Category: Featured - Part 6

Health law alone wonât reverse inequities

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon The Affordable Care Act may leave many of the poor and people of color behind. Thats the view of this years president of the American Public Health Association,Dr. Adewale Troutman, who spoke in Denver last week. We are trying to incorporate 30 million people into a health care insurance system that is broken. The system is fragmented. Inequalities flourish and prevention is an afterthought, Troutman said during an event on health equity sponsored by The Colorado Trust. The system doesnt necessarily change just because you have more people in it, he said. While the Affordable Care…

In abrupt reversal, Anthem covers transgender care

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon One of Colorados largest health insurance companies has reversed itself and is now covering care for transgender patients. Kelly Costello, 32, of Denver, received stunning news last week. One day after getting a formal notice that Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Colorado would not cover chest reconstruction surgery, the company abruptly overturned its decision. Costello received a written notice that Anthem has reversed its decision and now will cover some or all of the services. Costello had paid about $8,000 in out-of-pocket expenses for the surgery he underwent in April. Costello is overjoyed. Im…

The quest to ensure safe cantaloupe

By Elise Oberliesen Colorado-grown cantaloupe will start rolling into supermarkets and farmers market stands in mid-August and for many, its long anticipated. Or at least it used to be. No one will forget the deadly listeria outbreak in 2011 traced to cantaloupes grown at Jensen Farms in Holly, 90 miles from Rocky Ford. With at least 34 deaths, one miscarriage and numerous cases of people who became ill, stricter food safety guidelines were implemented immediately. Still, in 2012, a listeria outbreak tied to Indiana cantaloupe claimed three more lives. Food safety advocates and those whove lost loved ones grow more…

Colorado receives $116 million exchange grant

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Colorado will get another $116 million to help launch the states new health exchange, Connect for Health Colorado. Federal cuts known as sequestration chopped $9 million from the states $125 million request. Last month, exchange CEO and Executive Director Patty Fontneau said that some programs may have to withstand higher cuts than others because managers already have signed contracts for services or technology so they cannot spread the cuts evenly across all programs. Myung Oak Kim, director of communications and outreach for the exchange, said the cuts shouldnt impact customers. The reduction in the grant due…

Feds brake, Colorado hits accelerator on health reform

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon The Obama Administration may be hitting the brakes on a key component of health reform, but Colorado is pushing the accelerator. Colorado exchange managers have no plans to tinker with the states small business or individual health exchange. To be honest with you, we cant undo our plan, Patty Fontneau, CEO and executive director of Colorados exchange, said during an exchange board meeting on Monday. To not offer choice would cripple us. The Obama Administration last week postponed for one year the requirement that businesses with more than 50 employees provide health insurance across-the-board or face…

Driving stoned a growing public health issue in Colorado

By Tom Walker Included in the laws passed in the waning hours of the 2013 session of the Colorado Legislature is one that has state, county and local officials bewildered. The so-called driving-stoned law, intended to minimize the public health threat of impaired drivers on the roads, is expected to be tough to enforce and likely will spark a host of changes for the legal community. The measure legalizing marijuana for recreational use was passed by voters in November. On the day after Memorial Day, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed measures asking voters to approve taxing the sale of non-medical use…

Exchange bracing to slash $9 million

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Colorados health exchange managers are bracing to cut expenses by about $9 million because federal sequestration is expected to axe 7.5 percent from a $125 million federal grant designed to help launch the exchange. Exchange CEO and Executive Director Patty Fontneau said during a finance committee meeting this week that managers are expecting a 7.5 percent cut in the newest implementation grant. Fontneau said some programs might have to withstand higher cuts than others because managers have already signed some contracts for services or technology so they cannot spread the cuts evenly across all programs. Sequestration…

Obesity a disease, cure elusive

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon To call it a disease or not? That is the question. Since leaders of the American Medical Association last week trumped advice from their own committee of experts and declared obesity a disease, speculation has been rife. Will this be a game-changing decision? Or has the tree fallen in the forest and no one cares? Will insurers now pay for obesity care and prevention? Will people carting around extra pounds be convinced to take meds just like those with high blood pressure? Will doctors start talking about obesity with those of us who are elephants in…

Law requiring physical activity in schools a bust

By Kevin Vaughan I-News Network A 2011 state law requiring 30 minutes of physical activity a day for elementary students was supposed to provide a new tool in the fight against childhood obesity but in reality it did little more than reinforce the status quo, an I-News examination found. The measure was so gutted during the legislative process that it has meant virtually no meaningful changes in the way elementary schools are operated. The standard imposed by the law, which allows recess to count as physical activity time, was already being met by districts across the state. Two years later,…

Health guides at 55 sites receive $17 million for outreach

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Fifty-five community groups and hospitals throughout Colorado have received $17 million in grants from Colorados health exchange to assist people in signing up for health insurance. Altogether 74 applicants had asked for more than $57 million, so the grant committee had to dramatically cut requested funds and some of the proposed assistance sites have backed out. Some of them are seriously weighing what they can do. We have had a couple of groups that have pulled out. We do have a few groups that are very much on the fence, said Adela Flores-Brennan, assistance network manager….