Bill Summary for Bill Number HB09-1273

Date: 03/18/2009

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB09-1273

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND LABOR

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Moved amendment L.001 (Attachment F). The motion Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment G). The motion Moved to refer House Bill 09-1273, as amended, to	Pass Without Objection Pass Without Objection PASS

02:11 PM -- House Bill 09-1273

The committee reconvened. Two handouts were distributed to the committee (Attachments D and E). Representative Kefalas distributed a handout, two amendments, L.001 and L.002, and an unofficial preamended version of the bill (Attachments F through I) to the committee. Representative Rice went over ground rules for witness testimony and asked that witnesses please not repeat testimony.

02:17 PM

Representative Kefalas, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1273, concerning the creation of a health care authority to develop a health care system that shall be the administrator for health care services in Colorado. The bill creates the Colorado Health Care Authority. The authority is governed by a 23-member board of directors, and is not subject to administrative direction or control by any agency of the state. The mission of the authority is to create a health care system in Colorado that is the benefits administrator and payer for health care services. The authority is to recommend to the General Assembly and implement a single-payer health care system that provides comprehensive medical benefits to all eligible participants.

Subject to sufficient gifts, grants, and donations, the board must consider a number of factors including the following:

the establishment of regional systems to administer and pay for comprehensive medical coverage;
the impact of incorporating medical portions of liability insurance, workers' compensation, and auto insurance;
a financing system that includes means-based fees or premiums from all Colorado residents who are eligible to participate and coordination with existing federal and state funding; and
other issues relevant to creating a new health care system.

The board is required to annually report on its progress to the Health and Human Services Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives and to the Governor. The bill also specifies that prior to implementation of a single-payer health care system, approval must be received from General Assembly.

Representative Kefalas stated that the bill represents an opportunity to have a conversation regarding health care reform. He also stated that the current health care system is outdated, and that the employer-based insurance system stiffles innovation and entrepreneurship.

02:26 PM

Representative Kefalas responded to questions from the committee regarding the changes the bill will make to health care. There was a discussion about the 208 Commission and its recommendations and other countries that have a single-payer system.

02:43 PM -- Barry Keene, President of KEENE Research and Development, testified in support of the bill and distributed a handout (Attachment J). He commented on the 208 Commission's recommendations. Mr. Keene talked about the need for the bill. He talked about the term "single-payer" and what it involves. Mr. Keene talked about the future costs of health care under the current system. He addressed the earlier conversation on other states.

03:11 PM -- Dr. Irene Aguilar, representing her patients, testified in support of the bill. She talked about the 208 Commission. Ms. Aguilar talked about the benefits and cost savings of a single payer system. She talked about what she called "the extinction of primary care" due to more and more people becoming uninsured.

03:21 PM -- Dr. Kern Low, representing the Colorado Academy of Family Physicians, testified in support of the bill. He said the goal of the bill is to find a comprehensive health care system with access for everyone.

03:28 PM -- Joan Henneberry, representing the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and the Governor's advisor on health care, testified against the bill. She talked about current legislation that is addressing problems in the health care system. Ms. Henneberry talked about her concerns with the bill. She discussed the 208 Commission's recommendations and said Governor Ritter's Administration has been following those recommendations. Ms. Henneberry responded to questions.

03:57 PM -- Mark Simon, representing himself, testified in support of the bill and distributed a handout (Attachment K).

04:03 PM -- John Brackney, representing the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, testified against the bill.

04:16 PM -- Tony Gagliardi, representing the National Federation of Independent Businesses, testified against the bill. He said they would like to see improvements on the current system. Mr. Gagliardi said the bill wipes out the current health insurance market in Colorado. He discussed language in the bill stating that the authority shall create a single payer system.

04:24 PM -- Steve Summer, President and CEO of the Colorado Hospital Association, testified against the bill. He said government cannot be both the payer and the regulator of health care coverage. Mr. Summer said they would like to see what the federal government does this summer before this bill is passed.

