The escalating concern regarding exorbitant health care costs in Colorado and across the country demands immediate attention. The cost of care in Colorado is growing exponentially in comparison to the rest of the country because of fallout from the alarming trend of unchecked hospital consolidation. Large, corporate hospital systems buy up independent doctors’ offices, turn them into hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs), then charge more for the same care previously received at a lower price. It can make care unaffordable for patients.

Thankfully, proposed legislation in the U.S. Senate is a solution for expanding site-neutral payments that establish safeguards against exorbitant and unfair hospital billing practices. These new rules would ensure patients are charged based on the care they receive rather than the location in which they receive it — and ultimately help lower patient costs. The Site-based Invoicing and Transparency Enhancement Act (SITE) is a critical step toward comprehensive reform to bring down the price of health care for consumers.

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Urgent action is necessary to address unfair hospital billing practices. I ask U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet to take a decisive stance in favor of lower health care costs and provide relief to our community by supporting the SITE Act. In passing this much-needed reform, Congress could pave the way for a health care system that is cutting-edge, affordable and accessible to all.

Roberta Ayala

Thornton City Councilor for Ward 2

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