Republican proposals to replace the Affordable Care Act would hit Colorado’s rural areas hard. That’s the conclusion of a recent report by the Colorado Fiscal Institute, which analyzes economic issues facing the state. The report argues that Colorado has benefited greatly from the ACA, known as Obamacare, with the number of uninsured dropping by more than half. But the report says a bill passed by the U.S. House to repeal and replace Obamacare – which was the basis for a similar bill now before the Senate – would reverse those gains. By cutting federal dollars that now help pay for the Medicaid expansion that covered more people, the GOP proposals would probably force Colorado to slash coverage for many citizens. The report says this would impact rural areas the most because a higher percentage of rural residents depend on the Medicaid expansion than urban dwellers. In addition, rural residents already pay higher medical costs, and the report says the proposed bills would make them pay a greater share of those costs. Colorado Third District Congressman Scott Tipton, a Republican, supports the GOP proposals, while Republican Senator Cory Gardner is reportedly on the fence. On Wednesday, Democratic Senator Michael Bennet, who opposes the measures, said on CNN that they would adversely affect rural hospitals, forcing them to provide more uncompensated care and possibly to close.
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For more on the study, Thamanna Vasan, the report's author, spoke with KSJD's Austin Cope. Click below to listen.
