skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, June 13, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump warns Iran to agree to a deal 'before there is nothing left'; 'No Kings' rallies planned across Massachusetts on Saturday; NV disability advocate alarmed by proposed cuts to Medicaid; Advocates push for economic inclusion during Pride Month in GA.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Democrats demand answers on CA Sen. Padilla's handcuffing and removal from a DHS news conference. Defense Secretary Hegseth defends the administration's protest response as preventative, and Trump vows protests of Saturday's military parade will be met with "heavy" force.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

EV charging stations are harder to find in rural America, improving the mental health of children and teachers is the goal of a new partnership in seven rural states, and a once segregated Mississippi movie theater is born again.

State Legislation Spurs Sharp Drop in Health Insurance Costs

play audio
Play

Thursday, July 18, 2019   

DENVER – Health insurance companies operating in Colorado announced this week that premiums should drop by an average of 18% next year, according to documents released by the Division of Insurance.

Adam Fox, director of strategic engagement for the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, says the state's individual insurance rates have stabilized, and consumers can look forward to lower costs, thanks to work by state legislators and advocates in the last session.

"A lot of the insurance premium reductions that we're seeing for 2020 are really due to Colorado creating what's called a reinsurance program, which is essentially insurance for insurance companies that helps them cover really high cost claims," he states.

Fox adds that efforts to stop surprise out-of-network bills, and a program to allow the purchase of medicine from Canada, also should help drive costs down.

Some Republicans opposed to the reinsurance program called the move a step toward a single payer system, and worried about the costs of having the state step in to pay for the most expensive patients.

Coloradans living in rural areas could see their premiums drop by 27% to 30% on average, a big relief for residents in 14 counties who have been hit with especially high costs, in large part because Anthem was the only carrier offering coverage.

But Fox warns that a case before the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals to repeal the Affordable Care Act along with its consumer protections could throw a wrench into the works.

"The Texas case would potentially wipe out any of the benefits of reinsurance as well as strip away all of the financial assistance available through Connect for Health Colorado and our expanded Medicaid coverage," he states.

Plaintiffs argue that the ACA is unconstitutional after a key part of the law was removed, and that Congress would not have passed the sweeping health law without a penalty for people who didn't buy insurance.

Defendants point out that congressional majorities did vote to keep the rest of the Affordable Care Act intact when they eliminated the individual mandate penalty, as part of the 2017 tax bill.

Disclosure: Colorado Consumer Health Initiative contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Health Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
A single Abercrombie dairy facility will house 12,500 cows. Combined with the planned 25,000-cow Herberg site, these two operations will generate manure equivalent to that of a city of 1.5 million. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

North Dakota is facing growing opposition to two massive dairy operations planned near the Red River. Environmental advocates say the projects could …


Social Issues

play sound

The budget reconciliation bill being considered by the U.S. Senate proposes $863 billion in Medicaid reductions over a decade, with 10.9 million …

Social Issues

play sound

Next Monday marks the beginning of "PROTECT" week, when AARP helps seniors learn the signs of financial fraud. Experts say Maryland seniors can …


Researchers estimate only one in 1,000 sea turtles reaches adulthood. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

As World Sea Turtle Day approaches on Monday, an expert explains threats to sea turtles and their ecological importance along the coasts of the …

Health and Wellness

play sound

As Congress reviews budget slashes to health care in President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," a new evaluation from the nonpartisan Cong…

Sensitive areas such as San Diego's Kendall-Frost Mission Bay Marsh Reserve are experiencing impacts from degraded water quality and sea level rise. (Nancy D. Regan/Flickr)

Environment

play sound

California took a big step Tuesday toward the goal of conserving 30% of land and waters by 2030. The Ocean Protection Council adopted a roadmap to …

Social Issues

play sound

A Kent State University shooting survivor is warning Ohioans and others to take note of the U.S. military's involvement in immigration-related …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Nevadans with disabilities are concerned with proposed federal cuts to Medicaid, despite claims from GOP lawmakers that the cuts target only waste…

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021