As the legislative session progresses, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) continues to focus on promoting the health of Coloradans through multiple different silos. CDPHE recently told State of Reform about their legislative priorities for the 2022 session. These include modernizing air pollution reduction strategies, ensuring scalability of public health emergency response, … Read more
Supporters of a bipartisan initiative in Colorado to restrict discriminatory pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices say the contracting practices of PBMs and other third-party payers is reducing medication access for 340B-covered patients. House Bill 1122, sponsored by Rep. Perry Will (R – New Castle), would prohibit PBMs from reimbursing a pharmacy for a prescription drug … Read more
With the impacts of the omicron variant winding down, COVID cases in Colorado have steeply declined since their peak in mid-January. While hospitalizations have also decreased, residual workforce shortages continue to impact health facilities in the state. Read about some of the state’s efforts to address these shortages below. This month’s newsletter also contains coverage of notable … Read more
The Older Coloradans Act might be getting a significant update by the end of the year, with a new bill in the Colorado Legislature seeking to modify the Colorado Commission on Aging, make changes to the Colorado Office of Aging, and establish a new “Lifelong Colorado” initiative. Bill sponsors Reps. Mary Young (D – Greeley) … Read more
With this being the last Colorado “5 Things” newsletter of 2021, we want to extend our best wishes to all of you and hope you have a wonderful holiday season surrounded by loved ones and good food! This month, we cover DOI’s submission of the finalized 1332 waiver amendment—the most recent step in implementing the Colorado Option. We also … Read more
Last month’s 2021 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference saw numerous forward-thinking and productive conversations around how to improve the state’s health care system. A big thank you to all of our speakers and everyone who attended the event! Read about some of the event highlights below. Please don’t hesitate to send me feedback or story ideas. Thanks for reading! … Read more
To cap off Wednesday’s 2021 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference, our Host DJ Wilson moderated a “four-corner” conversation with some of the Colorado Legislature’s most prominent health policymakers. Sen. Rhonda Fields (D – Aurora), chair of the Senate Health & Human Services Committee, Sen. Jim Smallwood (R – Castle Rock), chair of the … Read more
This week, our team has been busy gearing up to host next Wednesday’s 2021 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference. Take a look at our finalized Detailed Agenda for a glimpse at some of the conversations we have teed up. With thirteen legislators, six HCPF representatives, and over forty other panelists slotted to speak, this is sure to be an … Read more
Today, the State of Colorado released the first draft of a plan to establish the Department of Early Childhood that will align and strengthen the state’s early childhood care and education services and programs, including the voter-approved, voluntary, universal preschool program. The draft Department of Early Childhood Transition Plan, which highlights recommendations for the department’s … Read more
Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway gave an overview the state’s plan for implementing the recently passed Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB) at a recent webinar hosted by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF). The heavily debated SB 21-175 creates an affordability board to review the prices of prescription drugs in the … Read more