Health care reform hits Colorado's radar screen

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

Health care reform is on the minds of many politicians this year.

In late December, Sen. Ken Salazar identified it as the number two issue for Coloradans out of seven priorities for the state and nation. Colorado Gov.-elect Bill Ritter also listed health care reform as one of his top priorities.

In Larimer County, there's been plenty of discussion about the issue of late. John Kefalas, state representative-elect from District 52, touted health care reform as one of his main priorities during the recent campaign, and he started delivering on that campaign promise even before being seated in the legislature. Kefalas hosted a health care forum Dec. 4 at the Fort Collins Main Library along with representatives of the Colorado Progressive Coalition.

There is a "growing consensus that our health care system is not working," Kefalas said, adding that he wants a health care system that is cost effective and humane, with good access.

Rep.-elect Randy Fischer, who said health care reform was a primary reason for entering the race in District 53, also participated in the forum.

In addition, Health Care for All Colorado is hosting a meeting on Jan. 18, 7:30 p.m., at Foothills Unitarian Church, 1815 Yorktown Ave.

The Colorado Progressive Coalition and HCAC are currently traveling around Colorado, gathering personal testimonies about problems with health care to present to the Blue Ribbon Health Care Reform Commission. The panel of health-care experts was set up by Colorado legislature last year. The commission has until Nov. 30 to report to the legislature on its recommendations.

The commission, also called the 208 Commission in reference to the Senate bill that established it, will select three to five proposals for health care reform, then hold hearings around the state to discuss the proposals.

At the Jan. 18 meeting in Fort Collins, one such proposal will be presented to participants before it is submitted to the commission. Called the "Health Care For All Colorado Act," it is a plan developed by Rocky White, a physician in Alamosa. The meeting will also include a panel discussion and a presentation by Mark Wallace, director of the Weld County Health Department.

Kefalas will serve on the House Health and Human Services Committee, and he said there is a strong commitment there to the SB 208 process.

Even though the work of the blue ribbon commission will not be completed for another year, Kefalas is confident that health care legislation will be introduced in the coming session. "I believe we will see Colorado take some very impressive leadership in the health care area in the next few years," he said. "It's a very encouraging time."

Some at the Dec. 4 forum asked whether it would be better for health care reform to originate in Congress rather than individual states. Eliza Carney, a member of HCAC, pointed out that the Canadian system of universal health care began in the provinces rather than at the federal level. She also noted that there is federal legislation addressing health care reform, the Conyers/Kucinich bill, but it has been stalled in committee.

"We're one of the few industrialized countries in the world without a national health care system," Fischer said. "With 770,000 in Colorado uninsured, it's costing everybody because of cost shifting." He noted that when uninsured people go to the hospital, those costs must be borne by people with health insurance.

More information about the Jan. 18 meeting is available by calling Carney at 416-0636.