People called for immediate action to extend health insurance in state Capitol

Lots of people gathered on the steps of the state Capitol Monday and called for immediate action to extend health insurance to all Coloradans.

The Health Care Day of Action was sponsored by a coalition of health care, labor and community groups that spent the day lobbying legislators.

"My family is a victim," Nathan Wilkes, an electrical engineer from Englewood, told the crowd.

Wilkes said his son, Thomas, 3, was born with severe hemophilia. Wilkes has a high-paying job with a small telecom company, but his family is facing disaster as Thomas' medical bills near $1 million. He said his health insurer placed a $1 million cap on payouts then hiked rates and jacked up deductibles for all the other employees in the company.

Wilkes isn't sure what his family will do when the insurance no longer pays for Thomas' care.

"It's been suggested to us my wife and I get a divorce so she and the kids would qualify for Medicaid," Wilkes said.

Those kinds of situations are pushing legislators to take action.

A panel is charged with crafting a proposal to change Colorado's health insurance system. The commission is supposed to submit a plan to legislators by November. Gov. Bill Ritter has said fixing health care is a priority.

steerss@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2282
Source: www.rockymountainnews.com