To the editor:
I support ColoradoCare-Amendment 69 because it will provide access to affordable, quality healthcare for all Coloradans. This matters to the families of Coloradans who die each year because they don’t have health insurance; to those declaring bankruptcy because they can’t pay medical bills; to those who pay ever higher premiums for increasing deductibles and more limited benefits; to healthcare providers who deal with more paperwork and red tape to provide patients the care they need.
We can change that situation by voting YES on Amendment 69 to implement a non-profit, resident-owned, non-governmental healthcare financing system designed to ensure comprehensive healthcare for all Coloradans.
The economics are straightforward. $25 billion in taxes will replace $30 billion Coloradans now pay in insurance premiums, deductibles, and co-pays. That savings will stay in Colorado to stimulate local economies.
Amendment 69 was developed by Coloradans including healthcare and mental health professionals. It is funded by Coloradans and was brought to the ballot by over 100,000 voters signing petitions. Opposers are primarily funded by out-of-state insurance companies that stand to lose profit if Coloradans self-insure.
ColoradoCare would be run by a 21-member board elected by and accountable to Colorado residents, not government-controlled. Healthcare practitioners would practice in the setting of their choice and be paid competitive rates. Patients will choose their practitioner. Premium taxes can be increased only by a majority vote of Colorado residents.
Most families, individuals and businesses will pay less in premium taxes than they currently pay for health insurance. Calculate your projected expense at www.coloradocare.org. Multiple analyses show ColoradoCare to be successful for 10 years without a premium tax increase. By contrast, health insurance premiums are projected to rise 20-40% in 2017 alone.
This is an opportunity to ensure all Coloradans have access to quality healthcare now and in the future.
Sincerely,
Jan Foster Miller
Licensed Acupuncturist
Crestone, Colorado