I’m still trying to get my head around the Colorado Care single payer initiative. One of the big questions is how would it be financed and a subquestion is how would the 1332 Wyden State Innovation Waiver apply as well as how 1115 Medicaid waivers would move funds. Yes, your eyes should glaze over here but we’re talking about big money.
A new report highlights one of the big questions.
Proponents believe a study by the Colorado Health Institute overlooked aspects of Amendment 69. The institute’s analysis earlier this month concluded that ColoradoCare would struggle to cover costs….
“Amendment 69 requires the state to maintain its current funding of Medicaid, including the state match for Medicaid expansion and CHP+,” said Ivan Miller, executive director of the ColoradoCare campaign. “The federal government matches all state funding sources for Medicaid.”
But Michele Lueck, president and chief executive of the Colorado Health Institute, pointed out that while Amendment 69 calls for a full transfer of Medicaid funds to the state, the federal government is not required to follow state law.
“Our policy experts advise that only some Medicaid funds will be available to finance ColoradoCare,” Lueck said. “This is based on years of analyzing when and how federal grants and waivers are awarded.”
This is a major question. Does the financing actually make sense? If Colorado Care can’t get a firm commitment for 100% transfer of Medicaid money and Exchange money into the Colorado Care pool, then the financing falls apart.
I have two major concerns with Colorado Care. Financing is one of them and the second is a deep reluctance to put any more people and their health coverage under Hyde restrictions. If I was a Colorado voter, I would be very reluctant to vote yes without better answers than handwaving and hope that the money adds up and Hyde is limited to no worse than the currently impacted population with the hope that Hyde hits fewer people.