Health Care
Colorado’s CHP+ program has funding through January, but state says Congress needs to act quickly
DENVER – Colorado officials say the health insurance program for children and pregnant women has enough federal money left over to remain operational through the first month of the year, but warn the money could be gone after that if Congress does not act to restore funding in the next couple months.
Funding for the federal Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) ran out Saturday when Congress failed to act to restore funding for the 2017-18 fiscal year. Continue reading
Colorado’s officials ponder next moves on health care after failure of Graham-Cassidy
DENVER – After the latest Senate Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act died before being brought to the floor Tuesday, Colorado’s senators and governor were quickly back to offering more solutions to fix some of the issues with the federal health care law.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced at a weekly lunch with Republican leadership that he wouldn’t bring the Graham-Cassidy measure to the floor for a vote because his party was short. Continue reading
Sen. Cory Gardner still uncommitted on Graham-Cassidy health care bill as it nears death
DENVER – U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., remained noncommittal Monday as to whether or not he supports the latest Senate Republican effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act as it was dealt another blow that could prove fatal.
The Senate Finance Committee held an hours-long committee hearing on the Graham-Cassidy bill Monday morning, as Democrats continued to bash the bill and Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana defended it. Continue reading
Sen. Michael Bennet says it would be ‘a shame’ if Graham-Cassidy prevails over bipartisan talks
DENVER – As Senate Republicans try to get another measure to the floor to repeal the Affordable Care Act with the Graham-Cassidy amendment, U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., sat down to discuss the measure and bipartisan health care reform discussions he’s been a part of in recent weeks.
Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said Friday he couldn’t “in good conscience” vote for Graham-Cassidy, and Sen. Ron Paul, R-Ky., has also said he wouldn’t support the bill. Continue reading
Colorado Hospital Association opposes Graham-Cassidy as another analysis shows losses for state
DENVER – The Colorado Hospital Association said Thursday that the latest effort by Senate Republicans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act “has the potential to have a significant and harmful impact on the health of all Coloradans” as another nonpartisan analysis found the measure could cost Colorado billions in federal health care dollars.
The hospital association says that forecasted Medicaid cuts under the latest Republican proposal, Graham-Cassidy, “will likely impact hospital’s ability to provide care for Colorado’s most vulnerable patients.” Continue reading
Graham-Cassidy analysis shows billions in federal funding losses for Colorado’s health care programs
DENVER – Senate Republicans’ latest effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act would quickly cost Colorado at least $6 billion in federal funds, and could end up taking $78 billion from the state in the long-term, according to new analysis out Wednesday.
The Graham-Cassidy amendment, named after its writers, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., has until Sept. 30 to pass the Senate with a simple majority vote.
Afterward, due to parliamentary rules, the Senate would need 60 votes to pass a repeal-and-replace measure. Continue reading
Record low uninsured rates prop up Obamacare in Colorado as Senate GOP tries another repeal
DENVER – Colorado continues to have record-low percentages in the number of uninsured people, and programs under the Affordable Care Act have led to more Coloradans being insured than ever, according to a new biannual study released Tuesday.
The report comes in the midst of a last-minute push by Senate Republicans to try and repeal the Affordable Care Act, which the survey shows has benefited Colorado across much of the state. Continue reading
Democratic candidate for Colorado governor Cary Kennedy unveils public option health plan
DENVER – Cary Kennedy, one of a handful of Democrats vying for the nomination for Colorado’s governorship in 2018, on Tuesday unveiled a plan to bring a public option health care plan to Colorado in the vein of what Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt., has floated for years.
Under her proposal, all Coloradans would be able to pay into the state’s Medicaid program, Health First Colorado, or the state employee health plan.
The ex-state treasurer said that once her plan theoretically goes into effect upon her victory, it would encourage market competition and reduce costs for Coloradans. Continue reading
Colorado’s 2018 health insurance premiums finalized; 26.7% average increase in individual plans
DENVER – Health insurance premiums for individual medical plans in Colorado will go up by an average of 26.7 percent in 2018, and small group plan premiums will rise by an average of 6.6 percent—both slightly lower than was originally estimated earlier this summer.
The Colorado Division of Insurance released the finalized premium hikes for next year’s health insurance plans on Wednesday, nearly two months after it released the requests made by the various companies operating in Colorado. Continue reading
Hickenlooper-Kasich health care proposal calls for retaining individual mandate, funding CSRs
DENVER – Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper’s health care reform proposal put together with a bipartisan panel of governors implores Congress to keep the individual mandate under the Affordable Care Act in place while work is done to further stabilize insurance marketplaces and make the health care law feasible in the long run.
Hickenlooper, a Democrat, and Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich unveiled the proposal on Thursday after months of crafting that was done with governors from Nevada, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Virginia, Louisiana and Montana. Continue reading