Amendment 69: ColoradoCare? Yes!

Despite repeated Supreme Court challenges and efforts by Congress to repeal it, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is into its sixth year of existence. Efforts to undermine its financial sustainability continue; but in the end, which elected representatives will choose to remove guaranteed access to health care from Americans with pre-existing conditions?

We in Colorado are finding that the ACA is not as affordable as we’d like. Many people with chronic diseases still struggle to see the doctors they want; and, they can’t afford the medicines they need nor pay their insurance premiums, either. The administrative complexities and hassles are overwhelming for consumers and providers alike. While the focus has been on getting people access to health insurance, the success varies by region of the state with up to 36 percent of people uninsured in some rural areas of Colorado. Coloradans deserve better.

Fortunately, starting in 2017, states can opt out of the ACA and design their own health care coverage. The state’s coverage plan has to meet four criteria. The coverage must: 1) Be at least as comprehensive as that offered through the marketplace; 2) Be at least as affordable as that offered now; 3) Be accessible to at least a comparable number of residents; and 4) NOT increase the Federal debt. ColoradoCare or Amendment 69 meets all of these criteria.

In November of 2016, Coloradans have the opportunity to continue their leadership in health care reform by voting in a state-based health care system that guarantees access to quality, affordable health care for everyone living in the state. Learn why you should vote YES! on amendment 69, ColoradoCare.