News - Part 11

ABC’s ‘Extreme Weight Loss’ comes to Colorado

By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Citing Colorados reputation as one of the healthiest states in the country, producers of ABCs Extreme Weight Loss are filming the launch of Season 4 at the Anschutz Health and Wellness Center. (The center) has one of the best weight-management programs in the world and promotes and advances a comprehensive approach to overall wellness, which is an equally important process, J.D. Roth, executive producer, said in a statement. The show documents the 365-day transformation of super-obese people and is expected to start airing in May of 2014. James O. Hill, executive director for the center at…

Opinion: Cuts to Medicare Part B will hurt older Coloradans

By Ron Haberkorn I proudly enlisted in the U.S. Army and fought in Vietnam, but my longest and biggest battle has been against lupus. I was diagnosed in 1981. Little was known then about lupus and it still remains a mystery in the medical community today. Unfortunately, there is no known cure. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that can affect various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints, blood, kidneys, lungs, heart, nervous system and/or other body organs or systems. It acts as if the body is allergic to itself. It is estimated that over 20,000 Coloradans and 1…

REACH: Cupcakes to carrots — tips for healthy celebrations at work

By Jamie Atlas Whether youre celebrating birthdays, promotions or Friday afternoon, the work environment can add unexpected challenges to your healthy intentions. However, you can turn these occasions into opportunities for you and your work associates to eat healthy and be physically active together. Eat a high protein, fiber-rich breakfast before heading to work. Youll kick-start your metabolism to burn more calories and youll be less likely to fall prey to treats lurking around the office. Have healthy snacks at your desk and take them with you if youre visiting the break room. Dehydration is often mistaken for hunger. If…

Opinion: The cost curve on health care â itâs 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…

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…

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…

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…

Opinion: Protecting Colorado health data while making costs transparent

By Tracey Campbell The news is riddled with stories of frustrations over the cost of health care and the lack of transparent information available to patients and employer purchasers. Look at the responses to the recent Time magazine article about bloated hospital costs, and the release of Medicare information about the wide variations in hospital pricing. Consumers are aghast at high and wildly varying prices, especially in light of little information about quality. The Colorado All-Payer Claims Database (APCD) is an essential tool for identifying differences in price and quality, and enabling consumers to shop for health care services in…