State of Colorado Archives: on Health Care

Alice Madden: Grow toward a public option

Amy Stephens: AmyCare was lesser of 2 evils to exempt state from ObamaCare

Stephens called the state-run health exchange "the lesser of two evils" to exempt the state from ObamaCare, and that she supports government closer to home. "When you see a tsunami coming, you have to make a decision," she said, adding she would vote to repeal ObamaCare.

Angela Williams: Make sure everyone has access to affordable health care

Cary Kennedy: Increase tobacco tax and invest it in cancer research

• Cary organized and led a broad, bi-partisan coalition to increase funding for Colorado's public schools. As a driving force behind the creation and passage of Amendment 23 in 2000, Cary helped Colorado reverse a decade-long decline in public education funding.
• Cary helped develop a statewide initiative approved by Colorado voters to increase Colorado's tobacco tax in order to expand Colorado's investment in children's health care and cancer research.
• Cary proposed and helped develop an adjustment to the budget to reflect growth in population (called the "growth dividend"), which Governor Owens signed into law in 2002.
• As policy director for House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, Cary helped legislative leaders build the bi-partisan budget proposal Referendum C, and give taxpayers a first-ever annual report outlining how their tax dollars are spent.

Cory Gardner: ObamaCare has led to 335,000 cancellations in Colorado

Udall's office was recently involved in a dispute over health insurance policy cancellations in Colorado and Gardner called on the state's division of insurance to provide his office with updated cancellation figures.

The updated numbers found that as of mid-January about 335,000 Coloradans had received cancellation notices, though about 92 percent were offered renewal options.

"It's stunning that ObamaCare has led to this many canceled plans, and now it's coming to the forefront," Gardner said, at the time.

Cory Gardner: Ebola: immediate ban on all travel from West African

Gardner called for an immediate traffic ban on all travel from West African countries where the Ebola virus is spreading. "If the president's not willing to put into a place a travel ban, then we should have 100% screening of the people who are coming from those affected areas," Gardner said.

The two tangled over cuts to the Center for Disease Control, with Udall saying the congressman cut funds that would have helped the agency and Gardner saying he opposed tax dollars going to programs such as Jazzercise.

Cory Gardner: COVID: government containing, stabilizing supply-chain

Corey Gardner: Yes. "HHS, through a number of its agencies, is actively leading critical prevention, containment, and supply-chain stability."

John Hickenlooper: No. "Only way to regain our confidence and restart our economy is having the capacity to either test or vaccinate every American."

Cory Gardner: Supported efforts to repeal Affordable Care Act

Cory Gardner: I want to fight against Medicare for All

A: We need to continue health care policy to drive down the cost of health care and increase the quality. I am committed to making sure that Medicare remains a viable strong safety net. We have to make sure that this important safety net program continues. I've been fighting to make sure that taxes don't increase the cost of health care. I want to fight against 'Medicare for All,' which means that 20-year-old will be competing against somebody who is 65 and over.

Cory Gardner: Prevent Big Pharma from denying generic status to some drugs

A: I've worked hard on several pieces of legislation to increase competition to drive down costs. I've introduced a bill on price transparency that would help consumers be able to shop better for more affordable prescription drugs and also legislation that would prevent the Big Pharma companies from denying generic status to certain drugs. When a drug goes on generic, we can have more affordability. And more competition means more general affordability as well.

Dan Baer: Address insurance non-coverage, but no single-payer system

Darryl Glenn: Repeal & Replace ObamaCare, and Restore out freedoms

First, we must Repeal the Affordable Care Act! We have to restore our individual freedoms because they are the bedrock of our nation. We cannot allow the government to mandate health care coverage on its free people. That is against our founding principles. This law has weighed down many and helped very few. Our citizens deserve the right and freedom to make their own choices about their health care from the type of policy to the level of care. These should be their choices, not the government's mandate.

My vision for this great nation is to restore our freedom and allow individuals the opportunity to determine their own future.

