It’s no secret Coloradans are struggling to make ends meet; and, frankly, so is our state, with an estimated budget deficit of $750 million.

With the Colorado General Assembly in session, lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have pledged to enact policies that make living in Colorado more affordable. Though Democrats and Republicans have different views on how to achieve this, both parties recognize the reality that everyday working families are struggling financially as the cost of living rises.

Unfortunately, new legislation under consideration at the State Capitol — House Bill 1094 — jeopardizes access to affordable health care for millions of Coloradans and their families who receive health insurance coverage through their employer or union — and it will hurt working families and minorities especially hard. Though many state lawmakers pledged to support hardworking Colorado communities during the most recent election cycle, this bill would take our state backward in terms of health care affordability.

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Far from a reform that reins in rising prescription drug prices, HB-1094 would saddle Colorado patients with higher prescription drug costs while giving a major windfall to Big Pharma.

In the private health care marketplace, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) are incentivized to secure higher savings for the employers and unions that hire them to save money on their prescription drug benefit plans. Employers and unions rely on PBMs to secure substantial savings and help lower monthly premiums for workers enrolled in their health plans.

If HB-1094 passes, it will lead to soaring premiums for Colorado’s working families and minority communities. In fact, one analysis found “delinking,” as this policy is known, would cause premiums to skyrocket by more than $118 million in just the first year alone for the more than 3.3 million Coloradans who get their health insurance through the commercial market.

This cost, quite frankly, would be a slap in the face for Coloradans already struggling to make ends meet — with one out of five people avoiding filling prescriptions or getting the care they need due to cost concerns, according to a survey from the Colorado Health Institute in 2023. That number has undoubtedly increased in the years since as inflationary pressures have taken an even higher toll on the budgets of working families everywhere.

In an uncertain economic climate, every dollar counts, and these increased costs will make it that much harder for hardworking Colorado families and minority communities to afford the health care they need and deserve.

As a leader in the Ethiopian-American Community , I know firsthand our elected officials are committed to ensuring Coloradans have access to affordable, high-quality health care coverage. Colorado’s Great Senate President James Coleman himself affirmed this commitment ahead of the current legislative session, making clear lawmakers will be prioritizing affordability of “high-quality health care” and “solutions to lower the cost of living.” Meanwhile, Speaker Julie McCluskie has made clear her chamber will focus on “prioritizing working families,” “lowering the cost of health insurance,” and “making our state more affordable.”

HB-1094 will take us further away from achieving those goals, as it would increase health care costs while lining Big Pharma’s pockets and hurting Colorado patients, families and union members in the process.

I sincerely hope our state’s lawmakers stay true to their commitments by acting in the best interests of millions of Colorado patients and rejecting HB-1094.

Samuel G. Michael is president of the Ethiopian Community of Colorado which has more than 3,500 members.