colorado.
If you have a medical need, you should be able to get medical care without the threat of economic ruin.
With everyone in, everyone is covered, and everyone contributes fairly based on their ability to pay. No more need for welfare mechanisms or charity care.
With all providers in, there would be no more insurance-induced network limitations. You can see any doctor in Colorado, and the "free market" influence on competition is based on quality of care.
There are many more reasons why I support HCAC, and I will be blogging on these specific reasons from time to time.
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HCAC News March/April 2023
Read MoreThe goal of Health Care for All Colorado (HCAC) is to
achieve universal, affordable, accessible, undeniable,
and portable health care for all Coloradans.Denver Movie Premiere Alert! 
On Tuesday, April 4, 2023 at 7pm, The Denver premiere of American Hospitals: Healing a Broken System will take place at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema - Sloans Lake, Denver. This provocative documentary was produced by the team behind @FixItFilms.Tickets are $14 online, available at the theater's website.
Join HCAC and our partners for this film next week. Following the film, there will be Q&A with very special guests: Wendell Potter, former Cigna executive turned insurance industry whistleblower; Katie Bakes, MD; and Jeanne Nicholson.
Legislative Update - HB23-1209 Analyze Statewide Publicly Funded Health Care 
HB23-1209, Analyze Statewide Publicly Funded Health Care, has passed the House Health & Insurance Committee and is due next in Appropriations.Thank you to everybody that testified or submitted messages to the committee.
You can access prior news and documents related to HB23-1209 at the 1209 information center on our website.
The bill will still need to pass the full House before it moves on to the Senate, but we will keep you apprised of future hearings and developments.
Healthcare-NOW! National Medicare for All Strategy Conference 
Our Medicare for All friends over at Healthcare-NOW! have online registration open for participation in their VIRTUAL/ONLINE Annual Medicare for All Strategy Conference on April 17-23, 2023.
Early Bird ticket pricing ($35) is only available for the next couple of days. Wait until April 1st and it goes up to $50, so don't delay!
Winning Universal Health Care through Artificial Intelligence 
You may have heard about ChatGPT in the news lately, one of the latest developments in using artificial intelligence (AI) and language models to generate new content (both text and images) and assimilate knowledge in novel ways.But how can AI help us win universal health care? The HCAC Communications Committee is looking for people interested in leveraging the latest powerful information technology to help us drive past the tipping point.
We will start off with a brainstorming/roundtable session, demonstrating several examples of the capabilities of AI and suggestions on how to use it effectively.
No experience is necessary, but creativity and a lack of fear of new technology are highly encouraged. If you can write a sentence, you can interact with ChatGPT. No specialized technology skills are required.
Interested? Register for the HCAC AI Zoom session on Saturday 4/15 here. If you cannot make that event, register anyway so that we can send you updates on future activities.
Health Care for All Colorado is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organization and relies entirely on the contributions of volunteers and supporters like you to carry out our mission. Please consider becoming a member and making a contribution to support a worthy cause.
Health Care Is A Human Right!
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Nathan Wilkes published Tell Your Legislator! in Colorado HB23-1209 - Universal Health Care Impact Analysis 2023-03-01 14:40:17 -0700On Thursday, March 2, 2023, we will join other health care advocates at the Colorado State Capitol to ask them to support HB23-1209.
We plan to convene in the basement café area in the morning, but to receive any last-minute updates, please complete your RSVP here. Even if you cannot join in person, volunteer for our Virtual Lobby Team and we'll follow up with more details on how to participate in the process and influence your legislators.
Be sure to review the "Quick Links" posted earlier, and note that we recently added a community-sourced Talking Points document as well.
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Nathan Wilkes published Upcoming 1209 Hearing in Colorado HB23-1209 - Universal Health Care Impact Analysis 2023-02-28 20:18:46 -0700
Save the date — March 10, 2023!
HB23-1209 is scheduled to be heard in its first committee on March 10th in the House Health & Insurance Committee.
Stay tuned here for information on how to follow, participate, and provide testimony in support.
In the meantime, sign on here to show your support for this important legislation!
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Sign Our Petition — YES on 1209!
