Colorado is launching an online platform, Operation Veteran Strong, designed to connect veterans to the right national and local resources at the right time to increase self-awareness, build resilience, and prevent the development of mental health and well-being crises. Although veterans make up nearly 10% of the population, 17% of all suicides in Colorado are … Read more
The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) under the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) recently held two public comment meetings for their draft 1332 waiver amendment. These meetings included background into the waiver, the goals of the waiver, and were open to questions from the public. Kyle Brown, the deputy commissioner of DOI, highlights … Read more
Colorado state Republicans laid out their criticisms of legislation passed in the 2021 general session at the 2021 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference a few weeks ago. The panelists called the session “disappointing” and cited that the Colorado Option — House Bill 1232 — will not work to lower costs in Colorado and … Read more
Governor Jared Polis signed an executive order this week which gives Colorado hospitals — or freestanding emergency departments (EDs) — more opportunity to transfer and cease patient admissions if capacity is reached. The order authorizes the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) to have full-capacity hospitals and EDs direct patients to other hospitals … Read more
A new report out of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care (OSPMHC) was released last week highlighting the impacts of high health care costs on everyday Coloradans. The report found those with chronic conditions in Colorado have a lower quality of life due to costs and identified disparities across racial groups in … Read more
Governor Jared Polis released his $40 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-2023 budget proposal on Monday. In terms of Polis’ health care priorities, his budget includes $530 million over three years to “transform” home and community-based services (HCBS), $550 million in leveraged federal funds to address gaps in behavioral health care, and $400 million toward increasing … Read more
The Colorado Health Institute (CHI) released their 2021 Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) earlier this week, with updates as late as Oct. 27. Though many Coloradans lost their job-based insurance, had their incomes reduced, and suffered from mental health issues, the survey shows that the safety net worked to catch many Coloradans. The … Read more
Colorado’s state Democrats laid out their future health policy work at the 2021 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference last week. The panelists said next session priorities will include behavioral health expansions, supporting the health care workforce, and improving affordability in all silos. The presenters of the session included Rep. Shannon Bird, … Read more
We hosted our 2021 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference last week, bringing together thought leaders, legislators, and policy experts into multi-silo conversations about the future of health care in Colorado. Too often, those with good ideas for reforming health care don’t have a solid understanding of how the legislative process works. … Read more
The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) recently released a draft of their Section 1332 State Innovation Waiver amendment request to reach the premium rate reductions established by the Colorado Option. DOI is holding a public comment period for stakeholders to provide input on the amendment request, which is set to end on Nov. 15. … Read more