Trump taps television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead key Medicare and Medicaid agency

Trump taps television personality Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead key Medicare and Medicaid agency

Washington — President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has selected Dr. Mehmet Oz — a celebrity heart surgeon who hosted a daytime television show — to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The agency falls under the Department of Health and Human Services and oversees Medicare, the federal portion of the Medicaid program, … Read more

Medicare Part B Premium Hike Outpaces 2025 Social Security COLA, Tightening Seniors’ Monthly Budgets

Medicare Part B Premium Hike Outpaces 2025 Social Security COLA, Tightening Seniors’ Monthly Budgets

Healthcare costs have been a long-standing challenge for US retirees. Estimates show that the average retired couple at 65 could spend north of $300,000 on healthcare expenses in retirement. Meanwhile, the average retirement savings for married couples aged between 65 and 74 is around $609,230. Millions of retirees depend on their monthly Social Security checks … Read more

Gov. Jared Polis’ 2025 budget proposal includes $640 million in cuts

Gov. Jared Polis’ 2025 budget proposal includes 0 million in cuts

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is proposing a year of “belt-tightening” to make up for softening inflation and higher Medicaid costs. He presented his budget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year on Friday afternoon. It doesn’t account for Tuesday’s elections, which include some potentially costly measures on the state ballot. The next legislature, which is also … Read more

Economy in presidential race and on Colorado ballot in election

Economy in presidential race and on Colorado ballot in election

One of the top issues on the minds of Colorado voters this election is the cost of living, with about 15% in the ongoing Voter Voices survey by media outlets across the state saying they intend to focus first on the economy as they mark their ballots. Coloradans are concerned about the price of housing, … Read more

Abortion in presidential race and on Colorado ballot in the election

Abortion in presidential race and on Colorado ballot in the election

Abortion is a hot topic in the November election at multiple levels, but particularly on the Colorado ballot, which features Amendment 79 — a proposed change that would enshrine the state’s abortion protections in the state constitution. The fate of abortion access is currently determined by the states following the 2022 overturning of Roe v. … Read more

Colorado economic forecasts show TABOR refunds impacted by tax credits

Colorado economic forecasts show TABOR refunds impacted by tax credits

Expect Colorado’s upcoming state tax refund to be the last big one for a while. Forecasts by legislative economists released on Thursday predict a softening of economic conditions, tighter budget forecasts and recent changes to state law. Together, those are expected to decrease state refunds due under Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, from … Read more

Rep. Brittany Pettersen’s bill incentivizes states to cover drug treatment

Rep. Brittany Pettersen’s bill incentivizes states to cover drug treatment

A new bill introduced in Congress by U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen seeks to incentivize more states to offer drug abuse treatment through Medicaid, six years after she sponsored a bill requiring Colorado to provide that care. The bill was introduced in the U.S. House late last month. If passed, it would make it easier for … Read more

Colorado ballot will have abortion, cat hunting, ranked-choice voting

Colorado ballot will have abortion, cat hunting, ranked-choice voting

Colorado voters are set to weigh in on ballot questions related to abortion rights, veterinary services, mountain lion trophy hunting and an overhaul of the state’s election system in November. The deadline to finalize the state’s ballot is coming Friday, but all of the citizen initiatives — meaning ballot questions pursued by members of the … Read more

Georgia’s Pathways plan failed the first year. Can a Medicaid plan requiring work succeed?

Georgia’s Pathways plan failed the first year. Can a Medicaid plan requiring work succeed?

By now, Georgia officials expected their new Medicaid plan, the only one in the nation with a work requirement, to provide health insurance to 25,000 low-income residents and possibly tens of thousands more. But a year since its launch, Pathways to Coverage has roughly 4,300 members, much lower than what state officials projected and a … Read more

Colorado abortion rights ballot initiative qualifies for ballot

Colorado abortion rights ballot initiative qualifies for ballot

Colorado voters in November will decide whether to make abortion a state constitutional right after the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office announced Friday that backers of a ballot initiative had gathered enough signatures. Advocates for the measure turned in 159,930 valid signatures last month — more than enough to place the question on the ballot, … Read more