Colorado HB 1256 and affordable medical insurance
February 24th, 2009 | by Brian Schwartz |The Denver Business Journal reports on Colorado House Bill 1256 proposed by Cindy Acree and Cory Gardner that would lower insurance premiums for thousands of Coloradans:
House Bill 1256, which allows insurers to sell health insurance policies that aren’t licensed in the state, was approved by the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee by a 7-3 vote on Wednesday. The measure now heads to the House Appropriations Committee.
According to America’s Health Insurance Plans, in four states the costs are $500 less than in Colorado. The savings is more for family plans: In five states costs are $1000 less than in Colorado.
Cory Gardner proposed a similar bill last year. The Denver Business Journal reported that
opponents who testified against the bill said they feared it would deplete the pool of healthy consumers within state-approved health plans — potentially driving up the costs of health care for those who are covered by those plans.
In other words, health consumers are now forced to buy more expensive insurance than they want. Government prohibitions on free trade forced tham to subsidize others. The free trade restrictions effectively bundle the purchase of insurance on the individual market with contributing to a politically-controlled charity.
This bill resembles the Health Care Choice Act, proposed on a national level.
tags: Colorado HB 1256, Cory Gardner, direct purchase insurance, Health Care Choice Act