Darryl Glenn: Tort reform; catastrophic coverage; wellness programs

The marketplace can effectively and efficiently produce 21st century health care programs. If individuals elect to carry health insurance, and we actually want to improve the health care system. the recommended changes below should be adopted:
• Guiding tort reform
• Providing policy options by allowing individuals to purchase insurance across state lines
• Universal coverage of catastrophic health events
• Wellness programs that reward a proactive healthy lifestyle

Darryl Glenn: ObamaCare has made health insurance much more expensive

A: ObamaCare has made health insurance much more expensive for Coloradans across the state. And in many cases, people who now have insurance either can't afford their doctor visit, or can't find a doctor willing to accept their government-mandated insurance. In fact, Senator Bennet wanted to go even further than ObamaCare and institute a public option. But now that it's an election year, he comes back to Colorado and says he opposes Colorado's single payer healthcare initiative. Senator Bennet recently admitted that ObamaCare has been devastating for Coloradans--some of whom will see their premiums go up by almost 30% in the coming year alone.

Q: How would you approach reforming the Affordable Care Act?

A: We need to repeal ObamaCare and replace it with innovative, free-market solutions that focus on healthcare outcomes and the doctor-patient relationship.

Darryl Glenn: ObamaCare is entitlement program that we cannot afford

Darryl Glenn: ObamaCare is the latest example of a government entitlement program that neither the federal government nor individual citizens can afford and Colorado has been particularly hard hit. Premiums have skyrocketed, and the state-run co-op, Colorado HealthOP, has shut down due to insolvency. This is unsustainable and unaffordable. The solution is clear: we must repeal and replace ObamaCare in favor of a more affordable and practical approach for families. My plan would be to free people of the unconstitutional burden of being mandated to purchase increasingly costly insurance or face a financial punishment from the government. ObamaCare must be replaced with a more commonsense approach to healthcare that includes tort reform, permitting insurance to be purchased across state lines, and improving public health to decrease the demand for medical care.

Donna Lynne: Health care a right, not a privilege

Doug Robinson: Wants congress and Trump to repeal ObamaCare

George Brauchler: Repeal Obamacare; local control of Medicaid

George Brauchler: Increase Medicaid co-pays to change behavior

George Brauchler: Medicaid block grants instead of ObamaCare expansion

George Brauchler: Charge co-pays to low-income residents on Medicaid

Greg Lopez: I believe in free-market health care

Greg Lopez: No face mask; responds "Do you wear a diaper?"

Greg Lopez: Would take a hands-off approach to health care

Greg Lopez: VA is proof against government health-care system

Heidi Ganahl: Opposed legislation creating public health insurance option

Jared Polis: AdWatch: Supports Medicare for All

VERDICT: This is TRUE. Polis is supportive of single-payer health care. Calling it radical is opinion.

The ad refers to a bill introduced in January 2017, H.R. 676, "Medicare for All." It essentially creates a free health care system for all U.S. citizens. Polis signed on as a cosponsor of the bill in April 2017. No Republicans have put their name on this legislation.

Jared Polis: Improve ObamaCare; work toward universal single-payer system

Jared Polis (D): Keep ACA and improve it. Work toward universal single-payer system. Believes Medicaid expansion in Colorado has been an enormous success.

Walker Stapleton (R): Repeal ACA & end Colorado's ObamaCare exchange. Shrinking Medicaid expansion would be among main changes he'd champion.

Jared Polis: Proposes drug price transparency & public option

Jared Polis: Telehealth is literally a lifesaver for many in rural areas

Jared Polis: Offer more integrated physical and mental health services

Joe O`Dea: Don't repeal the Affordable Care Act, we need more choices

John Hickenlooper: Basic health care is a right, not a privilege

We all save money when people stay healthy or get treatment in doctor's offices instead of emergency rooms. We're emphasizing preventive care and giving people the tools to manage their diseases.

John Hickenlooper: ObamaCare not perfect; it has helped but needs improvement

John Hickenlooper: COVID: Trump ignored the risk, that was negligent

John Hickenlooper: We need to get to universal coverage, won't break the bank

John Hickenlooper: ACA led to successful state marketplace & Medicaid expansion

John Hickenlooper: COVID: Need capacity test or vaccinate every American

John Hickenlooper: No. "Only way to regain our confidence and restart our economy is having the capacity to either test or vaccinate every American."

