Council notes: Fort Collins to consider Medicare for All resolution after community push – Coloradoan

Fort Collins City Council will consider a resolution in support of Medicare for All after hearing community members’ passionate testimony and personal stories about the shortcomings of America’s health care system.

Also on Tuesday, council moved ahead with building and plumbing code updates after discussion about balancing the city’s climate and housing goals.

Here are highlights from Tuesday’s council meeting. If you’re craving more detail, head over to my Twitter, @jacymarmaduke, where I live-tweet most council meetings.

Fort Collins residents urge council to take ‘first step’ on Medicare for All

Community members asked council to use its clout to support Medicare for All, a vision for universal and affordable government-sponsored health insurance.

Members of community groups Larimer County Health Care Action and Democratic Socialists of America Fort Collins, among others, were part of an outreach campaign encouraging council to pass a resolution in support of Medicare for All. The outreach included over 100 emails and about 10 people speaking at public comment.

Anders Fremstad, an associate professor of economics at Colorado State University, noted that over 28,000 Larimer County residents don’t have health insurance, which prevents them from living up to their full potential and “results in completely avoidable sickness and death.” Many of those who do have coverage are on high-deductible plans they can’t afford, he added.

“Our broken health care system places huge economic burdens on residents and businesses,” he said. “International evidence suggests that single payer systems can substantially reduce costs by cutting administrative overhead and regulating the price of drugs and procedures. Our current health care system is a moral failure and an economic disaster.”

DSA member Larson Ross told council about an accident at a warehouse he worked at over the summer, when a 600-pound pallet fell from 30 feet and nearly crushed four people. He recalled seeing his coworkers badly injured. Their employer initially promised to help with their medical costs but ultimately “broke that promise” and denied help to employees who couldn’t afford their insurance premiums, Ross said.

“These are the after-effects of having a health care system where your employer is in charge of whether or not you get care,” he said.

Fort Collins resident Dr. Cathy Egan, a family physician at Loveland Community Health Center, said she sees people turn down essential medications, tests and surgeries every day because they can’t afford the costs. She called the American health care system “a patchwork of services with gaping holes in coverage.”

“People often ask me, will doctors want to work in a Medicare for All system?” Egan said. “The truth is that physicians have been slowly losing their autonomy with the increasing complexity and corporatization of medicine.”

Horse and Dragon Brewery co-owner Carol Cochran recalled the tumultuous early months of the pandemic, when she and her husband had to lay off four brewery employees and leave them without health insurance. She said it’s ludicrous to attach health insurance to jobs “in a society that has the resources to provide basic health care to everyone.”

“I understand that my business will most likely be paying for some share of Medicare for All, and I’m very willing to be required to pay into this at the proposed rates, which are actually lower than what we’re currently paying,” she said.

Commenters emphasized the resolution’s tie-in with council’s adopted Legislative Policy Agenda and urged them to them to go further with a formal resolution.

“I know you’re just a city council; I know you don’t make big decisions on this stuff, but it’s really important that you take the first step and signal to people like me that we shouldn’t give up on local government,” Fort Collins resident and CSU student Jack Hermanson said.

Attendees also pressed U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse, who was at the meeting virtually for a community update, about what he’ll do to pass universal health care legislation. Neguse said he feels hopeful that the topic is gaining momentum, noting that the number of cosponsors on the House of Representatives’ Medicare for All bill has doubled from about 60 to over 120 co-sponsors. Neguse was an original co-sponsor of the bill and is vice chair of the Medicare For All Caucus.

Council members asked staff to draft a resolution during the “other business” portion of their meeting, where council members can initiate new agenda items with approval from at least three members. Mayor Jeni Arndt, Mayor pro-tem Emily Francis and other council members said they’d like to see a draft resolution at an upcoming meeting. Staff said they can likely get a draft together by the April 5 meeting without compromising the timeline for executing any of council’s priorities.

“Some resolutions we do have the impact of policy, and some resolutions we do are statements of support,” Arndt said. “Because this does align with our adopted legislative policy, I think it’s a good fit for Fort Collins.”

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Building and plumbing code discussion prompts cost concerns

Council had an in-depth discussion about building and plumbing codes, ultimately approving a slew of updates on first reading with a plan to fine-tune some of them on second reading in April.

The city updates its building and plumbing codes every three years. They’re meant to preserve health, safety and general welfare while also advancing the city’s housing and climate goals.

Here are some of the major changes for this update, including local amendments:

Improved insulation and windows with energy efficiency in mindRadon testing requirementsImproved water efficiency for plumbing structuresRequirements for “solar ready” buildingsRequirements for electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Council member Shirley Peel was concerned about how the new requirements would increase costs for developers, which would be passed on to residents. But other council members said the new requirements are essential if the city wants to meet its climate goals, which include marked improvements in home energy efficiency and an 80% reduction in community greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.

Several commenters encouraged council to adopt more aggressive code requirements proposed by Fort Collins Sustainability Group, which suggested code changes to reduce building natural gas use, increase energy efficiency requirements by 20% and increase EV parking spot requirements, among others. Council didn’t take up any of the suggestions, though council member Kelly Ohlson said he wanted council to investigate them further.

Another commenter, Joe Rowan, said the city’s cost projections underestimated how the code requirements would affect building costs.

After back-and-forth with staff, Francis proposed changes to the EV infrastructure requirements for affordable housing. Some council members were interested in reducing the requirement to keep down the costs of affordable housing. Francis also proposed a requirement for single-user bathrooms to be gender neutral, as suggested by commenter Emily Gallichotte.

Staff said they could make the changes, including options for the EV requirements, by council’s April 5 meeting.

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Next up for council

At Tuesday’s work session, council will review a draft of the city’s 2022 Strategic Plan and discuss Fort Collins air quality. The strategic plan is a five-year roadmap of council and community priorities that the city adjusts every few years. It heavily influences the city budget and guides council’s work.

Public participation isn’t allowed at work sessions, but you can watch the meeting remotely or share feedback via email (cityleaders@fcgov.com). Viewing instructions are posted at fcgov.com/cityclerk/agendas.php in advance of the meeting.

Jacy Marmaduke covers government accountability for the Coloradoan. Follow her on Twitter @jacymarmaduke. Support her work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.