Category: News - Part 21

Opinion: Republican policies to blame for health care mess

By Francis M. Miller Theres a pernicious tendency in politics that the arsonists who start the fire later return to the scene offering to solve the problem. Thats whats happening now with the Republicans and health care. Let me first state that I do not necessarily agree with President Barack Obama and the Democratic Partys set of solutions to deal with the health care crisis. I believe they are laying railroad track to create a system that will be inflationary. It threatens to destroy our economy and we must alter course and devise a hybrid free market solution. You cannot…

Colorado AG predicts billion-dollar price tag for Medicaid expansion

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon If Colorado decides to expand Medicaid coverage to a larger percentage of the poor, the the states share could be a billion dollars over the next decade, Attorney General John Suthers warned on Monday. Suthers, who opposed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in court, said during a post-mortem panel discussion on Monday that Colorados governor and lawmakers face a tough decision. The expansion for a lot of states may seem like a no-brainer, Suthers said during a discussion of the Supreme Court ruling sponsored by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce at the Sheraton Denver Downtown….

Opinion: Project Health Colorado a forum outside the fray

By Christie McElhinney Is health care in Colorado working? Should every child have health insurance? Do you feel like you have a say in your health care? You probably have seen or heard these questions on TV, radio, in newspapers, on websites or even on a few billboards and passing buses. This campaign – Project Health Colorado – is a public forum that provides Coloradans with the opportunity to ask questions and get information about health coverage and care in our state, and offers the opportunity to be part of a positive conversation about our health care system outside the political fray….

Hickenlooper endorses Bloomberg’s war against soda

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Calling U.S. health costs a massive drain on the economy, Gov. John Hickenlooper on Tuesday endorsed bold moves to fight poor health like New York Mayor Michael Bloombergs war on super-sized sugary drinks. Hickenlooper spoke Wednesday to an international conference of wellness experts gathered from more than 40 countries at the Aspen Institute for The Global Spa & Wellness Summit. If you listen to that hum in the distance, sometimes you think thats the ventilation system, but really that sucking noise is the drain on our economy from the health care system. I probably shouldnt say…

Prostate test cost-benefit clash gets to heart of health care debate

By Diane Carman Peering into the controversy over routine use of the blood test to screen for the prostate-specific antigen is like falling down, down, down into the dark and bewildering rabbit hole that is the health care system in the United States. In many ways the debate over the PSA test illustrates why the system is so confounding, expensive, unmanageable and resistant to change. As men, their providers and policy experts wrestle with the PSA conundrum, recent battles over mammography and hormone replacement therapy illustrate key lessons. When women learned that there was potential harm from annual breast screening…

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…