Source: KGNU
Lawmakers expected to debate budget shortfall
Colorado lawmakers are working to finalize the state’s budget and fill a billion and a half dollar shortfall. The state’s latest economic forecast showed a worsening economy. Coupled with much higher state costs for Medicaid, Colorado is looking at steep cuts.
Republican Assistant House Minority Leader Ty Winter blames Democratic policies that he says make it harder for people to find good paying jobs, saying, “They have to be hooked on government money and government subsidies like a drug. And they don’t want to be, they’re proud people, they want to work, but when you have nowhere to go and no job to be in, then you’re relegated to be on these programs.”
Democrats say higher costs for medical care and more Medicaid recipients using programs are driving cost increases. Lawmakers are expected to debate the budget in the coming weeks.
This story was reported by the Colorado Capitol News Alliance.
Should Colorado charge fees on large employers that don’t insure all workers?
Rep. Lisa Feret from Arvada has a plan to fill the gap between the state’s medicaid funding and increasing medicaid costs. House Bill 1327 would require some large companies to pay $2,300 for each worker whose pay is low enough to qualify for Medicaid. The goals of the fee would be to provide money to the state to support Medicaid providers and to encourage employers to offer health care to more of their employees.
According to legislative analysis, at least 25,000 Coloradans on Medicaid work for companies that would be impacted by the bill. Those companies include Walmart, Amazon, and Target. Other states, like New Jersey, Washington, and Oregon, are looking at similar ideas.
Feret said she planned to amend the bill to include additional reporting requirements, so the state could monitor how the large companies were adapting. Watching how the workforce is impacted.
Large employers are opposed to the bill. Katie Wolf, of the Colorado Retail Council, said: “The way that taxes work currently is that everyone pays in and a lot of that money goes to Medicaid now, so I would say all these companies are paying their fair share and what they’re supposed to be paying to cover employees.”
HB-1327 is set for its first committee hearing on Tuesday. If passed, the measure would take effect in Aug 2028.
