Coloradans Asked for Their 'Two Cents' on Health Care Affordability
Monday, August 18, 2008
Denver, CO - Coloradans are being invited to indulge in a little bit of "healthy conversation." Workshops are scheduled around the state in coming weeks for residents to share their experiences with health care affordability. Elisabeth Arenales with the Colorado Center on Law and Policy says one goal is to learn how much Colorado families are spending on health care.
"Are they dipping into savings, are they having trouble, especially with rising prices? Those trade-offs are really important to this discussion of affordability."
Arenales says the workshops are a rare opportunity for everyone to get involved in the process of policymaking.
"This is an actual chance for Coloradans--for real people on the ground--to plug into this conversation."
She says what a family is spending today on health care isn't necessarily the same as what they can afford. She hopes that as the state considers health care reform, decisionmakers will learn about the budget choices many families have to make around health care.
"A lot of families are struggling to continue to afford to pay for health care and they're giving up other things. We want to try and get at what they're giving up."
Data gathered from across the state will be compiled for a report to be distributed to state lawmakers as they consider health care reform again during the 2009 session.
Workshops this week will be held on Tuesday at the Thornton Senior Center and on Wednesday at the Salud Clinics (Frederick and Brighton) and at the Foothills Community Center, Lakewood. Additional workshops are planned for Thursday and Friday in Denver.
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