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'Status quo' unacceptable, health reform group says

Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News

Published October 3, 2007 at midnight

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You know health care reform is in trouble when supporters of the concept gather to say that it's not yet "dead on arrival."

But that's exactly what a newly formed coalition of diverse interest groups did Tuesday.

Calling itself "Partnership for a Healthy Colorado," the group emphasized that reform is needed because the cost of caring for the uninsured and underinsured is passed on to Colorado's insured majority.

The group acknowledged that it had not arrived at any agreement on a proposal for reform, or how to pay for it.

But there was agreement that something must be done.

"The status quo is unacceptable and those of us standing in front of you today refuse to declare health care reform dead on arrival," said Kathleen Chitty, an intensive-care unit nurse from Westminster who said she regularly treats uninsured and underinsured patients.

Chitty stood shoulder-to-shoulder with representatives from Kaiser Permanente, the National Federation of Independent Business, the Service Employees International Union, the Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters, AARP, the Colorado Medical Society, the Autism Society of Colorado and others.

"The members of this partnership are diverse and we don't always agree on everything," said Amy Fletcher, associate director of the Business Health Forum. "But we're here to say that, when it comes to health care, something must be done in Colorado."

The state's blue ribbon commission for health care reform is wrapping up its study of how to drive down health care costs while covering more of the uninsured.

The group's report is due to the legislature in late January.

The task of reforming health care promises to involve heavy lifting politically because of the range of conflicting opinions on how to do it and because it may require a tax hike. Some are already questioning whether significant, bipartisan reform is possible.

The cost of doing nothing to reform health care in the state amounts to $934 per insured family per year, the group said, citing a June 2005 report by Families USA.

Forums for the public

Colorado's Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform will hold 14 meetings across the state, starting Thursday and continuing through Oct. 13.

Here's the details of Thursday's forums:

• Boulder: 5 to 8 p.m., Boulder Millennium Harvest House Ballroom, 1345 28th St.

• Lamar: 5 to 8 p.m., Lamar Community Building, Multipurpose Room, 610 S. 6th St.

• For more information and a complete schedule of public forums, go to

or 303-954-5059