Comparison of Provisions From Colorado's Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform and Federal Healthcare Reform
In a new issue brief, the Colorado Trust provides a comprehensive comparison of federal healthcare reform passed in March with bipartisan recommendations made in 2008 by the state's Blue Ribbon Commission on Healthcare Reform (also known as the 208 Commission). The brief, Comparison of Provisions From Colorado's Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform and Federal Healthcare Reform (16 pages, PDF), finds that many of the items included in the federal law were also suggested by the commission, including the recommendation to require all individuals to obtain insurance coverage as a means to extend healthcare for all and to expand options to low- and middle-income adults and children by raising Medicaid eligibility. While the 208 Commission recommended that the government use employee subsidies and tax-advantaged health plans to sustain employer-based coverage, however, the new law requires employers to provide coverage paired with small employer subsidies.
