Colorado Guaranteed Health Care Act (HB09-1273)
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April 3,
2009 Dear Friend
of HB1273: Today, the
Colorado Guaranteed Health Care Act (HB09-1273) will be heard in the House
Appropriations Committee. I am optimistic that the Bill will move to the House
floor perhaps as early as next week. On behalf of Health Care for All Colorado,
I thank you for all of your efforts in support of this bill. I have a quick question for all
the endorsers of this bill regarding federal law. Earlier
this week, I received a call from Washington D.C. The staffs of Rep. Kucinich,
Rep. Conyers, and Sen. Sanders had met to discuss state-level, single-payer
reform. They identified Colorado, California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania as the
leading states for single-payer reform. The Congressional staffs have
asked us to assist in the creation of a federal wish list with regard to state
level reform. What federal action, waivers,
or changes in law do we think we need in order to implement the state level
reform that we envision? They also suggested that we mention funding that we
will need. Health Care for All Colorado has a list of ideas concerning
Medicare, Medicaid, and ERISA, and we will ask for money to fund the authority
as well. We know that there are many steps before any of this can come to
fruition. I would like
to solicit your suggestions as to any federal waivers or other action that you
would like to have included in the list. For example, there are some
Taft-Hartley related issues about which I am not yet knowledgeable. There are
likely other special issues within your expertise that you would like to
include. Rep. Kefalas
and Sen. Foster will be sending a letter to Rep. Kucinich on Monday, April 6, so
please send your suggestions as soon as possible. Finally, I
would like to reiterate my earlier request for support ranging from informing
your members through grant-writing to pledges of money to support the
authority. If your grant writers or development staff can assist with acquiring
funding, please let us know as House leadership has been pushing this question. After
tomorrow’s appropriations hearing, I will update you our prospects in the
House. I am likely to call upon you for assistance in lobbying one or more
members and will ask to enlist your members, if possible. Thank you again for your support of HB1273. If you have any questions, please contact me by email or at 720-841-4665 .
Yours sincerely,
Prof. Thomas D. Russell, J.D., Ph.D. Vice-President, Healthcare for All Colorado TRussell@HealthCareforAllColorado.org
Endorsers of
HB09-1273 • All Families Deserve a Chance • American Federation of Teachers, Colorado (AFL-CIO) • American Medical Women’s Association • Arapahope Community Team • Autism Society of Colorado • Balanced Choice Health Care, Inc. • Be the Change USA • Boulder Psychotherapists Guild • Colorado Academy of Family Physicians • Colorado AFL-CIO • Colorado Alliance for Retired Americans • Colorado Association of Public Employees (CAPE) retirees • Colorado Behavioral Health Council • Colorado Citizens for Accountability • Colorado Classified School Employees Association (AFL-CIO) • Colorado Coalition for the Homeless • Colorado Community Health Network • Colorado Cross Disability Coalition • Colorado Education Association • Colorado Nurses Association • Colorado Senior Lobby • Colorado Social Legislation Committee • Colorado WINS • Complementary Health Enhancement, LLC • East Denver Neighborhood Volunteers for Change • First Universalist Church of Denver • Guardianship Alliance of Colorado • Health Care for All Colorado • Housing Colorado! • Hunger for Justice • Justice and Peace Ministry Team of the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ • KEENE Research & Development • LARASA (Latin American Research And Service Agency) • League of Women Voters (Colorado) • League of Women Voters (Pueblo Chapter) • Lutheran Advocacy Ministry of Colorado • Mental Health America of Colorado • Montrose County Democratic Party • National Association of Social Workers, Colorado Chapter • Parent to Parent of Colorado • Peace, Liberty & Justice Task Force at Jefferson Unitarian Church • Progressive Democrats of America (Longmont Chapter) • Progressive Democrats of America, CD 2 branch • Progressive Democrats of America--Colorado Chapter • Progressive Democrats of Colorado • Public Policy Committee of the Interfaith Alliance of Colorado • PULSE of Colorado • Republicans for Single Payer • Rocky Mountain Farmers Union • Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center • The Arc of Aurora • The Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health~Colorado Chapter • The Green Party of Colorado • The Rocky Mountain Conference of The United Methodist Church • THRIVE!: Persons Living with HIV / AIDS Initiative of Colorado • United American Nurses – National Nurses Organizing Committee/ALF-CIO • Women's International League for Peace and Freedom--Boulder Branch |
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