When Colorado began to consider expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, some advocates pitched what they believed would be a key benefit: Hospital prices and premiums for people covered by private policies would drop once more people were insured. The theory was that by increasing Medicaid payments and reducing Colorado’s uninsured rate, hospitals would no longer need to shift as much of their costs to individuals with private insurance, thereby bringing their rates down. But in the decade since the state expanded Medicaid, costs have not gone down for Coloradans with private insurance and overall health care expenses have yet to be reined in, according to two reports released in recent weeks. Instead, Colorado hospitals’ costs grew 60.3 percent during a nine-year period, while payments to hospitals for the care they provide exceeded that, jumping by about 66 percent, according to a draft report by the state Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. “Medicaid expansion was definitely not a failure, but it also did not bring down costs for people outside of Medicaid,” said Joe Hanel, managing director of communications for the Colorado Health Institute. The reports come as hospitals are facing intense scrutiny from lawmakers for rising costs and the profits they brought in amid a construction spree.
Colorado Hospital Prices Jumped Despite “hope” Medicaid Expansion Would Curtail Costs, Reports Say
Jessica Seaman, Denver Post: Politics
Wed, 02/20/2019 - 6:00am
Topics: joe hanel polis hospitals kim bimestefer colorado department the colorado hospital association medicare julie lonborg for obamacare cari frank center improving value related articles denver there s we ve colorado medicaid care health financing medicaid hanel hanel colorado health institute related coloradans colorado colorado hospital association colorado colorado i the hope reports hospital prices curtail costs state insurance private lawmakers expenses expanding percent people shift cover bring profits rate spokeswoman uninsured high-cost pay commercial rates decisions companies expanded claims covered bill released policies affordable strategic period continue high focus nine-year policy extended program advocates payments agency director act building rising spree
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