The Colorado General Assembly is considering legislation to analyze the implementation of a single-payer universal health-care system in the state. Key aspects of the bill include:
Analysis by Colorado School of Public Health: The bill mandates that the Colorado School of Public Health evaluate draft model legislation for a single-payer, nonprofit, publicly financed, and privately delivered universal health-care payment system. A comprehensive report of the findings is to be submitted to the General Assembly by December 31, 2026.
Establishment of the Statewide Health-Care Analysis Collaborative: To assist in the analysis, the bill proposes the creation of a 20-member collaborative. This group will consist of members invited by the Executive Director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, four legislative members appointed by the leadership of the Senate and House, and representatives from the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange and the Division of Insurance.
Funding Through External Sources: The study and collaborative's activities are to be financed entirely through gifts, grants, and donations. The Colorado School of Public Health is required to secure sufficient funding before commencing the study.
This initiative aims to provide a data-driven assessment of the feasibility and potential impact of a single-payer health-care system in Colorado.
Summary
The bill requires the Colorado school of public health to analyze
draft model legislation for implementing a single-payer, nonprofit, publicly financed, and privately delivered universal health-care payment system for Colorado that directly compensates providers (analysis). The Colorado school of public health must submit a report detailing its findings to the general assembly by December 31, 2026. The bill also creates the statewide health-care analysis
collaborative (analysis collaborative) consisting of 20 members invited by the executive director of the department of health care policy and financing; 4 members of the general assembly appointed by the president of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the minority leader of the house of representatives; and the commissioner of insurance and the chief executive officer of the Colorado health benefit exchange or any designees of the commissioner and the chief executive officer. The analysis collaborative is created for the purpose of advising the Colorado school of public health during the analysis.
