DENVER — Colorado’s Health Care Future issued the following statement today after the House of Representatives approved House Bill (HB) 23-1209, which would study eliminating Colorado’s current health insurance system—including the health insurance most Coloradans get through their employers—and creating a one-size-fits-all state government-controlled health insurance system, or “single-payer” system, like Medicare for All.

“There is no need to study what single-payer health care would look like in Colorado, because Colorado is already undergoing a test drive of single-payer lite, through the ‘Colorado Option,’ which is failing to deliver lower costs and contributing to health insurance companies being forced out of our state, limiting coverage options for Coloradans.

“Meanwhile, nearly every county in Colorado continues to experience provider shortages, threatening access to care for patients, and nearly nine in 10 Coloradans who shopped for individual coverage have already rejected the state government-controlled Colorado Option.

“State government-controlled health insurance systems result in consumers and patients paying more to wait longer for worse care, and there is no reason to believe that trying it in Colorado would result in anything different. The Senate should reject this bill.”

A new analysis released last week by NovaRest, an independent actuarial consulting firm with extensive experience supporting state and federal insurance regulators, highlighted how the Colorado Option has fallen short on the promise to save Coloradans money on their health care. The actuarial analysis demonstrates how this state government-controlled health insurance system is increasing costs, reducing competition in the state’s health insurance market, and driving health care provider shortages.

HB23-1209 now goes to the Senate for consideration.

Read NovaRest’s actuarial analysis on the Colorado Public Option here.

Read more about Colorado’s Health Care Future here.