CEO Blog: House Vote

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

Thursday’s vote in the U.S. House of Representatives is dominating news coverage as the debate at the federal level moves to the U.S. Senate.  The New York Times provided analysis of the current measure, as did the Health Affairs Blog.

I think it’s important to remember this vote is one step in a long process and the legislation is expected to change in the Senate. Health insurance industry reaction, from America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), focused on opportunities to improve the bill in that chamber. Already, Republican senators are talking of writing their own bill, according to the Washington Post. Any changes in the Senate would have to go back to the House so we are a long way from seeing the final direction of this legislation.

We continue to work with our representatives at the state and federal level to protect the health coverage of all Coloradans and find solutions to the challenge of increasing access, affordability and choice.

Board Update

We will update our board of directors on our strategic plan when they meet Monday. We will also review with the board budget scenarios for next year.

In Recent News

Nearly lost in all of the attention focused on the debate around the House bill was encouraging news reported by Consumer Reports on the positive impact the Affordable Care Act has had on personal bankruptcies. The number was cut in half after the law took effect, demonstrating the impact medical expenses have on personal budgets. Colorado saw a similar reduction, according to the 2015 Colorado Health Access Survey (page 22).

Take care,

Kevin

Kevin Patterson, MURP, MPA
Chief Executive Officer
Connect for Health Colorado