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Cost of Health Care

The unpredictable and rising cost of health care affects our choices about how, when and where to seek care. It touches every part of our lives, as health care costs climb for individuals, families and employers. Learn more about cost solutions recommended by Coloradans and contribute your own ideas. You may have questions similar to those being voiced by other Coloradans. Learn more about how to find the care you need.

Are you looking for a doctor or other health care professional?
• Colorado Consumer Health Initiative Health Coverage Resource links can help you find programs that may meet your health care needs.	• Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved provides links to other websites that provide comprehensive information for people looking for health care services.

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Latest Comments

“All our government did was make things worse. They should be required to have the same coverage as the rest of us. Insurance companies are charging more and covering less.”

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May 18, 2013

“Hi, no we can't afford it but we still MUST. so we pay $343 for me and my baby. my husband is not covered because it would cost us $600 monthly. We still ended up paying more than $7k for our baby in 2011 - on top of paying $6k in premium that year. total $13k (took us a year to pay off because we are 1 income family, no support whatsoever and our income was $54k that year). Please note the L&D was with NO complications, baby was perfectly fine and it was a regular delivery. It ain't right here in CO when you know people in e.g. Wisconsin do not have to pay anything for babies being born there (confirmed by my insurance company) and people in FL pay like $2.5 total. I think all who pay their own insurance need to stop paying for all on wellfare, non payers etc. We need to fix this. PS...I am not moving to WI just to have another baby. But the truth is, we just can't even afford 2nd one because of the health care.”

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May 10, 2013

“I moved to Colorado over 3 years ago and can not afford the health care provided in the Western Slope area. I knew I had a potential medical issue needing attention; however, due to emergency surgeries prior, I had to wait a year before any other surgery could be attempted to remove the cancer in my body. Now, after 3 years of worrying about the cancer in my body, I must continue to wait until I can afford the expensive medical insurance. The sad thing isn't that I have cancer, it's that I bring in a healthy income but until recently, I couldn't even be on my partners health plan and could not afford to pay it by myself. How many of us must unnecessarily die before we have affordable health care?”

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May 6, 2013

“I have been self employed and paying for health care policies for 20+ yrs. I would like a policy that is just catastrophic or what used to be called "major Medical" policy, and available from most insurers who provide car, home & life etc. The cost would be significantly lower if it were just for major catastrophic illness/surgery. I have a $10,000 a year deductible on my health policy now which is what I have it for just in case of an emergency etc. The premiums go up EVERY YEAR at least 23-25% and I used to jump to new plans but now they have fixed that option and no longer offer lower premiums for newly enrolled. WHY IS THERE NO DISCOUNT FOR STAYING IN A PLAN? I've had to raise the deductible 2-$3,000.00 in order to keep the premiums affordable! The guaranteed rate increase demanded by the providers of 23-25% is outrageous! That rate is is standard across the board with providers...coincidence? HA Price fixing?!! My business expenses each year have never gone up 23-25%! I am very healthy and have never submitted a claim! I pay for all of my medical and dental out of pocket. I was VERY disappointed with the Obama health plan. Bill Moyers did a story of how the health bill was crafted...the woman who wrote the policy was and is now a chief exec at you guessed it a national health care corporation! At the rate the increases are going I won't be able to keep paying the 23-25% increases each year!! Now it is mandatory that we have health insurance?!!! Who benefits the most from that, the ones getting the guaranteed 23% profit each year! The system is a MESS!”

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May 5, 2013

“My diagnosis of breast cancer in 2011 left me with two years of $10,000 co-pays which ruined my career. I was stuck. I couldn't change my plan to decrease my deductible . Now I have been diagnosed with leukemia in 2013. I'm a single mom and work full time for a small business. This has left me feeling hopeless and the care I receive as a result of being underinsured is not the quality care others with insurance receive. It's ruined my life”

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May 5, 2013

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