208 Commission Approves Recommendations

Though healthcare questions still loom in the minds of many, the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform took a step ahead today after approving a package of recommendations.

“These recommendations are a comprehensive, integrated whole,” said William N. Lindsay III, commission chair, in a press release. “We are not simply offering a laundry list of suggestions—the recommendations hang together and cascade from each other.”

The commission, which was appointed to study health care reform models for expanding coverage and decreasing costs, has also drafted a fifth proposal that will also be included in the final report.

According to the release, the package of recommendations tracks the fifth proposal closely, but that the Commission did not identify the fifth proposal as the lead proposal. There were 20 commissioners voted for the package, two votes against it and five were not present. Approval of the report is scheduled for January 10 and the commissioners will then present the report to the state legislature on Jan. 31.

The recommendations reflect the beliefs that everyone has a role to play in addressing health care needs, individuals should have choices and options, people have differing income levels and differing needs, some cannot afford private insurance and those people should have access to public coverage for basic needs and that the government can promote and encourage healthy lifestyles.

One of the recommendations is to require all legal residents of Colorado to have minimum insurance coverage. Another is to require health plans to cover everyone, regardless of health status. The commission also suggests merging and restructuring Medicaid and the Child Health Plan Plus and expand eligibility for those programs.

At this point, the commission staff will compile the recommendations into a draft report. The dissenting commissioners will draft minority reports. Both the majority and minority reports will be discussed by the commission Dec. 13. For a complete overview of the package of recommendations, visit www.colorado.gov/208commission.