Republican legislators offer their own health insurance proposals

Dems fire back; potential fight in legislature looms

By Chris Barge, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Tuesday, December 4, 2007

Darin McGregor / The Rocky

Nicole Treen, 22, listens as House and Senate Republicans announce their health care agenda at a news conference Monday at an east Denver Wal-Mart Smartcare Family Medical Center. The lawmakers called raising taxes and increasing government to provide coverage "reckless."

Republican lawmakers unveiled their health insurance agenda Monday, calling raising taxes and growing government to provide coverage "reckless."

Their ideas immediately drew fire from Democrats, signaling a potential fight in the legislature over how to extend health insurance coverage and hold down costs.

Members of the GOP caucus, gathered in front of an east Denver Wal-Mart Smartcare Family Medical Center, announced a series of tax-free bills that would take incremental steps toward making health care more affordable.

"We don't need to wreck the whole system that we have in order to fix the problem," Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany said. "If you have a flat tire, you fix the flat. You don't reinvent the wheel. Some of the proposals that are coming forward, we think, verge on being reckless."

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff called the announcement "puzzling."

The Denver Democrat pointed out that McElhany, a Colorado Springs Republican, appointed the chairman of the 27-member commission that has been studying for more than a year how to drive down costs while covering more of Colorado's 792,000 uninsured.

Republicans should hold their criticism for a possible tax increase until the panel shares its recommendations with the legislature in January, he said. "It seems to me way too early to declare that process a failure."

Republican commission chairman Bill Lindsay sought to defuse a fight with his own party. "Really, I don't see much disagreement here," he said.

Most of the GOP health care proposals are in line with what the commission will recommend, he said. However, they are among the more minor reforms.

"These proposals they are talking about are very incremental and they are not going to move the ball very far," he said.

True health care reform will cost money and probably will require a mandate that everyone have insurance, he said. But ultimately, it's up to the legislature to decide what to do with the recommendations.

At issue: Colorado health care reform

Republican lawmakers say they want to tackle the problem without raising taxes. Their proposals:

THE COLORADO HEALTH PLAN

* Sponsors: Rep. Spencer Swalm, Centennial; Sen. Steve Johnson, Fort Collins

* What it would do: Create a low-cost benefit plan with basic coverage for a low monthly premium.

REMOVE GOVERNMENT BARRIERS TO ACCESS

* Sponsors: Rep. Cory Gardner, Yuma; Sen. Shawn Mitchell, Broomfield

* What it would do: Allow Coloradans to buy health insurance from companies not currently authorized to sell their products in Colorado.

EXPAND RURAL ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE

* Sponsor: Rep. Ellen Roberts, Durango

* What it would do: Give qualified advanced practice nurses greater authority to address basic patient health needs.

THE MEDICAID REFORM BILL

* Sponsor: Rep. Kevin Lundberg, Berthoud

* What it would do: Allow seniors to voluntarily reduce their Medicaid benefits in return for greater control over their accounts.

HEALTH CARE COST RECOGNITION

* Sponsor: Rep. Spencer Swalm, Centennial

* What it would do: Urge Congress to allow individuals who buy their own health insurance to get the same tax breaks that corporate plans enjoy.

ASSISTANCE FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED

* Sponsors: Rep. Bob Gardner, Colorado Springs; Sen. Scott Renfroe, Greeley

* What it would do: Make funding for the state's most developmentally disabled more of a priority.

• December 7, 2007

  10:45 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  JailBadJudges writes:

  When was the last Republican to attempt any fundamental health reform? Richard Nixon when he proposed universal health care?

  These incremental reforms proposed by Colorado Republicans do absolutely nothing about the core problems, namely that market forces don't work when there is no market. Supply and demand doesn't work in healthcare when as you can't shop around for the best price when your kid breaks his arm, don't know how much it will cost in advance, and know more about the restaurant or movie you are going to than your doctor.

  The Commission's proposals are far more sound, as they spread out costs by getting everyone (healthy and sick) into the risk pool. Republicans haven't had a new idea in decade. Their only proposal continues to be "don't get sick".

• December 8, 2007

  1:27 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Brain writes:

  I agree with the Republicans proposals especially allowing tax breaks to individauls just like they are for employers and also here in Colorado at least to allow more plans to choose from which will help address the issue of supply and demand