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
How are the payers in Colorado’s health care system using their power as purchasers to lower the overall cost of care in the state? In this video of the “Changing purchaser strategies for controlling health care costs” panel from Wednesday’s 2021 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference, hear from Kim Bimestefer, executive director of … 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
The Colorado Office of the State Auditor (OSA) recently released a performance audit it conducted for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF)’s non-emergent medical transportation services (NEMT), which revealed 32 acts of potential mistreatment against NEMT recipients, such as reckless driving. The principal concern highlighted by OSA was that HCPF isn’t following … Read more
The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) announced Thursday it received approval from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Colorado Joint Budget Committee for its $530 million Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) spending plan. In a statement released Thursday, Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera emphasized the support … Read more
Pregnant Black Coloradans covered by Medicaid have among the lowest rates of prenatal care visits in the state, according to the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF)’s September maternity report. These low prenatal care rates, the report indicates, are contributors to the demographic’s leading rate of preterm births. The report … Read more
Next week, we will release our list of about 60 speakers curated for you at our upcoming 2021 Colorado State of Reform Health Policy Conference. It’s a very smart group of folks at work to improve the health care system for folks in Colorado. We’ll be virtual this year again. I know we all want to … Read more
According to a report released last week by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), Colorado hospitals have the highest profit margins in the country. The department says these high profits ultimately translate to increased prices for payers and patients. The department evaluated the Medicare Cost Report Data for Colorado’s hospitals from … Read more
The stakeholder input being incorporated into Colorado’s in-development Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is “massive” and “unprecedented,” according to Michelle Barnes, executive director of the Colorado Department of Human Services (CDHS). Under HB 21-1097 — signed in April by Gov. Jared Polis — Barnes’ department is responsible for implementing the BHA. Barnes described the rigorous stakeholder … Read more
Nearly seven months after the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) released the invitation to negotiate (ITN) for its Canadian Prescription Drug Importation program, the department’s executive director Kim Bimestefer says they are “working hard” and currently hashing out the program’s details. The ITN closed in April, and since then … Read more