Monthly Archives: May 2012

Cracking the health integration code

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon CORTEZ – A large touch-screen monitor on the wall of an exam room flashes a grim health picture. Data charts show that the 14-year-old boy is severely depressed and obese. His blood pressure is high. In the waiting room, he has punched in answers to screening tests on a digital tablet. By the time he arrives in the exam room, the results have been tabulated and are accessible on the monitor. His frank answers reveal a teen who needs help fast. He is suicidal, coping with poor physical health, and abusing alcohol and marijuana. Providers can…

Opinion: International trade focus on health policy could boost Colorado economy

By Kristina Lybecker A shot in the arm for Colorado’s economy may well come from trade decisions made literally on the other side of the globe. Negotiations are continuing on the Trans Pacific Partnership and health care is a key pillar of the talks.  Increasingly, economic leaders are using new trade agreements and a means to promote improved health care.  The theory is that improved health quality around the world is a vital component to reinvigorating  national economies. Why does this matter to Colorado’s economy? For our state, TPP presents an opportunity to protect and grow the state’s bioscience industry,…

The real obesity cure: small, permanent lifestyle changes

By Diane Carman The average American is fat, sedentary, drinks too many sweetened soft drinks, eats too many French fries and knows it all too well. Most people in the U.S. want to lose weight, said Elizabeth Kealey, a registered dietician and professional research assistant at the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. The problem is they just dont know how. Researchers at the center are testing strategies and documenting results, and while they dont claim to have the obesity cure at their fingertips, they have identified several approaches that appear to work for a significant population that wants to lose…

Cavity-fighting measure sinks along with civil unions

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon A bill aimed at thwarting cavities in babies became collateral damage in the fight over civil unions in Colorado late Tuesday night. Senate Bill 12-108 had sailed through earlier hearings and was expected to pass in the House on Tuesday night, then be up for final approval today. But the bill died along with nearly three dozen other measures that were held hostage during the civil unions standoff. SB 108 would have provided funding for dental benefits for pregnant moms on Medicaid. Research has shown that mothers who have tooth decay and untreated cavities can pass…

Opinion: Seniors reap benefits from Affordable Care Act

By Bob Semro A recent poll shows that a slim majority of Americans oppose the Affordable Care Act in general, but other surveys show that support grows dramatically when people learn about specific provisions of the law. Opinions may not change overnight, but the fact is, more and more seniors are benefiting from the law. New figures show that thousands of seniors and disabled Americans are improving their health thanks to expanded preventive care services and saving money on prescription drug prices because of a shrinking “donut hole.” It is especially important that seniors learn about the benefits of the…

Opinion: Coloradans to share in rebates thanks to Affordable Care Act

By Bob Semro Consumers and businesses nationwide will receive an estimated $1.3 billion in rebates in August from health insurance companies that spent more on administration, overhead and profits than allowed under the Affordable Care Act, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. In Colorado, individuals and businesses will receive almost $26 million. Insurance companies will send rebates to 511,684 enrollees, for an average of $54.58 for each enrollee in the individual market, $82.62 in the small-group market and $47.84 in the large-group market. The rebates are thanks to a provision of the Affordable Care Act designed to ensure that insurance…

Opinion: Lawmakers clueless about circumcision research

By Jere DeBacker A remedy for masturbation which is almost always successful in small boys is circumcision. The operation should be performed by a surgeon without administering an anesthetic, as the pain attending the operation will have a salutary effect upon the mind, especiallyif it is connected with the idea of punishment. John Harvey Kellogg, in his book Treatment for Self-abuse and Its Effects 1888 This is child abuse by todays standard, but it was embraced as the norm in the late 19th century. This is the root of circumcision in this country today. Each year, as people learned that…