The special legislative session scheduled for September 20th vividly illustrates the disordered priorities that have resulted from the politicization of health care. According to a July press release from the governor’s office, Governor Owens wants to divert $1.6 million from the Tobacco Settlement Fund’s Cessation and Research Programs to “help optimize services to approximately 50 women diagnosed each year through the early detection program who currently may have to wait for potential life-saving treatment.” In the political calculus, breast cancer victims deserve tax-funded treatment. No word about treating the low-income men and women dying from other kinds of disease.
The 2001-2002 Appropriations Report from the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee shows that the state’s operating budget is $13,030,000,000, roughly $4,300,000,000 of which is already slated for human services and health care spending. In 2000, Colorado’s population was 4,301,261. This means that every year every man, woman, and child in the state already writes a check for $1,000 to pay for helping those the state considers unable to help themselves.
READ MOREColorado health care “reformers” usually claim that government control of health care raises quality and lowers cost. In fact, government involvement does just the opposite. For proof, one need look no further than the way the state Medicaid programs treat the severely mentally ill.
READ MOREColorado health care “reformers” usually claim that government control of health care raises quality and lowers cost. In fact, government involvement does just the opposite. For proof, one need look no further than the way the state Medicaid programs treat the severely mentally ill.
READ MORE