State Rep. Spencer Swalm hammered a bill Wednesday that expands health coverage by imposing a fee on hospitals, calling it “irresponsible and immoral” and a “house of cards.”
“We’re shifting the costs of our health care problems onto our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren because we’re not willing to man up and raise the taxes that are required to do a pay-as-you-go kind of system,” Swalm, R-Centennial, said.
Several Democrats looked at one another, stunned. Did a Republican just say the “t” word?
“He didn’t just say ‘taxes’; he said ‘man up and raise taxes,’ ” said Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder.
Both Pommer and Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, said they were shocked to hear Swalm mention taxes.
“I’m not advocating increased taxes. But if we want a program, we need to pay for it now instead of doing deficit spending,” Swalm said afterward, noting that the bill relies on matching funds from the federal government, which is running a deficit.
House Bill 1293 would generate an estimated $600 million from hospital fees. The money would draw an equal amount in federal matching funds, and the $1.2 billion total could be used to expand the reach of Medicaid, the Child Health Plan Plus, or CHP+, and indigent-care programs to at least 100,000 more Coloradans.
The bill passed on a 40-23 vote, with three Republicans — Laura Bradford of Collbran, Don Marostica of Loveland and Tom Massey of Pagosa Springs — joining with Democrats in passing the measure.
The bill now goes to the Senate.
Staff writer Tim Hoover contributed to this report.
