DENVER, CO – A recent op-ed published in Colorado Politics by state Senator Lisa Frizell (R-CO02) underscores that the proposed legislation to study a single-payer health care system, would, “move our state deeper into an unaffordable and unwanted state government-run health care system.” Senator Frizell explains:

“The highly partisan and tendentious “study” would be geared toward a predetermined outcome — replacing Colorado’s current health care system with an unaffordable single-payer scheme. To the extent it is a study, it would be redundant; numerous studies have already been conducted on this very same topic. For example, in 2016, the Colorado Health Institute completed its own analysis and found a government-run system of this type could cost nearly $64 billion annually by 2028 and rack up a $7.8 billion deficit every year. This study and many others have already revealed a single-payer system would simply be unaffordable to both Coloradans and the state.

“The real question is: how many times must lawmakers ignore multiple exact studies and waste precious time and resources in the hope they can concoct one that will miraculously yield different results?”

Frizell continued, “There is a reason this bill has failed to pass two years in a row: legislators know it is inherently flawed. Meanwhile, our state is already in the throes of its worst budget crisis in decades. We should be looking for opportunities to cut spending rather than pursuing unnecessary partisan schemes we’ve already studied, and taxpayers have already rejected.

“In 2016, Colorado voters overwhelmingly opposed replacing the state’s health care system with a one-size-fits-all system. That year, almost 80% of Coloradans voted against a ballot measure to enact a single-payer system to dismantle our health care structure.

“Now, almost 10 years later, it turns out Coloradans were right to be wary of throwing out our functioning health care system for an untested, unaffordable government-run program. To better understand the shortcomings of a government-controlled system, we need only look to the failures of the Colorado Option.

“Supporters of the Colorado Option promised it would lower costs and expand access to care in the Centennial State. It has accomplished neither.”

Frizell concluded that, “Coloradans seem to understand what too many politicians do not — the Colorado Public Option and a single-payer system are not viable solutions. Our policymakers should not continue to waste time on yet another expensive study of an unaffordable state-run program doomed to fail. Instead, they should look to explore proven solutions in the health care market and work together to build upon what’s already working to improve affordable access to care for hardworking Coloradans.”

Senator Frizell’s full column is available to read on Colorado Politics here.