Corey Gardner: Yes. "HHS, through a number of its agencies, is actively leading critical prevention, containment, and supply-chain stability."

John Hickenlooper: Allow Medicare to negotiate with drug companies

A: Everyone deserves access to high quality health care. The program covers nearly all older Americans who earned this coverage through a lifetime of hard work. To help lower costs, I support allowing Medicare to negotiate with drug companies to get a better deal. It's astounding that they're currently not allowed to do so, and I'd work to change that on day one in the Senate.

John Hickenlooper: Investigate anticompetitive practices by drug companies

A: I will fight to reduce the cost of prescription drugs. Medicare should be able to negotiate prices directly with drug companies. Congress should explore the possibility of importing safe medicine from Canada. We can pass legislation requiring more transparency in drug pricing and curtailing significant increases in the price of both generic and specialty drugs. Congress should investigate potential anticompetitive practices in the pharmaceutical industry.

John Hickenlooper: I will always stand up for Medicaid

A: I support strengthening programs that help seniors stay in their homes. By approving transportation options and controlling housing and health care costs, we can help more people live life on their own terms. We need to strengthen protections for seniors in long-term health care facilities as well. Not only that, but many seniors depend on Medicaid for long-term care. I will always stand up for Medicaid and every person's right to access quality and affordable care.

John Walsh: Access for all to high-quality, affordable health care

John's mother was an emergency room nurse. After long days at work, she brought home stories of people and families who had to use the E.R. for their primary care. When people don't have affordable, high-quality health insurance, they delay seeking medical care, their costs go up, their quality of care goes down, and people suffer and even die unnecessarily.

Ken Buck: $500B savings in Medicare is heart of health care reform

Bennet said he too wanted to change the new Democratic health legislation, but not its essentials. "I'm not going to repeal it because people with pre-existing conditions will again be denied health care coverage," he said.

Buck insisted he would repeal it--getting a cheer from supporters. Buck said the law was produced by a "corrupt" process, especially the special concessions granted Nebraska and Louisiana senators to win their votes. "And I don't believe in centralizing the authority in the American government over one-seventh of our economy," he said, calling it the "nationalization" of U.S. health care.

Ken Salazar: Medicare Rx bill was a mistake; need innovations

Ken Salazar: Take next steps toward universal coverage

Next Steps Toward Universal Coverage
• Cover employees of small business and the self-employed - I want to help small businesses provide health insurance with tax credits.
• Cover every child - I will push to expand the CHIP program and provide new tax credits to help parents purchase health insurance for their children.
• Expand options and reduce the cost of insurance coverage for everyone - I want to authorize the creation of voluntary purchasing groups to make more choices widely available.
• Protect the unemployed - I will urge adoption of a 75 percent tax credit for middle-income workers who are in between jobs to help them purchase COBRA coverage.

Mark Udall: AdWatch: Targeted by RNC robocalls for support of ObamaCare

The targets besides Udall are Reps. Gary Peters (MI) and Bruce Braley (IA), Sens. Mark Warner (VA), Mark Begich (AK), Dick Durbin (IL), Kay Hagan (NC), Mary Landrieu (LA), Jeff Merkley (OR), Mark Pryor (AR), and Jeanne Shaheen (NH). The robocall script reads:

"President Obama and the Democrats said you could keep your healthcare plan under ObamaCare. Now we know [SENATOR] actually VOTED to make it more difficult. Call [SENATOR] at (XXX)-XXX-XXX & ask why [he/she] lied."

The robocalls are a response to Democrats launching the "GOP Shutdown Watch" campaign, highlighting Republican senate candidates who supported the partial federal government shutdown.

Michael Bennet: $500B savings in Medicare is heart of health care reform

Bennet was pleased to hear it. "I hope you'll call your friends who are pushing an ad accusing me of cutting $500 billion out of Medicare," he told Buck. "That $500 billion savings in Medicare is the very heart of the health care reform bill."

