Colorado, the anti-Florida

Colorado natives can brag about being the least-obese in the nation. They climb mountains and breathe clean, non-humid air. Maybe all that energy is why they are moving ahead to implement some of the consumer protections in federal health reform, way ahead of the deadlines.
 
As American Medical News reports, Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter has already signed into law four bills that require companies to use easy-to-read plain language in their health and auto insurance policies and standard forms for explanation of benefits.

The state also will offer loan-repayment incentives to primary-care professionals to practice in rural and underserved areas and is beefing up its nurse loan-forgiveness program.

Probably most important, Ritter appointed people to be in charge of implementing these initiatives.

Oddly enough, the governor moved ahead to implement the consumer protections even while his state is contesting the Constitutionality of the health reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). That lawsuit was filed in Florida by Attorney Gen. Bill McCollum, who just happens to be running for the Republican nomination for governor.

While Colorado jumped to enact the consumer protections that are part of the ACA, Florida officials have spent their time and energy promising to get the ACA repealed through the ballot box or thrown out through the courts. 

When Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius asked states whether they would prefer to run their own high-risk pools for people who can't buy coverage or leave it up to the federal government, Gov. Charlie Crist said, "'no thanks," turning down $351 million. Meanwhile, Florida's high-risk pool remains closed, as it has been for almost 20 years, while the folks who remain enrolled in it gradually die off.

Crist said Floridians with health problems don't need a high risk pool because they can get coverage through his "Cover Florida" program. Anyone who has seriously considered enrolling in the Cover Florida program, as I once did, would realize that the coverage offered is so limited that it isn't worth the price.

Nothing has been heard on these issues from Sean Shaw, the state's insurance consumer advocate in the Division of Financial Services in Tallahassee. You may be surprised to know there is such a person, because he keeps an extremely low profile. That could be because his boss, DFS Secretary Alex Sink, is running for governor and wants to be the one in  the spotlight.

Shaw, who has reportedly been lobbying for consumers on property insurance issues this year, likely realizes that the current crop of lawmakers won't accept any additional protections on health insurance, especially none that are part of a federal law they despise. But Shaw could at least speak out so that there would be someone for reporters to quote.

Florida's Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty has also spent the past few weeks finding fault with the ACA. This week he said the requirement that insurers spend at least 80 percent of the premium for patient care is much too high and could force some to stop writing business in the state. And he worries about what will  happen to the 230,000 agents in the state if they lose their jobs.

There are many agents I've come to know and admire and I'm concerned about them, too, in a humanitarian sense. But what about the 4 million uninsured in this state? Who cares about them?  What about those who have insurance but can't understand their coverage? What about those who buy the wrong plan by mistake? And those who get fooled by the phony claims of discount cards and association health plans?

There is much consumer protection that needs to be done now. Colorado officials seem to recognize that. Florida's either don't see it, or don't care.

--Carol Gentry, Editor, can be reached at 727-410-3266 or by e-mail. We welcome Letters to the Editor!