Dear Friends,

2012! Can you believe it? I surely can’t! One day in 1965 while I was preparing for my wedding I told my father in law (to be) that I just couldn’t wait to be married as I was counting the days. He wisely said to me “Joycie, don’t wish your life away!” I think of those words often and try to savor each day I have especially now that I’m all grown up and am on Medicare!!! I take the advice of my primary care physician, Dr. Oz and learn how to stay healthy.

Our legislative session begins on January 11th and I’m eager to work on issues that affect many of us. I have been preparing to introduce five bills this session. The first bill I will introduce is titled “Preference for US Materials in Public Contracts.” Since the economic downturn began, many politicians have been advocating that we buy made in America products. As individuals we can do our part and buy American made as we choose. For bidders wanting to work on publicly funded projects in Colorado, let’s incentivize them to bid the work with American made products. Bidders could affirm they made best efforts to ensure they are using American made products in the project and could be eligible for a 1% incentive. My goal is to create more manufacturing jobs in America. ABC News ran several segments on this buy American movement. To view the ABC News video, follow this link, and please share your thoughts with me.

Another bill I will introduce is titled “Restore Medicaid Funding for Circumcision.” Disappointingly, last year Colorado became the 17th state to discontinue Medicaid payments for circumcisions, a very common and many say preventive healthcare procedure. The funding elimination was supposed to save the state $186,000 in Medicaid cost. However, the state then lost the same amount in matching federal funds.

I recently visited a friend who is a gynecologist and told her about my “Restore Medicaid Funding for Circumcision” bill. She told me that since Medicaid payments for this procedure have stopped, parents choosing to have their children circumcised in the hospital must now have the cash available at time of delivery or they are out of luck. How callous we’ve become. We can now expect private health insurance companies to review their circumcision policy, possibly jeopardizing coverage for this very important health procedure.

During the summer I heard from a number of you on very important issues and some of which will be reflected in my legislation. I have three more bills I look forward to sharing with you when they are finalized and ready for introduction. For the next 120 days I will be tethered to my desk at the Capitol. You can always meet with me by calling my aid Bonnie at 303.866.4875 or just stop by my office and let me know what’s on your mind. You don’t need a lobbyist to make an appointment.

I’m wishing you a very healthy, peaceful and fulfilling New Year and let us remember to savor each day.

Warmly,

Senator Joyce Foster
Colorado Senate District 35