A bill to repeal the state health exchange, sponsored by 24 Republicans, died by a 7-6 vote in the House Health, Insurance and Environment Committee on Thursday night.
House Bill 1066 sought to dismantle the exchange, effective next Jan. 1, and to require the state treasurer to transfer any unencumbered money from the exchange to the general fund.
“We need something to provide to our citizens insurance,” said the lead sponsor, Rep. Janak Joshi, R-Colorado Springs. “It was done because the federal government decided to give us $180 million of taxpayer money. This wasn’t the way to do it. It looks like it is time to get rid of it.”
Doing away with Colorado’s exchange doesn’t repeal the federal health care law, but it would cede the health insurance marketplace to federal rather than local control, said opponents of the repeal.
“If we repeal it, the federal government will step in and run our exchange,” said committee member Rep. Dianne Primavera, D-Broomfield.
Witnesses speaking in opposition to repeal included representatives of the exchange, as well as associations representing hospitals, insurers and retirees.
“I’m not here to say there aren’t problems,” said Connect for Health Colorado board member Steve ErkenBrack, CEO of Rocky Mountain Health Plans. “But I am here to say those problems … have been better addressed here in Colorado by Coloradans than in D.C.”
Charles Ward, vice president of public affairs for the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, said elimination of the exchange would be costly and disruptive to the insurance industry and create uncertainty for other businesses. Health care is one of their greatest costs.
