E16DFC89989B7E0687258282006EB321 Hearing Summary

Senator Donovan and Senator Coram, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 18-1384, concerning a study to identify affordable, competitive health care options for Colorado. The bill requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to study various options for health care coverage.

The senators requested for action on the bill to be laid over until the following day after witness testimony.

Margaret Hughes, representing AARP, testified in support of the bill and discussed studies that examined health care costs in several states, including in Colorado. She also emphasized the importance of qualitative and quantitative studies.

Rachel Richards, representing Pitkin County and Counties and Commissioners Acting Together, testified in support of the bill and distributed a letter from the Family and Intercultural Resource Center (Attachment I).

Natalie Wood, representing the Bell Policy Center, spoke in support of the bill.  She provided a copy of her testimony (Attachment J). 

Kelly Erb, representing the Colorado Rural Health Center, testified in support of the bill.  She talked about how the bill addresses affordability and is regionally focused.

A handout regarding the bill was distributed (Attachment K).

Committee members discussed coverage options and geographic options.

Christina Johnson, Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the bill. She emphasized that the bill is needed for rural areas to keep costs down. 

Senators Coram and Donovan wrapped up and reitereated that insurance costs are increasing in rural Colordo. They noted the merits of the bill and mentioned that it is bipartisan, based on a cooperative, public-private partnership model, and it incorporates a Medicaid buy-in option.