Too, the public is not of one mind as to whether or how health reform should be achieved, with public opinion polls showing inconsistent findings. On the one hand, some Coloradans view access to basic health care services as a right that should be available to all, rather than a commodity available only to those who can pay. On the other hand, many are wary about committing to specific solutions such as providing more public financing or requiring employers to provide coverage. Support for expanding coverage also is diluted by insured individuals' fear of losing benefits or compromising on quality, and misperceptions about those who are uninsured and what consequences they face as a result. Nevertheless, consumer advocacy groups are well-positioned to leverage public awareness around coverage issues and to build a strong base of support to drive reform. To ensure that these organizations are informed about the financial and human implications of Colorado's costly and inefficient health system, The Colorado Trust has funded such efforts as analysis of the economic implications of inaction on health reform and the Colorado household survey to collect information about Coloradans who are un- and underinsured. The Trust also has invested in building the capacity of numerous consumer advocacy organizations to ensure that they engage the voices of diverse individuals, groups and communities so that together, they can create and support shared solutions that lead to a healthy future. Of course, consumers alone cannot fix Colorado's health care system. Businesses, insurers, health care providers and policymakers also have a stake in expanding access to health, but too often have splintered around their different conceptions of "the" central problem: rising numbers of uninsured, escalating health care costs, quality deficits and inefficiencies, access barriers and inappropriate use of services. While many agree that it is important to provide health care coverage to everyone, stakeholder groups often disagree on the extent to which these other issues should take priority or should be tackled simultaneously. The recent example of the Colorado Blue Ribbon Commission for Healthcare Reform demonstrates that achieving consensus across diverse stakeholder interests is possible if health care reform recommendations are comprehensive and strive to balance the many competing policy priorities. In fact, the challenges associated with access, cost and quality are complex and interdependent. Tinkering with one dimension of the system may affect another in unforeseen ways. |
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