Our coalition is gathering supporters and endorsers to show broad support for HB23-1209, essential legislation for fully modeling and analyzing universal health care.
Please sign on here if you think we should have the Colorado School of Public Health conduct a comprehensive analysis of a proposed single payer health care system.
Add Signature
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Nathan Wilkes published A Brief History of Colorado Health Care Reform in Colorado HB23-1209 - Universal Health Care Impact Analysis 2023-02-28 19:37:27 -0700
Colorado has had a long history of moving towards universal health care.
These are some significant dates in that timeline.
Read More
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Nathan Wilkes published Colorado HB23-1209 - Universal Health Care Impact Analysis 2023-02-24 13:51:32 -0700
Tell Your Legislator!
See All PostsOn Thursday, March 2, 2023, we will join other health care advocates at the Colorado State Capitol to ask them to support HB23-1209.We plan to convene in the basement café area in the morning, but to receive any last-minute updates, please complete your RSVP here. Even if you cannot join in person, volunteer for our Virtual Lobby Team and we'll follow up with more details on how to participate in the process and influence your legislators.
Be sure to review the "Quick Links" posted earlier, and note that we recently added a community-sourced Talking Points document as well.
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Nathan Wilkes published HB23-1209 is Introduced! in Colorado HB23-1209 - Universal Health Care Impact Analysis 2023-02-24 13:48:07 -0700
Representative Boesenecker, Representative McCormick, and Senator Jaquez Lewis have introduced a bill this session to authorize a formal study that would fully analyze the impacts of a proposed universal health care system.
If enacted, the Colorado School of Public Health would conduct a detailed analysis of the feasibility of creating a publicly financed, privately delivered universal health care system in Colorado, including how to equitably finance the system and the economic impacts. Given that every prior (smaller scale) study has arrived at the same overwhelming conclusion — that universal health care would be overwhelmingly beneficial and billions of dollars cheaper statewide — you can guess who (and how financially loud and wrong) our opposition is going to be.
This is REALLY BIG and BREAKING NEWS! Stay tuned here for updates (or make sure you sign up for our email alerts) as we let you know more about what's going on, why we support this, and how you can help!
Quick Links
- Current Bill Status
- A One-Page Fact Sheet (courtesy, Young Invincibles)
- Organizational Supporters, updated (fact sheet pg 2)
- Talking Points
- Sign on to Support HB23-1209! (Young Invincibles, coalition)
- Contact your legislators to show your support for HB23-1209!
HB23-1209 Latest Bill Versions
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Nathan Wilkes published HCAC Board Meeting 2022 06 13 in Board Meeting Documents 2022-06-13 18:37:43 -0600
Monday, June 13, 2022 at 6 pm on zoom
Agenda
- Welcome, Introductions and Check In
- Approve Agenda items
- Approve May meeting minutes
- Approve Financials for April 2022 and any update from Pam Parks including banner, use of funds for projects and contract worker support
- Debrief Annual Meeting and International Roundtable-Are there any follow ups?
- Debrief One Payer States Conference on May 20 & 21, 2022 in Denver-Are there follow ups? One Click Politics, Dolores Huerta Movie and discussion.
- Meeting with Bill Semple and some of the CFUHC Board members for ballot measure. This is an important meeting for a decision. Please read and think through the essentials doc Bill sent us. What questions do you have?
- Calendar of events and planning including: Medicare’s birthday celebration, in person reception, HCAC Past Presidents’ Tea, CCHI people’s data, volunteering 1-2 hours per week
- Update from Communication Committee—Nathan has been holding daily drop in tech and communication meetings.
- Housekeeping and tech items including posting minutes on web page, financials posted, legislative on web page, update web page
- Do we want a retreat for planning? HCACF wants to partner more closely.
Minutes, (prior meeting)
Read More
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Colorado Legislation Tracking
Read MoreFollow our legislation tracking here. We try to keep up to date during the legislative session, but things move pretty fast. If you have a question or update you want to see, let us know!
