DENVER — Physicians across Colorado today applauded Gov. Jared Polis for signing a law that makes health care more affordable, accessible and transparent. The Colorado General Assembly passed House Bill 1370 on May 11.
“As physicians, we are grateful to Gov. Jared Polis and members of the General Assembly who fought hard for this law so health care is more affordable and more predictable for Colorado families,” said Dr. Michael Belmonte, an OB/GYN in the Denver metro area and a member of the Committee to Protect Health Care. “Too many Colorado families struggle to get the health care they need and have been forced to choose between paying for their health care and paying for the basics. As a physician, I am heartbroken every time my patients can’t pay for a medication I prescribe or skip a doctor’s visit because they can’t afford the copays. Thanks to this new law, more Coloradans can get the care and treatment they need to live full, rewarding lives.”
The new law saves money for consumers by giving rebates for prescription drugs to patients, not insurance corporations. The new law requires 25 percent of insurance plans to have set dollar copays, rather than less predictable percentage-based payments. The law also ensures medications can’t be dropped from coverage and reforms step therapy.
“Physicians applaud this new law because Coloradans will know exactly what they have to pay to visit a doctor, without surprises, and that’s going to bring peace of mind to many of my patients,” said Dr. Lauri Costello, a family medicine physician in Durango and a member of the Committee to Protect Health Care. “This new law means my patients can save money because discounts for prescription drugs will now go to them, not insurance companies. This new law ensures the medications they need won’t get pulled and leave them in a lurch. This law will benefit countless patients and their families, and Gov. Jared Polis and leaders in the General Assembly deserve credit for helping make health care more affordable for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans.”
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About the Committee to Protect Health Care
The Committee to Protect Health Care is a national mobilization of doctors, health care professionals, and advocates who are building a pro-patient health care majority in Congress and in states so that we can live in an America where everyone has the health care they need to thrive. To learn more: www.committeetoprotect.org
