Statement on Final Passage of the Reconciliation Bill

Annie Lee, president and CEO of Colorado Access, released the following statement after the budget reconciliation package that includes significant cuts to Medicaid funding was passed by Congress:   

“The final passage of the reconciliation bill is a devastating setback for the health of Colorado and our nation. This legislation makes harmful changes to vital programs that support the health and well-being of Coloradans with low incomes and complex needs. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Coloradans will face new and unnecessary barriers to accessing essential medical care and benefits. Our providers will be forced to make heartbreaking choices about what services they can still afford to provide, and our state budget will be forced to absorb both the immediate impacts of the loss in federal dollars and the long-term impacts of the declining health of our communities. 

Colorado Access will continue to do everything we can to lessen the impact of these policy changes, advocate for our members, and partner with others who are dedicated to building a health care system that works for everyone—especially those who are too often left behind. 

Our commitment remains the same: to advocate for equitable, person-centered health care and to work with our partners across the state to protect and support those most at risk. We will continue to elevate the voices of our members and ensure that their needs remain at the forefront of any policy conversation.”