The League of Women Voters of Colorado supports Amendment 69 on the fall ballot. ColoradoCare Amendment 69 creates a universal health care system in Colorado and achieves the League’s long-held objectives: It provides every Colorado resident access to health care financed through general taxes in place of individual insurance premiums and it is an efficient method for delivering services that include cost control measures.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been hobbled because participants in the exchanges are less numerous and sicker than anticipated. Successful programs in other developed countries show that in order for a universal health care system to be successful, it must be truly universal, i.e. the pool includes all — the young, the old, the sick, and the healthy. Using a provision in the ACA. that allows states to opt out and create their own plan if it can meet certain standards, Colorado has the opportunity to create such a universal plan — one that other states may choose to emulate.
As in all aspects of representative government, voters must carefully and wisely elect the 21 members of the board of trustees because this board will be responsible for developing the many details of this expansive program. It will take several years to fully implement. However complicated and difficult the process may be, we can look to the past and see that without reform, many will continue to go without adequate health insurance and costs will continue to escalate.
The LWVCO strongly urges a “yes” vote on Amendment 69 — Statewide Healthcare System.
Get the information on Amendment 69 and make your own decision. Ballot Issue Pamphlets are available from the LWVCO with pros and cons on every ballot issue. The pamphlets are available at the office of the county clerk; at Cortez, Dolores and Mancos public libraries; at political party headquarters in Cortez; and various other locations.
Eleanor Kuhl, convener
League of Women Voters of Montezuma County
Cortez