2011 Legislative Session in Review
State Budget Program Cuts
The 2011 State Legislative Session was by far one of the most challenging to date. ACS CAN members from across the state fought harder than ever to keep state funding intact for the Colorado Colorectal Screening Program, the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program and the State Tobacco Education and Prevention Program. Advocates in the Denver area attended a rally led by ACS CAN in partnership with Susan G. Komen and the Colorado Cancer Coalition to draw media attention to the devastating cuts being proposed to these life saving programs.
Although the final budget bill did include proposed cuts to priority programs, ACS CAN members made their voices heard in a way that prompted legislators in both the House and the Senate to run amendments to try and reduce the size of the cuts.
In the end, screening and treatment programs were cut between 44 and 77 percent and tobacco prevention and cessation programs were reduced by 76 percent. Although these cuts are incredibly devastating, the tobacco tax revenues that fund these programs will eventually be restored, and it is up to us as cancer advocates to continue fighting just as hard to make that restoration happen next year.
SB 11-200
ACS CAN’s other priority effort for the 2011 session was the passage of SB200 which establishes a governing structure for a Colorado health benefit exchange. The bill finally passed the legislature and was sent on to the Governor during the final days of the session, he is expected to sign the bill into law in the coming week.
From ACS CAN’s perspective, SB200 is not a perfect bill. There were several components of the bill that did not align with ACS CAN’s ideal exchange policy such as the allowance of a legislative committee to have oversight over the exchange board. The bill also allows for some board members to be affiliated with the insurance industry.
There were however, some components of the bill that aim to protect consumers and thus cancer patients. The bill includes a requirement that a majority of the exchange board represent consumers or small businesses. Given the partisan split in the legislature, passage of this bill, even with the compromises made, is a good first step towards the creation of an exchange that will help cancer patients access the health care they need, and make coverage for care more affordable.
