Hickenlooper Joins Group of Governors Calling for Bipartisan Solutions to Health Care

DENVER, June 16 -- Gov. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo., issued the following news release:

Governor Hickenlooper today joined six other governors in voicing concerns over the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and the potential loss of health coverage to hundreds of thousands of Coloradans. They urged Congress to take a bipartisan approach to keeping health care coverage accessible and affordable. The governors - including four Democrats and three Republicans - sent a letter today to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer outlining principles to address the challenges of stabilizing the health insurance market, controlling costs, and increasing affordability.

The letter states, "H.R. 1628, as passed by the House, does not meet these challenges. It calls into question coverage for the vulnerable and fails to provide the necessary resources to ensure that no one is left out, while shifting significant costs to the states. Medicaid provisions included in this bill are particularly problematic. Instead, we recommend Congress address factors we can all agree need fixing."

The letter follows a roundtable discussion held earlier today with the Governor, Colorado Senator Michael Bennet and Lieutenant Governor Donna Lynne where they invited healthcare leaders, consumer advocates and patients to share their concerns before the Senate vote on the House bill.

Those in attendance told stories of how important Medicaid is to their lives and how cuts that could come with the AHCA would jeopardize their health and wellbeing.

"We heard powerful stories from patients whose lives rely on the care and coverage they receive under Medicaid," said Governor John Hickenlooper. "Much of their fear today is due to the lack of information we are seeing about the Senate bill. Transparency must be part of the process so we can prepare for changes in our healthcare system."

The Governor stands ready to work with Senate leaders to develop a proposal that is fiscally sound and provides quality, affordable coverage for our most vulnerable citizens.

A copy of the letter can be viewed here (https://www.colorado.gov/governor/sites/default/files/documents/bipartisan_governors_letter_to_senate_leadership.pdf).