Last updated: November 2021 (Summary of 2021 Colorado Bills we took positions on or monitored)
Most Recent Session
Prior Years
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HCAC Newsletter March 2021
Read More
March 2021
The goal of Health Care for All Colorado (HCAC) is to
achieve universal, affordable, accessible, undeniable,
and portable health care for all Coloradans.Flash Alert! Our friends over at the Health Care for All Colorado Foundation are kicking off a monthly Town Hall series on health care. The first one starts momentarily, at 10am MDT today.
“What’s the Matter with U.S. Health Care?”
Dr. Rochelle Dworet and Dr. Vince MarkovchickAt 10am, click here to join the Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8711492302?pwd=WVE4RG9iZHh4b2QrY0lFbmJaWGpwZz09
Meeting ID: 871 149 2302
Passcode: 5dzbd6BREAKING NEWS! 
The new Improved Medicare for All bill was introduced earlier this week and now has a bill number.
THREE of our Colorado Representatives are original cosponsors! Is your Representative on the list? Click here to find out. If they are, please thank them. If not, let them know they need to sign on!
A coalition of national organizations supporting this Medicare for All bill is collecting supporter signatures here: https://medicare4allnow.org/Content from our latest Webinar
Check out this blog entry for links to the webinar video and presentation materials.
At our last Webinar on 3/13, we were treated to an excellent set of presentations from the Co-Chairs of the Colorado Chapter of Physicians for a National Health Program, Dr. Cecile Rose and Dr. Rick Bieser.Beware the “Health Care Future” If you watch any television at all, you’ve probably seen them. Advertisements from Orwellian-named front groups attacking Medicare for All at the federal level and the Colorado Public Option at the state level. Who are the “Partnership for America’s Health Care Future” and “Colorado’s Health Care Future” and what is their goal? These are corporate special interest groups that comprise health insurers, hospitals, big pharma, and more that are all collaborating to kill any attempt at health care reform that would threaten a dime of their profits, all at our expense.
We will be working to break down their deceptive but blatant lies for you, one-by-one. If you see a commercial, print ad, email, or other garbage from these terrible front groups, please let us know! Help us be our eyes and ears! Also, if you have any interest in working on a special communications project related to this, please let Nathan know via email.
Help us with outreach by answering a few simple questions about social media 
We are preparing to implement a bold and strategic communications plan this year to help education, outreach, and the political will for health care reform. Before we do, we would like to know a little bit about your social media habits to help us understand where to focus our efforts. This VERY SHORT SURVEY only takes a few minutes to complete. Will you answer a few questions to help us achieve Improved Medicare for All?Health Care for All Colorado is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit advocacy organization and relies entirely on the contributions of volunteers and supporters like you to carry out our mission. Please consider becoming a member and making a contribution to support a worthy cause.
Health Care Is A Human Right!
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Nathan Wilkes published Medicare for All - Why Aren't We There Yet? in News 2021-03-20 08:26:40 -0600
At our previous Zoom webconference, Drs. Cecile Rose and Rick Bieser, Co-Chairs of the Physicians for a National Health Program Colorado Chapter, gave outstanding presentations.For those of you looking for Dr. Bieser's slides, download a copy by clicking here.
Read More
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Ask In Advance
Have a question for any of the speakers at our upcoming events?
Submit your questions in advance here!
Submit Question(s)
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Privacy and Communications Policy
Read MoreHealth Care for All Colorado is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization created to promote and work towards publicly financed (single-payer) universal health care in Colorado and the United States.
Consent for Communications
We make every effort to respect opt-on and opt-out requests, and request user disclosure during interactions on our website if not already selected.
Contacting us via email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or any other communications mechanism shall be implied consent for return communications until such consent is withdrawn.
Your information is only used for contact from HCAC, which may include branded subsidiary programs run by Health Care for All Colorado.
Privacy
We will never share your personal information with any third party, and do not authorize the use of our contact database or any contents by any third party outside of HCAC or programs under our full control.
If you suspect that your information has been compromised, please inform us immediately.
Website Tracking
In order to create a more fluid and useful experience, we use analytics trackers across our pages. You may opt out of these tracking "cookies."
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HCAC Positions - 2020 Colorado Ballot Measures
Read MoreThe goal of Health Care for All Colorado is to achieve universal, affordable, accessible, undeniable, and portable health care for all Coloradans.
