By Amber Alarid, JVA Consulting

The next in our series of “Big Ideas” blogs, which highlight the big ideas of movers and shakers in the social change sector, this blog is based on an interview with Colorado State Senator Irene Aguilar (D-Denver). Senator Aguilar, a physician, advocates for health care coverage for all Coloradans, a goal she says will save the state money on existing services.

The problem

Currently, emergency services are provided to all Coloradans, regardless of health coverage. Providing responsive care rather than preventative and primary care is “markedly more expensive,” says Senator Aguilar, especially when the community is left “arguing over who has to pay for it.” “As long as we’re concerned about controlling costs and not letting people die on the street, we need to come up with a way to address this at the lowest cost possible,” Senator Aguilar asserts.

The solution

Under the Affordable Care Act, individual states are eligible to apply to opt out of the federal health care plan if they propose a plan that is comparably comprehensive and does not impose an additional cost on the federal government. In response to pushback from some on implementing the Affordable Care Act in Colorado, Senator Aguilar set to creating a plan that would both meet the goals outlined by the federal government and create buy-in from all Colorado residents. She has made it a priority to enter into discourse with residents and businesses about their concerns about the Affordable Care Act and how universal health care could be made more attractive.

Senator Aguilar is proposing a bill this year that would call for a referendum, giving citizens the power to vote on whether or not to adopt a health care cooperative. If passed, it is estimated that the bill would cover 99.7 percent of the Colorado population—with the remaining 0.3 percent consisting of individuals who have lived in the state less than one year and therefore do not qualify for resident health benefits. The bill is projected to reduce health care spending by at least four percent more than the Affordable Care Act.

Aguilar’s approach to promoting this bill is as innovative as the bill itself. Senator Aguilar states that, “We’re trying to make this something of the people, for the people and by the people.” To do this, Aguilar is taking a grassroots approach to educating volunteers and interested parties by reaching out to contacts to discuss the bill and asking that they in turn reach out to 10 friends to educate them on the issues and the plan.

This Big Idea is expected to be presented to Colorado residents for a vote in November 2013.

For an overview of the bill Aguilar is proposing, click here. Also, visit Co-operate Colorado’s website for updates on the status of the bill and ideas on how you can get involved.