Two Colorado Approaches

How post ACA/Obamacare health reform is advancing

along two paths and how the single-payer movement has responded.

Presented by Donna Smith, Health Care for All Colorado, and

Lyn Gullette of Co-operate Colorado

OPS Conference, August 23, 2014 in Oakland, CA

Circular firing squad -- a situation in which a group of people who have a common enemy engage in behavior that ends up harming themselves more than the enemy.

The Single-Payer Movement…

Two Colorado Approaches to post ACA Reform• Co-Operate Colorado – has a

separate, quasi-public administrative structure

1. Developed by many of the same advocates who worked as leaders and members of HCAC.

2. Co-Operative is supported by head of the CO Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee

• Colorado Health Security Plan – state-based publicly administered and financed, universal health plan

1. Patterned after national HR676, single-payer bill in the US House, and The American Health Security Act, S 1782, in the US Senate

2. Our end game is national single-payer -- -- we endorse HR676 and S1782

The transition to two approaches

• HCAC and the HCAC Foundation gives rise to two tracks – the single-payer movement in Colorado splits

Lyn offers her perspective as she was in Colorado and the president of HCACF at the time

-- Co-Operate Colorado

And

-- HCAC’s State-based single-payer

View of Colorado S-P Movement from Afar

Donna offers her perspective as she was in DC during this time…• For those Coloradans living elsewhere, the growing rift between the

two plans and camps is confusing and makes it difficult to support either• For some, it seems similar to the Vermont shifts – many call VT plan

single-payer and celebrate it as such while many also point out the distinct differences

What this could do to the movement for state single-payer

Or… we fight the common enemy and build strength for the struggles ahead

Let’s Talk About This OPS-- together