Kevin Mooney had spent his career at a bank in Phoenix, when he was laid off in 2010. They gave him a lovely crystal statuette to recognize his quarter century of service — before showing him the door. Then in his late 50s, Mooney was terrified that he wouldn’t ever be able to find work again. […]
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
Health care coverage for more than a half-million Coloradans at stake in Obamacare fight at Supreme Court
When the U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on Tuesday over the future of the Affordable Care Act, billions of dollars a year and coverage for hundreds of thousands of people in Colorado will hang in the balance. But some of the law’s most famous and popular consumer protections — such as protections for people with […]
Posted inCOVID, Health, News, Politics and Government
Coronavirus will add 500,000 people to Colorado’s Medicaid rolls — with major consequences for the health care system
For years, lawmakers in Colorado have talked about fundamentally changing the state’s health care system. They’ve talked about creating more competition in the insurance industry or providing subsidies to make coverage more affordable. They’ve talked about tackling hospital prices and trimming profits. And, now, after all that groundwork, the coronavirus pandemic has come along and […]
Posted inCOVID, Health, News
Mental health care in Colorado has gone virtual thanks to coronavirus. For some patients, it’s long overdue.
Deby Williamson used to take note of her clients’ body language and the vibe that filled the room when they came to see her for mental health therapy. That’s not happening now, since she meets them via computer. Williamson, a licensed clinical social worker in private practice in Colorado Springs, is one of thousands of […]
Posted inCOVID, Health, Politics and Government
Colorado is banking on telehealth to slow coronavirus. But many rural hospitals lack necessary resources.
Colorado health officials want to use “remote” health care services, known as telehealth, as a tool to try to slow the spread of the coronavirus. But despite recent regulatory changes intended to make it easier for patients to seek medical advice or treatment without leaving their home, many rural hospitals and clinics lack adequate funding, […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
$10,000-a-day fines and other things to know about Colorado’s new public health insurance option bill
After months of debate, numerous reports and an opposition advertising campaign, Colorado lawmakers on Thursday officially introduced the bill that would create a public health insurance option in the state. Many of the details remain the same from earlier proposals — the option plans would be available at first only to people who buy coverage […]
Posted inHealth, News
Colorado wants to let pharmacists write prescriptions for HIV prevention drugs
First it was birth-control pills, then smoking-cessation medications. Now, Colorado is on its way to becoming one of the first states in the country to allow people to skip the doctor’s office and get prescriptions for drugs that prevent HIV infection at the pharmacy. The move comes as more than 400 Coloradans are diagnosed with […]
Posted inBusiness, Health, News, Politics and Government
5 numbers that explain why Colorado lawmakers want more insight into prescription drug costs
Sometimes the personal crosses over with the political at the state Capitol, and that is what happened toward the end of last year’s session for Rep. Dominique Jackson. Jackson, a Democrat from Aurora, had sponsored a bill she hoped would create more transparency around why prescription drugs cost so much — and why they keep […]
Posted inHealth, News, Politics and Government
Colorado vowed to end the waitlist for an adult disability program by 2020. Nearly 3,000 people are still waiting.
Like most people in their 20s, Brennan Froehlke wants to move out of his parents’ house and share a place with friends. His parents, Margaret and Bob Froehlke, have been meticulously planning for the day for more than 12 years. That’s how long ago they signed up for a developmental and intellectual disabilities program –– […]
Posted inColoradans, Health, News
Speciality drugs are saving lives in Colorado and beyond. But who should pay for them?
Maisie Forrest’s mother wouldn’t take no for an answer, and that’s basically the story of how the Grand Junction baby got a $2.1 million drug to save her life. Maisie wasn’t expected to make it to her second birthday when the miracle drug, called Zolgensma, was approved last May. It was a one-time injection, a […]