Coloradans are at a unique juncture in both our state and nation’s history. While politicians battle over President Obama’s health insurance overhaul, Coloradans can be working together to find the best, Colorado-grown response to the growing crisis in health care.
Rather than passively waiting to see what federal law will bring down the pike, we must act now to research the best options for all Colorado residents. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) offers a provision granting waivers to those states wanting to innovate an alternative health care system—so long as it provides statewide access to high-quality, affordable health care:
“Each state will take the lead in designing their own menu of options, and if states can come up with even better ways of covering more people at the same quality and cost, this law allows them to do that, too. And I’ve asked Congress to help speed up that process, and give states this flexibility in year one (2014).”~President Barack Obama, June 28, 2012, responding to the Supreme Court of the United States’ ruling to uphold the Affordable Care Act
The bipartisan “Empower States to Innovate bill” bill proposes to move the date for the waivers from 2017 to 2014. Vermont is showing that a state can use these waivers to establish universal health care.
Colorado has a ripe opportunity to adopt a viable health care system signed, sealed and delivered right here, in Colorado. However, research is needed to evaluate promising proposals for workable business plans, cost savings, viability, efficiency, choice, compassion, and successful outcomes for patients.
We intend to empower Coloradans with the hard data needed to make informed choices best for our state.
Pockets of success in our nation and abroad demonstrate elements that work. Rocky Mountain Health in Grand Junction and Denver Health in Denver have both taken it upon themselves to solve the health care crisis in innovative, successful ways right here in the high country; both are oft-cited national models in providing higher-quality care available to all, at a lower cost. Success of these models and others indicate that it should be possible for our state to provide health care for everyone while improving outcomes and reducing costs.
Researching current options will give Coloradans the information needed to choose a future that could work even better for Colorado than the full implementation of the PPACA. Colorado may lead the nation in health care innovation that’s efficient, effective and compassionate.
