Ritter sends health on the road

Meetings across state to gather input on reform

Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News

Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Local business, health care and civic leaders from across Colorado will get a chance to weigh in on what direction health care reform should take during a two-month outreach tour announced by Gov. Bill Ritter on Monday.

"The goal of these sessions is to give me, legislators and others a clear view of how Coloradans want their health care system to become more efficient, more accessible, more affordable and consistently excellent," Ritter said in a statement.

The "Governor's Dialogue on Health Care Vision and Values" is designed to complement the ongoing work of the Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform.

That group has analyzed four proposals for reform from various interest groups and is in the process of developing a fifth hybrid proposal.

About 60 community leaders will be invited to participate in each session. The meetings will focus on practical ideas, such as how to cover the uninsured and how to pay for it.

They also will discuss more philosophical questions, such as the roles of government, of employers and of individuals in health care.

Ritter does not plan to attend the meetings. Joan Henneberry, executive director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, will lead the tour.

The Colorado Trust has donated $147,000 to pay for the meetings, as well as a 28-page booklet that explains the state's health care crisis to help guide the discussion.

The private, nonprofit foundation's grant also will pay for a report summarizing the findings at the end of the tour.

"We wanted as many people as possible across the state to be involved in this process of health care reform," said Irene Ibarra, CEO of Colorado Trust. "Even though the (blue ribbon) commission has its recommendations, it still is going to require policymakers in this state to carry this forward."

The Blue Ribbon Commission plans to present its recommendations to the legislature in January.

It has analyzed proposals that range in cost from $387 million to insure fewer than half of Colorado's estimated 791,800 uninsured, to $15 billion to provide universal coverage under a government-run program funded by a new 8.1 percent income tax.

The statewide meetings are open to the public, which will be given an opportunity to comment, both orally and in writing.

Session sites

The Governor's Office of Policy and Initiatives and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing will host 10 meetings across Colorado in November and December. The outreach program will solicit input from business, civic and health care leaders. Here are the dates and locations:

Nov. 7 Lamar

Nov. 8 Alamosa

Nov. 13 Durango

Nov. 14 Grand Junction

Nov. 28 Pueblo and Colorado Springs

Dec. 5 Denver Dec. 6 (two meetings)

Dec. 11 Sterling

Dec. 12 Fort CollinsFor More Information, Call 303-866-5800.

bargec@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5059