After spending the better part of 6 weeks hiding from the redistricting fracas, Democratic wonder boy John Hickenlooper is now serving waffles on another big ticket item — whether to sign a bill for a CHP+ co-pay requirement that would force a hint of market behavior into the government healthcare program, and generate money for the state along the way.

The Children's Basic Healthcare Plan (CHP+) co-pay plan was a major part of the budget compromise that followed weeks of partisan posturing on the state's annual spending plan.

The Denver Post on the details of the plan:

The monthly premiums would only be required of families with household incomes of between 205 percent and 250 percent of the federal poverty level, a class of people who were added in an eligibility expansion in 2009 that was funded by a new fee on hospitals. Under the expansion, a family of four with a total income of $55,875 per year could qualify for CHP+.  

…Twenty-nine states charge some kind of monthly premium for their comparable CHP+ programs, while Colorado and three other states charge an annual enrollment fee.

Republicans pointed out the reason for the bill:

Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen, is co-sponsoring the bill with Hodge and said Republicans question whether the state can afford to cover the class of children under the expanded eligibility.  "I'm not sure this is a promise that should have been made," Gerou said.    

Brophy said there's also an element of personal responsibility at play. "I think people will appreciate their health care more and use it more wisely," he said, "when they participate in paying for it and they have a little skin in the game."

After Senate Democrats voted for the bill, they got cold feet. Now, John Hickenlooper is too — or apparently is too, or something to that effect.

Say what you want about Hick: he isn't a con artist. We predict he will keep his word and sign the bill.

We just think it is peculiar that the only signals that ever come from the Hickenklooper Administration these days seem to be mixed ones.

Colorado needs a Governor who is CEO and in-charge. Hick's bout of flim-flam in the second half of this legislative session is peculiar and unpleasant for those hoping he would forcefully drive the ship of state.