Category: News - Part 8

Opinion: The cost curve on health care – it’s bending

By Bob Semro The biggest long-term concern with the American health care system is cost. The affordability of premiums, access to care and the impact of Medicare and Medicaid on state and federal budgets are all linked to the ever-rising costs of health care. Unless we bend the cost curve, the nations health care system will become increasingly unsustainable. The good news is that, even though costs and spending continue to increase, we have started to see a slowdown. Over the years, the news on this front has been consistently bad. For 31 of the last 40 years, health care…

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,…

Opinion: The pot calling the kettle black on Obamacare

By Francis M. Miller During the past month several reports have been published on cost variations in the health care system. Among medical providers, there is clear evidence of wide differences in costs and utilization both across geographic regions and institutions. When the Colorado 208 Commission studied the issue, it also found that there were great variations among what insurers, the government and individuals pay. And, recently, the Colorado Division of Insurance analyzed insurance proposals for the health exchange. Again, wide variations in insurance premiums are being proposed. Are such differences evidence of profiteering? Or, is this an opportunity for…

Poll finds Americans want schools to combat obesity

Americans want schools to lead the way on fighting child obesity and helping children eat healthier foods, according to a new study from Kaiser Permanente. Among those surveyed, African Americans and Latinos were especially supportive of having community groups help reduce obesity. The survey found: Respondents believe their local K-12 schools have the biggest role of any sector in fighting obesity, with 90 percent endorsing a role for schools on this issue. 78 percent of parents think that healthier food in schools will increase academic performance and a similar percentage say regular physical activity during the school day will also…

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….

Exchange must offer voter registration, activists say

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Voting rights activists say Colorados health exchange must serve as a mandatory voter registration agency, butexchange managers contend they do not need to comply with the law popularly known as the Motor Voter Act. For now, activists with Colorado Common Causeare trying to encourage exchange managers to comply with the law. But if negotiations fail, they may sue the exchange. Why, you might ask, is there any link between voter registration and an online marketplace to help people shop for health insurance? The National Voter Registration Act of 1993 requires agencies, such as drivers license bureaus…

Opinion: Consumer revolution needed for real health care reform

By Francis M. Miller The launching of the exchange in October is taking on the appearance of the Kentucky Derby. The insurance companies are in the gates and the uninsured, if you believe Connect for Colorado ads, are drinking mint juleps and wearing big hats. I view all of this with a jaundiced eye. There is no doubt that health care has been on a slippery slope for years and the rocks at the bottom spell market failure. We have no other choice than to attribute the source of this failure to the players in the market. We place blame…

REACH: Mindless eating

By Kristen Frie Why do we continue to gain weight year after year? The simple answer is the imbalance between calories in and calories out. But learning to manage portion control and mindless eating can make a difference. Many times we find ourselves in a pattern of mindless eating, making food-related decisions in a highly distracting environment. Brian Wansinks research found that people underestimate the number of food decisions made each day and how environmental cues (such as music, television or dining with others) can influence our ability to react to cues of fullness can influence these decisions. A learned…

Feds require contingency plans for health exchange

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Federal health officials have required Colorado to create contingency plans in case the states health exchange cant function as planned by the beginning of October. Documents that Solutions obtained show that Colorado health exchange managers are preparing for three primary problems that could undermine the planned Oct. 1 launch: A federal data hub that does not work and therefore cannot verify income, immigration status or whether people applying for health plans are living behind bars. A recent report from the Government Accounting Office has found that potential problems with the hub could hamper state exchanges. The…

Rates vary widely, should promote brisk insurance market

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Competition among health insurance companies should be brisk in Colorado, according to an analysis by a consumer health advocacy group. As weve dug more deeply, weve seen enough competition that we think Colorados going to have a really good marketplace, said Dede de Percin, executive director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative (CCHI). Despite doomsday predictions, the state is not seeing rate shock, so many of the choices will be more affordable, especially with the subsidies. Regulators from Colorados Division of Insurance (DOI) are reviewing all proposed plans and must approve or deny them by July…