The American Health Care Act, which is being drafted in Congress, would mean higher prices for some consumers, less coverage, and tax breaks for big drug and insurance companies. These tax breaks will result in the increased premiums and out of pocket costs and the weakening of Medicare.

Don't be fooled. The bill includes a push for a Medicare voucher system, sometimes called premium support. This is an effort to shift costs onto more than 759,500 individual Coloradans enrolled in Medicare. In other words, our seniors will have to pay more to get needed care - if you can even afford it under a voucher system and if access is granted (no guarantee). More people will be forced to choose between health care and other necessities. Getting sick will become riskier than ever.

Worse yet the state of Colorado will also need to bear the cost of assistance for Medicaid recipients. Whether these are younger persons with special needs or the elderly who rely on Medicaid for expensive medical treatments and nursing home care, under TABOR, Colorado will have very difficult budget choices pitting roads, schools, and seniors against each other.

Rising healthcare costs are a problem for Americans of all ages and political views. Placing a higher age tax on those over 50, forming (again) high risk pools, and pricing seniors out of medical insurance while offering pharmaceutical and insurance companies large tax breaks is not the change you need or voted for. Please contact your senators and ask them to oppose this bill.

Shirley J Leow,

Lakewood