On behalf of over 700,000 AARP members in Colorado over the age of 50 we are pleased to share our updated bill list.
Some of the highlights:
We strongly support
HB 1008 -No Gender rating in the Individual Health Insurance Market by Rep Sue Schafer and Sen. Morgan Carroll
HB 1122 -Medical Orders Scope Of Treatment by Rep Roberts and Sen. Williams
SB 35 -Retirement Plans Automatic Enrollment by Sen. Newell and Rep. Bradford
We strongly oppose:
HB 1160 -Wellness Incentives Rewards Outcomes by Rep Rice and Sen Mitchell. While we support workplace wellness programs and other initiatives to promote healthy behaviors, and agree that this should be encouraged in health reform, tying incentives to the satisfaction of a particular standard "related to a health factor" is a back door way of discriminating based on someone's preexisting conditions. These are things that that are linked not just to behaviors but also genetics, disabilities, and other factors beyond an individual’s control.
HB 1163 -Interstate Purchase Health Insurance by Rep. Acree and Sen. Scheffel. We have serious concerns with the lack of consumer protection in this bill as the State Insurance Commissioner would not have any authority over policies sold in other states.
SB 74 -PUC Electric Utility Encourage Natural Gas by Sen. Penry. Capitalizing a power contract allows the utility to earn a profit on it and raises the costs for consumers. In utility ratemaking a utility earns profit on capital—that is the investments, such as power plants and transmission lines. They don’t earn profit on workers salaries and the cost of fuel—items which are also included in rates. A clean power contract would normally be a pass through cost to the consumer. If you let the utility earn a profit on the contract, yes, they are more likely to enter into the contracts. They are also more likely to find the highest priced contracts because then they earn more profit.