The Health Care Policy Center’s focus is on public policy that safeguards consumers’ ability to determine their own choices about their own health care and the care of their families. HCPC fights the expansion of government directed health care that infringes upon individual choice. Director Linda Gorman has earned a reputation as one of the nation’s leading experts in free market health care issues.
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Mandatory Bicycle Helmets0
- HEALTH CARE - Issue Backgrounder
- June 18, 1999
Summary: House Bill 1103 bill assumes that parents do not sufficiently protect their children against the risk of cycling head injuries. It would replace parental decisions about appropriate risk with a government rule that would fine the parents of children who do not wear bicycle helmets when cycling.
What the Bill Does: Parents of anyone under 16 years of age who is operating or riding a bicycle on a public roadway, bicycle lane, or bicycle path and who is not wearing an approved bicycle helmet as the helmet was designed to be worn would be at fault. They will be cited for a class B traffic infraction with a minimum of a $15 fine.
READ MOREAcademic Frauds0
- HEALTH CARE - Op-Eds
- June 16, 1999
Efforts to stoke public fears that the electromagnetic fields emitted by power lines, home wiring, and household appliances can cause illness have been a growth industry for some time. Fringe environmentalists applaud any finding likely to induce anti-technology hysteria and trial lawyers salivate over the prospect of damage settlements wrenched from the deep industrial pockets. Research money continues to flow despite an existing body of evidence overwhelmingly suggesting that there is no cause for concern.
READ MORECreating a Colorado Health Care Task Force0
- HEALTH CARE - Issue Backgrounder
- March 12, 1999
Synopsis: This bill allows a state task force to receive private funding. It is a trojan horse to allow the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to push for socialized medicine and various nanny state schemes. The bill is antithetical to the principle that government activities should be paid for (and therefore controlled by) the legislature.
What the Bill Does: This bill creates the Colorado Health Care Task Force consisting of 9 members of the general assembly, 5 from the House of Representatives, and 4 from the Senate. The Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate make the appointments. Members may serve for 2 consecutive terms of 1 year. The task force must meet at least 4 times per year.
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Just Who are The "We" of "We Pay," Anyway?0
- HEALTH CARE - Op-Eds
- February 24, 1999
The claim that a particular behavior imposes costs on “society” is often used to justify government regulation. “Libertarianism or personal freedom cant be justified when it reaches into the pockets of others,” said Representative Dorothy Gotlieb (R-Denver) in support of her bill letting police stop and ticket motorists not wearing seatbelts, “With increased use of seat belts we can expect $80 million in savings in accident health care, insurance and related costs.”
READ MORETobacco Settlement Revenue: The Money Belongs to the Taxpayers, not the Government0
- HEALTH CARE - Op-Eds
- February 11, 1999
Synopsis: Senate Bill 99-054 Synopsis: Senate Bill 99-054 is one of several bills dealing with revenues from the recent Tobacco Settlement. SB 54 is superior to most of the other bills, because it requires the revenue to be placed in a trust fund. But it is illegitimate for the legislature to keep any of the tobacco settlement money, since the money is a de facto tax increase on tobacco. Tobacco settlement revenues should be refunded to the people, either through a general tax cut, or through programs to compensate the alleged victims of the tobacco companies–namely the smokers.
READ MOREVisiting Nurse Programs: A Good Idea, but Not with Tobacco Loot0
- HEALTH CARE - Issue Backgrounder
- February 10, 1999
Senate Bill 132 contains many provisions for what to do with the revenue from the new tobacco Asettlement@ (really, a new tobacco tax). The most worthwhile of these is for a visiting nurse program for at-risk new mothers. Such programs have an established record of success. In the long run, visiting nurse programs save the government a great deal of money, including reduced welfare and criminal justice costs. Any Visiting Nurse or similar program should be carefully structured to avoid civil liberties problems.
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Contact
Linda Gorman, Director, Health Care Policy Center
Email: Linda@i2i.org
Phone: 303-279-6536, ext 107