Editor: I am a disabled immigrant living with chronic conditions while also caretaking for, and managing complex health needs of an elder. We are making a home in Colorado where my elder, who is also an immigrant and lives with advanced disability and dementia, remains uninsured. While access to care is of utmost importance to my family, structural barriers have made it nearly impossible for us to do that affordably.
The Colorado Option is the change our communities need and deserve, and I am grateful for the work of many advocates, peers and friends who were instrumental in its passage. In the early conversations about the Colorado Option, I remember thinking, “Wow… this is necessary, overdue, and now, possible?” The Colorado Legislature made it a reality this year. My deep gratitude for this is anchored in the fact that my uninsured elder continues to enjoy stable health despite a raging pandemic and progressively debilitating conditions. I am looking forward to the law’s implementation, to accessing affordable health coverage for my elder, and to countless others in this state being able to access care affordably. I am looking forward to change.
But, we need to make sure that consumers continue to be involved in the process. We have the exciting opportunity to craft a standardized plan that actually works for us.
Visit cohealth.co/standardplan to make your voice heard and inform the process. To learn more about the stakeholder process and get involved, go to: Colorado Option | DORA Division of Insurance.
— Vic Gomez Betancourt, via letters@sentinelcolorado.com