This week I attended a conference on the Dutch and German health care systems. I learned how those nations’ health insurers compete for business, and yet only 1.5% of Dutch citizens remain uninsured. I learned valuable lessons to apply in my effort to see all Coloradoans get affordable quality health care.
Here in Colorado, a useful guide to health care issues and programs has just been published. It’s called The 2009 Colorado Health Care Resource Book, and you can download it by clicking on this link:
http://www.state.co.us/gov_dir/leg_dir/lcsstaff/2008/research/08HealthCareResourceBook.pdf
Next week will be busy. The House will consider HB 1010, the film bill of which I am a co-prime sponsor. This bill provides incentives to the movie industry to shoot on location here in Colorado, benefiting local business, raising our state’s profile, and encouraging tourism.
The Judiciary Committee will also consider another bill of mine, the Uniform Power Of Attorney Act. This legislation will provide important protections against abusive practices. Under current law, citizens are often deprived of their right to decide for themselves what legal actions to take.
On Wednesday, February 11, the Business Affairs & Labor committee will take up my Health Care Transparency bill, HB 1061. This bill is designed to bring into the open the now-secret deals between health insurer and intermediaries. These intermediaries negotiate details of health care provision, often to the detriment of patients.
As always, feel free to contact me on these or any other issues.
Anne