Bennet said he too wanted to change the new Democratic health legislation, but not its essentials. "I'm not going to repeal it because people with pre-existing conditions will again be denied health care coverage," he said.

Buck insisted he would repeal it--getting a cheer from supporters. Buck said the law was produced by a "corrupt" process, especially the special concessions granted Nebraska and Louisiana senators to win their votes.

Michael Bennet: I back fiscally sound measures, including Medicare cuts

Bennet fired back, "Quite the contrary." He said that he has backed fiscally sound measures, including the health care overhaul. Bennet described Medicare cuts included in that new law as "the heart" of the plan.

Michael Bennet: Help seniors on Medicare; speed up drug approval

Michael Bennet: The first thing we need to address is the cost of care. I have a bipartisan bill that would help seniors on Medicare get to their appointments, get the medicine they need, focus on preventative care and coordinate their care between doctors and facilities. 15% of Medicare recipients account for $300 billion in Medicare spending. We could cut billions off that without affecting benefits. I've also cosponsored the Health Care Premium Reduction Act, which will help states fight big premium increases. We also need to do more to ensure people have access to lifesaving drugs they need. One of my proudest legislative accomplishments was working with Republicans to cut through red tape and speed up the approval process for potentially life-saving treatments and drugs. And we need to take serious steps towards transparency across the health care sector--drugs, hospitals, and insurance companies.

Mike Johnston: Preserve Medicaid expansion

Peg Littleton: ObamaCare makes healthcare less accessible & more expensive

I will fight for genuinely affordable access to health care in Colorado & throughout the country. The key to affordable health care is supply. More doctors, nurses, hospitals and clinics will result in more access and lower prices. In the Senate, I will support policies that encourage investment in medical facilities, medical research and restore the desire among our best and brightest young people to pursue medical careers.

I will also fight for legislation that will allow the imposition of market forces in the medical marketplace. If consumers are allowed to shop for better medical bargains, prices will come down.

We must devise a system that protects the interests and choices of patients by putting them in control of health care and insurance markets.

Ron Hanks: Federal government lies about experimental COVID vaccine

Tom Strickland: Control prescription drug prices

Tom Strickland: Add prescription benefit in Medicare

Tom recently unveiled his plan to address the high costs of prescription drugs by addressing the problem in three significant ways. Tom's plan would:
1. add a prescription drug benefit to Medicare
2. require drug companies to sell their medications to American Seniors at the average foreign price those drugs are sold for in other countries; and

3. bring more competition to the prescription drug market by speeding the introduction of generic drugs.

Under Tom's plan:
• Seniors pay only $25 per month for their prescription drug benefit-guaranteed; Seniors get help paying for their prescriptions starting from their very first trip to the pharmacy
• Seniors receive a 50% co-insurance policy with no gaps or holes in the benefit; and
• Seniors with the highest drug costs receive 100% assistance.

Victor Mitchell: Promote patient-centered health care

A former House GOP colleague called Mitchell "an independent thinker" who "didn't let party get in the way of getting some things done."

Victor Mitchell: Insurance is not necessary for primary care

Victor Mitchell: ObamaCare doesn't work for 50% of people today

Victor Mitchell: ObamaCare is not a solution; we need patient-centered care

Walker Stapleton: Medicaid block grants for community health care centers

A: "A managed Medicaid model means the following: It means a proliferation of community health care centers. I've got a little clinic across the street. When my kids get sick I take my kids across the street to an RN, and I pay $10 to $15 for a copay. The pharmacy is right there. If I took them to their pediatrician, I'd be paying 4 times as much and the insurance company would be billing me 6 or 7 times as much.

Walker Stapleton: End Colorado's ObamaCare exchange; undo Medicaid expansion

Jared Polis (D): Keep ACA and improve it. Work toward universal single-payer system. Believes Medicaid expansion in Colorado has been an enormous success.

Walker Stapleton (R): Repeal ACA & end Colorado's ObamaCare exchange. Shrinking Medicaid expansion would be among main changes he'd champion.

Jared Polis: Time to hold healthcare industry accountable for high costs