Denver Business Journal
Partnership for a Healthy Colorado starts site, radio ads
November 15, 2007

The Partnership for a Healthy Colorado on Thursday launched a website and a series of radio ads intended to educate Coloradans about the costs of not reforming the state's health care system.

According to Thursday's news release, the ads are intended to engage people in the health care reform process as the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform prepares recommendations to policymakers for the next legislative session.

The commission is studying proposals to cover nearly 800,000 Colorado residents who aren't covered by health insurance.

The proposals are projected to cost the state as much as $2 billion a year, and most likely would require new tax dollars and need voters' approval.

The partnership's campaign argues that the cost of "doing nothing" is higher, since medical providers, such as hospitals, pass along uncompensated charges to health insurers, who in turn, raise premiums for their customers.

"Colorado families are paying $934 more a year in health care premiums to care for the uninsured," Ralph Pollock, director of the Business Health Forum and chair of the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry's Health Council, said in a released statement. "When premiums get too expensive, some consumers decide to go without health insurance. It's a vicious cycle and people need to know that we can stop it."

AARP Colorado, a partnership member, will pay for the radio ads. They're available for download at www.healthypartnership.org. The website includes information about the Blue Ribbon Commission's proposals.

Partnership members include, among others, the Colorado Medical Society, National Federation of Independent Business, Colorado Association of Health Plans and the Bell Policy Center.

The group formed in October to launch a public awareness campaign promoting health care reform in the state.