Article Contributed on: 10/3/2008 2:01:00 PM
Cindy Acree is running for State House District 40 and answered a questionnaire for YourHub.com. To read all of the candidate questionnaires,
click here.
Name: Cindy Acree
Seat you are seeking: Colorado House of Representatives, District 40
Age: 51
Family: Married to Robert for 28 years with three children Hope 15 and Alec and Austin 13
Occupation: Business Development Consultant and owner of Protektmark LLC
Hometown: Bentonville Arkansas
Your Web site: www.cindyacree.com
Favorite local place to hang out:
What do you like most about living here?: The changing seasons and the bike trails
Interests & hobbies: Cycling, traveling, my kids sports and music events
Favorite TV show:
Favorite Web site:
People who inspired you (and how): My grandfather who taught me integrity, a strong work ethic, the importance of family and how to pursue a dream
How you have contributed to the community: For the past seventeen years, I have worked to address healthcare access and cost effective delivery of services and help patients and families deal with the affects of Stroke and Epilepsy. Serving as a Board member and Chair of the Colorado Neurological Institute and Board member of Spalding Rehabilitation Hospital I have worked to improve quality care and for our underserved. In addition, I have served at the state level on the Stroke Advisory Board, the Cardiovascular Health Coalition and the Interagency Health Disparities Leadership Council.
As a parent and concerned citizen I have been involved with the school accountability committees, chaired the Aurora Citizen Advisory Budget Committee and served on the Cherry Creek School District Long Range Facility Planning Committee.
What are the biggest issues facing your constituency now: We must strengthen the economy by making Colorado a business friendly state with an economic policy that encourages business and job growth, more disposable income for families and affordable and accessible health care. Lower taxes and regulatory constraints on families and businesses.
We need to restore authority in healthcare decision making back to the doctor and the patient and utilize free market principals to drive innovation and cost-effective access. Insurance must be portable, transparent and premiums tax deductible. Prompt pay and automatic reimbursement must be considered. Make Medicaid more functional as a safety net for the uninsured by making the system more user friendly and raising the reimbursement and creative incentives for healthcare providers so Physicians and healthcare providers continue to take our elderly and underserved. Integrating the use of modern technologies like telemedicine and utilizing the county and rural health offices and public/private partnerships for the delivery of primary care across the state can help us get non-urgent care out of the ER, address disparities in healthcare and reduce costs for the delivery of quality care for all our citizens.