DENVER – Colorado’s Health Care Future issued the following statement today following the House Health & Insurance Committee advancing House Bill (HB) 23-1209, which would explore eliminating Colorado’s current health care system – including the insurance most Coloradans get through their employers – and create an unaffordable, one-size-fits-all state government health insurance system, or single-payer system.

“Exploring implementation of a one-size-fits-all, single-payer system is the wrong direction for Coloradans. Research shows that a single-payer system would lead to negative consequences for patients and consumers, including paying more to wait longer for worse care – all while putting politicians in control of their health care.

“We warned that the state government-controlled Colorado Option would raise costs on Coloradans while providing less access to care, and despite these warnings coming to fruition, politicians want to further expand on this bad policy. Coloradans have already sent a clear message that they prefer the affordability and choice of traditional health plans over one-size-fits-all, government health insurance systems, as nearly nine out of 10 Coloradans who shopped for individual plan coverage passed on the Colorado Option. 

“Colorado politicians are using the failed Colorado Option to test-drive total state government control over Coloradans’ health care, and HB23-1209 is just another step towards Colorado patients and consumers being forced into an unaffordable, one-size-fits-all state government health insurance system. Instead of starting over, leaders in Denver should focus on building on what’s working in health care to ensure all Coloradans have access to affordable, high-quality health coverage and care.”

Read more on Colorado’s Health Care Future HERE.