Legislative Advocacy...

Government Guide

Colorado Medical Society has an excellent page devoted to legislative issues. We urge members to keep in touch with current information by linking to their page. Click here to access Colorado State Legislature information. For contact information for your county, state and national elected officials and departments/offices click here.

Legislative Initiatives

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Colorado Physicians' Congress

Colorado Health Care Reform Marches On

The march toward health care reform in Colorado is entering another important phase. Your participation in our collective push toward a successful outcome is essential.

Slightly over two years ago, the CMS House of Delegates overwhelmingly demanded CMS aggressively pursue comprehensive health care reform. Today, the state’s statutorily authorized Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform is only one month from finalizing reform recommendations for consideration by the Colorado Legislature. All along the way, CMS, through it’s Physicians Congress’ for Health Care Reform, has honed long and short term strategies that are predicated upon the belief that physicians should help drive the debate on how to transform the system, rather than being run over by it.

No one knows exactly when the Legislature will act. It could happen as early as next year, be postponed to the 2009 legislative session, or perhaps immediately before the next gubernatorial election in 2010 when voters will determine whether or not they will reelect Governor Bill Ritter, who has made health care reform a part of his Colorado Promise, back into office. Yet, several things are clear. Colorado is now engaged in a robust health care reform debate. Traditional adversaries are talking and some divergent rivalries are coming together. Voters are polling in large numbers about their concerns over cost and access. The media is watching and routinely covering the debate. With unanimous approval of the evaluation matrix by delegates in September, medical opinion on what it will take to make health care reform meaningful has been consolidated into a compelling consensus. Regardless of the timing of comprehensive health care reform, health care issues will be prominent in the 2008 Legislature.

Legislative Engagement at the Grassroots Level is a vital key to the CMS strategy for achieving meaningful health care reform. This is why it is critical that local meetings be conducted with House and Senate members before the Legislature convenes in January, 2008, just two months from now.

WCMS Legislative Activities

  • Helping to pass Referendum C and Amendment 35 (tobacco tax)
  • Rallying to lead opposition to the United Healthcare acquisition of PacfiCare, which ultimately resulted in extracting a number of pivotal conditions now being developed by a CMS physician advisory body.
  • The ground-breaking push for managed care fairness in SB 198 which drew broad, bipartisan support and will fuel a growing grassroots debate this election cycle that will carry over into the 2007 session. Click here to learn what was accoplished when physicians became engaged in the political process.
  • WCMS Legislative Grassroots Campaign
    Plans are underway to schedule meetings with Sen. Scott Renfroe, Rep. Jim Riesberg, Rep. Glenn Vaad and Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg. WCMS members who have volunteered to meet with Weld legislators include Dr. Budensiek, Dr. Cook, Dr. Marsh, Dr. Mayer and Dr. Stone. The group held a dinner meeting with Representative Riesberg on November 14th. Jerry Johnson, CMS Lobbyist, attended the meeting and was very impressed with our doctors. He wrote, “Your meeting was one of the best I have attended. Your Docs were carefully selected and really well prepared for the meeting. They had read the materials, even the "Cliff Notes." I know that Rep. Riesberg was impressed as well. The continued efforts to build relationships with our legislators will serve us well in the upcoming legislative session. A huge thanks to these physicians who have volunteered their time for this important grassroots lobbying campaign. We plan to meet with Sen. Renfroe, Glenn Vaad and Jerry Sonnenberg the first two weeks in December. Call Jackie at 353-2596, if you would like to be a part of the meeting.
  • WCMS/LCMS Joint Legislative Night - download the pdf presentation pdf

Noteworthy Appointments

  • Dr. Mark Wallace was appointed to the Blue Ribbon Commission for comprehensive state health care reform established under SB 208.
  • Weld County is well represented on the Physician Congress for Health Care Reform, which Colorado Medical Society established to address health care reform issues and provide guidance for the Blue Ribbon Commision.
    • Randall Marsh, MD
    • Patricia Mayer, MD
    • Patricia Powell, MD
    • Daphne Rommereim-Madden, MD
    • Gene Tullis, MD