04:31 PM -- James Sugden, representing the Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters, testified against the bill. He discussed the 208 Commission's recommendations regarding health care reform. He responded to questions from the committee. Representative Kefalas reminded the committee that the bill only allows the authority to look at this issue and make a recommendation.

05:00 PM -- Brenda Bell Ennis, representing herself, testified against the bill. She talked about her daughter who has a health condition and talked about complex conditions that require specialty care. Ms. Bell Ennis said the bill does not allow choice.

05:06 PM -- Tom Russell, the Vice President of Health Care for All Colorado, testified in support of the bill. He responded to some of the previous testimony.

05:28 PM

Chairman Rice announced that a few of the members had to leave at 6:00 p.m., and said he would read through the remaining witnesses signed up to testify. He asked members of the audience to either stand up and state they are for or against the bill or tell the chair they would like to speak and he will call them up later so they can testify. The following people either stood up and voiced their position on the bill, distributed written comments, or both:

Cathy Alderman, representing Planned Parenthood, said she was in support of the bill.
Damian Ray, representing the American Medical Student Association, said he was in support of the bill.
Judith Nicholaisen, representing herself, said she is in support of the bill and submitted written comments (Attachment L).

E.J. Barklage, Executive Director, Karis Community, said he was in support of the bill and submitted written comments (Attachment M).

Jill Topper and James Wiesner, representing Health Care for All Colorado, said they are in support of the bill and distributed their comments (Attachment N).

Donovan O'Dell, a small business owner, said he is in support of the bill.
Laura Leighton, a health insurance broker, said she is in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment O).

Louis Balizet, M.D., from Rocky Mountain Cancer Centers, said he is in support and submitted his comments (Attachment P).

Carol Garlington, representing herself, said she is in support of the bill.
Ron Forthofer, Ph.D., said he was in support of the bill.
Catherine Blake, representing herself, said she is in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment Q).

Peggy Woodward, representing herself, said she is in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment R).

Dr. Diane Lucas, representing herself, testified in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment S).

Vicki Rottman, representing herself, said she is in support of the bill.
Colin O'Connor, representing himself, said he is in support of the bill.
Liam Sperl, representing himself, said he is in support of the bill and distributed his comments (Attachment T).

John Stoffel, representing the Colorado Alliance for Retired Americans, said he is in support of the bill and distributed his comments (Attachment U).

John Valvano, representing the National Association of Social Workers, Colorado Chapter, said he is in support of the bill and distributed his comments (Attachment V).

Randle Loeb, representing himself, said he is in support of the bill.
Michele Swenson, representing herself, said she is in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment W).

Christine Leahy, representing herself and Health Care for America Now, spoke in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment X).

Patty and Kim Sullivan, representing themselves and Health Care for All Colorado, spoke in support of the bill and submitted their comments (Attachment Y).

Martha Sullivan, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment Z).

Tom Parsons, representing Balanced Choice, said he was in support of the bill.
Marv Spears, representing himself said he was in support of the bill.
Joe Beaver, representing the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, said he supported the bill and distributed a handout (Attachment AA).

Inimeg York, representing himself, said he is in support of the bill.
Thomas Bost, representing himself, said he supported the bill and distributed his comments (Attachment BB).

Dave Bean, a small business owner, said he supported the bill and distributed his comments (Attachment CC).

Tom Schomburg, representing himself, said he supported the bill.
Mitzi Cagle, RN BSN, representing the National Nursing Committee, said she was in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment DD).

05:43 PM -- Dr. Carol Blackard, a primary care physician in Aurora, testified in support of the bill and submitted her written testimony (Attachment EE).

05:56 PM -- Dr. David Zehring testified in support of the bill and talked about the benefits of a single payer system.

06:03 PM -- Brenda VonStar, a family nurse practitioner, testified in support of the bill, talked about her patients, and submitted her testimony (Attachment FF).

06:06 PM -- Reverend Sally Bowersox, a priest and nurse, testified in support of the bill. She talked about the increased number of uninsured. Ms. Bowersox gave some examples of patients that are without health insurance and the problems they face.

