Curry, Roberts plan to delay mandate moratorium

One hurdle has been lowered for this session’s proposed state legislation that would seek to force health insurance companies to cover more people and more conditions in Colorado. State Reps Kathleen Curry and Ellen Roberts have decided to postpone a controversial moratorium on health insurance mandates in a bill they argue will improve the mandate process .

Lt. Gov. O’Brien wrapping up application for federal education-reform funds

While Gov. Bill Ritter navigates the media storm set in motion by the surprise announcement that he will not run for reelection in 2010, Lt. Governor Barbara O’Brien is busy wrapping up the Colorado application to win K-12 school funding through the federal Department of Education’s $5 billion Race to the Top program. The program aims to reward innovative approaches to education reform. O’Brien is proposing new student performance testing and teacher evaluation, among other things. She spoke with the Colorado Independent over the holidays about the proposal and why many districts in the state have yet to sign on to the application.

Insurance industry pushing measure to stall maternity bill

A proposed bill that would institute a one-year moratorium on insurance mandates aims to wipe out a number of measures slated for next session, including legislation that would require Colorado insurance companies to cover maternity care and birth control.

The moratorium is being proposed by the Colorado State Association of Health Underwriters (CSAHU), according to CSAHU lobbyist Cindy Sovine-Miller. Although the health insurance industry group is still working to land Senate sponsors, Sovine-Miller said she expects Ellen Roberts, a Durango Republican, and Kathleen Curry, a Western Slope Democrat-turned-Independent to carry the bill in the House.

Among states, Colorado lags in providing for reproductive care

A new bill that would mandate Colorado insurance companies to cover birth control and maternity care is aimed at addressing the conditions that place Colorado among the worst states in the nation when it comes to providing for reproductive health.

When you care enough to send the very best vaccination reminder

Colorado parents of infants will soon begin to receive a Hallmark card… reminding them to vaccinate their children!

This week, Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien announced a partnership with Hallmark Card, Inc., to send all Colorado parents a Hallmark card…

Coloradoans working to block federal health-care reform

The libertarian-leaning Independence Institute is already at work on a state constitutional amendment that would block some of the proposed federal health care reforms, reports Jessica Fender at the The Denver Post.

State Rep. Kathleen Curry switches party affiliation

On Monday, State Rep. Kathleen Curry, a Western Slope Democrat who has often spearheaded legislation aimed at the oil and gas industry, switched her party affiliation from Democrat to “unaffiliated.”

Ritter, health groups back bill to address crisis in rural care

A bill proposed for the next legislative session would improve a state loan-repayment program for rural health professionals with the aim of attracting more providers to rural areas. The Colorado Rural Health Center (CRHC), the Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN) and the Governor’s office are jointly proposing the bill, according to Terri Hurst, policy analyst at CRHC. She expected it to be sponsored by Representative Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, and Senator John Morse D-Colorado Springs.

Stimulus funds aimed at rural areas dumped into metro regions

Nearly a quarter of the stimulus aid assigned to rural areas— most of it in loan guarantees for home buyers— has actually gone to large metropolitan areas, reports USA Today. The money has been channeled to outlying regions of metropolitan…

Visit the mall, buy a t-shirt, check on your kids’ report card

Aurora parents who want to know how their children are doing in school can now head to the mall– to the Town Center at Aurora shopping center, where two new school kiosks were unveiled earlier this month.