In reviewing this year's Colorado ballot, the Board of Health Care for All Colorado has voted to take a position on the following Ballot Measures.
Type
Title
Subject
Description
HCAC Position
CISS
Proposition
115
Abortion
Prohibits abortion after 22 weeks gestational age.
HCAC Rationale for Opposing Proposition 115: Currently an abortion can be performed at any time during pregnancy. This proposal would prohibit abortion after 22 weeks of gestational age of the fetus, interfering with the patient provider relationship in making healthcare decisions, and denying access to care.
Oppose
CISS
Proposition 116
Taxes
Decreases the state income tax rate from 4.63% to 4.55%.
HCAC Rationale for Opposing Proposition 116: Colorado’s economy and people have suffered from the COVID economic and health crisis. The cuts in revenue following a tax cut would add to the losses in education, health care and other state services. Education is a social determinant of health.
Oppose
CISS
Proposition 118
Healthcare
Establishes a program for paid medical and family leave.
HCAC Rationale for Supporting Proposition 118: Provides partial wage replacement so that eligible employees can take time off for medical reasons or to provide care for family members.
Support
LRCA
Amendment B
Taxes & Property
Repeals the Gallagher Amendment of 1982, which limited the residential and non-residential property tax assessment rates so that residential property taxes amounted to 45% of the total share of state property taxes and non-residential property taxes amounted to 55% of the total share of state property taxes.
HCAC Rationale for Supporting Amendment B: Amendment B does not increase property taxes and helps preserve funding for local districts that provide fire protection, police, ambulance, hospital, kindergarten through twelfth grade education, and other services. Education is a social determinant of health.
Support
LRSS
Proposition EE
Tobacco & Taxes
Increases taxes on tobacco, creates a new tax on nicotine products such as e-cigarettes; dedicates funds to education and health programs.
HCAC Rationale for Supporting Proposition EE: Proposition EE initially uses the tax revenue primarily for public school funding to help offset revenue that has been lost as a result of the economic impacts related to COVID-19 and then for programs that reduce the use of tobacco and nicotine products. Enhances the voluntary Colorado preschool program and makes it widely available for free and maintains the funding for programs that currently receive revenue from tobacco taxes, with the state keeping and spending all the new revenue as a voter-approved revenue change. Education is a social determinant of health.
Support
CISS = Initiated State Statute; LRCA = Legislatively Referred Constitutional Amendment; LRSS = Legislatively Referred State Statute (Source: BALLOTPEDIA)
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Nathan Wilkes published Health Care Town Hall with Insurance Industry Whistleblower Wendell Potter 2020-08-01 11:27:02 -0600
Participant Survey
Before we begin our Town Hall, can you answer a few quick questions?
Take the Survey
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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
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Nathan Wilkes published Comparison of Single Payer and Public Option Bills in News 2019-06-10 19:25:16 -0600
As the end of ACA sustainability looms on the horizon, you may be asking yourself, “What comes next?”
There are numerous proposals for versions of Medicare for All as well as several public option ideas.
How do they stack up, and how do they differ?
For a side-by-side, detailed comparison of what ideas are floating through the halls of Congress, click here:
Side-by-Side Comparison of Medicare-for-all and Public Plan Proposals Introduced in the 116th Congress (Kaiser Family Foundation)What do you think? Comment here...
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Nathan Wilkes published Live Broadcast Notification Signup in Get Involved 2019-06-07 16:35:56 -0600
Live Broadcast Notification Signup
If you would like special notice for any LIVE events and broadcasts related to Health Care for All Colorado, please sign up here and let us know how you prefer to be contacted!
We're working on different options for streaming, so our first attempts may not go as smoothly, but we thank you for being willing to test this out with us!
Select any and all options below. Make sure you give us your cell phone if you select SMS, email if you select email, and follow us on Twitter (@HCAC) if you select tweet!
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Join Health Care for All Colorado
Yes, I believe we need a system of universal health care. I would like to join in the efforts of Health Care for All Colorado in making this vision a reality in Colorado.
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