06:15 PM -- Adam Graber, representing himself, testified in support of the bill and distributed his testimony (Attachment GG). He talked about the number of health related bankruptcies and said that most of those people had health insurance when they initially got sick.

06:19 PM -- Carol Garlington, representing herself, testified in support of the bill and talked about her experience paying for her young son, who has diabetes.

06:22 PM -- Dr. Rochelle Dworet, MD, representing herself as a primary care physician, testified in support of the bill and submitted her testimony (Attachment HH). She talked about the various services that are not reimbursed under the current system.

06:26 PM -- Bob Carlsten, a member of Health Care for All Colorado, a Medicare recipient for the last 15 years, testified in support of the bill. He addressed prior witness testimony and said there is a lack of choice under the current system.

06:32 PM -- Alisa Ray, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. She is self-employed and talked about her son's $10,000 hospital bill from pneumonia after her insurance lapsed without her knowing it. Ms. Ray responded to questions from the committee.

06:39 PM -- Chris Schwab, representing himself, a member of Health Care for All Colorado, testified in support of the bill. He talked about his experience after losing his private health insurance and said the for-profit system does not work in health care.

06:45 PM -- Ivan Miller, Ph.D., representing Balanced Choice Health Care Inc., testified in support of the bill and distributed a handout (Attachment II).

06:48 PM -- Lesley Manring-Borchers, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. She said she used to live in Germany and said she received and liked the German National Health Care. She said Germany offered a single payer insurance and private health insurance.

06:52 PM -- Dick Barkey, affiliated with Health Care for All Colorado, testified in support of the bill. He explained that single payer health care differs from socialized health care.

06:56 PM -- Elinor Christiansen, a physician and a medical director, testified in support of the bill and submitted her testimony (Attachment JJ). She talked about the various types of health care systems she has worked with over the years.

07:02 PM -- Kelli Willis, a Progressive Democrats of Colorado member, representing herself and her family, testified in support of the bill. She talked about her daughter's experience on Medicaid.

07:05 PM -- Jeff Burns, a member of the South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce and a small business owner, testified on the bill and talked about another bill that addresses health care that may be introduced later this session. Mr. Burns responded to questions.

07:17 PM -- Hether Ayres, representing Progressive Democrats of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She talked about a friend who suffered in pain for a year and needed back surgery but her insurance company wouldn't pay for it. She also talked about the cost of her COBRA coverage since she was let go earlier this year.

07:20 PM -- Arthur Powers, representing Thrive, a support group for people living with HIV, testified in support of the bill with amendment L.002.

07:24 PM -- Mitzi Cagle, RN BSN, representing the National Nursing Committee, stood up earlier and testified in support of the bill and distributed her comments (Attachment DD).

07:28 PM -- Ken Sullivan, representing himself, testified in support of the bill and said he cannot get insurance because he was diagnosed with Hotchkins at a young age.

07:29 PM -- Liam Sperl, representing himself, a future medical student, testified in support of the bill and talked about the importance of primary care.


BILL:	HB09-1273
TIME:	07:33:38 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.001 (Attachment F). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Soper
		VOTE
	Balmer
	Bradford
	Gagliardi
	Liston
	Priola
	Ryden
	Scanlan
	Soper
	Stephens
	Casso
	Rice

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1273
TIME:	07:36:26 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment G). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Soper
		VOTE
	Balmer
	Bradford
	Gagliardi
	Liston
	Priola
	Ryden
	Scanlan
	Soper
	Stephens
	Casso
	Rice

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

07:47 PM

Representative Kefalas gave some closing comments on the bill. Some of the members of the committee also commented on the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1273
TIME:	07:58:12 PM
MOVED:	Soper
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1273, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed 5-4.
SECONDED:	Gagliardi
		VOTE
	Balmer	No
	Bradford	No
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Liston	Excused
	Priola	No
	Ryden	Yes
	Scanlan	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Stephens	No
	Casso	Yes
	Rice	Excused

Final YES: 5 NO: 4 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

07:58 PM

Adjourned.