By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon KEYSTONE If Silicon Valley venture capitalists were trying to fix broken health care systems, they would invest in multiple solutions at once and expect most to fail. But they would take action. That was the message from Rebecca Costa, an evolutionary biologist and a keynote speaker at the Colorado Health Symposiumsponsored by the Colorado Health Foundation. In nature, diversification ensures survival. In health care, Costa sees big organizations that want to meet endlessly, hold focus groups, then move tentatively, if at all, as they embark on singular solutions destined to fail at a glacial pace. Singularity…
News - Part 9
By Katie Kerwin McCrimmon Two ritzy resort counties in Colorado have made a list of the 50 worst counties in the U.S. for working people who are living without health insurance. Eagle County, home to swanky Vail and Beaver Creek, ranked 42nd worst among U.S. counties with nearly 29 percent of people who earn between 138 and 400 percent of the poverty level surviving without health insurance. Garfield County, home to many service workers for Aspen in neighboring Pitkin County, also made the list. Garfield ranked 48th worst in the U.S. with about 28.5 percent of working people lacking health…
By Donna Smith As health systems around the world grapple with the increasing costs of providing health care for their citizens, far too many are considering more extensive privatization of their systems to emulate the U.S. health care model. This is a mistake not only from an economic perspective but also from a human rights and public health position. As one of the people deeply injured by the profit-driven U.S. health system and as a professional advocate for a universal, public model that provides health care without financial barrier, I know that more privatization of any health system allows for…
By Diane Carman For bicyclists, the rewards from improved physical fitness and stress release to the minimal commuting costs are obvious. So are the risks. Former Gov. Bill Ritter, an avid cyclist, suffered broken ribs after colliding with another bicyclist on one of his regular morning rides in 2010. Then-President George W. Bush attended his daughters engagement party sporting cuts, scrapes and a bandage on his chin after crashing on his mountain bike on his Texas ranch in 2004. Author Stephen Covey died last year at the age of 79 of complications from injuries incurred in a bike wreck in…
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…
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…
By Maren C. Stewart I am excited to announce the launch of our statewide Colorado Get Movin Challenge to help motivate thousands of Coloradans to kick-start a healthier lifestyle through physical activity while also demonstrating that we are the most active state in the nation. As Coloradans, we are proud of the active lifestyle our state offers. Yet, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 52 percent of Colorado adults achieve the recommended 30 minutes of daily activity, and 18 percent reported no physical activity during the last month. The Colorado Get Movin Challenge,…
By Danielle Robbio Contrary to what many in the media may believe, young people do care about the implementation of Obamacare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA). But just like many other people in America, many of us may be confused about its provisions, which may apply to us and how. Though I am a senior at Boston University and have studied health policy, I acknowledge that I do not understand everything I may need to know about the new law. Even my classmates pursuing careers in medicine and related fields lack a true understanding of health reform, and while intrinsically…
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…
By Aubrey Hill Summer in Denver abounds with fun opportunities: Rockies games, festivals, farmers markets, outdoor movies and parks that cover 4,000 acres of the city. Denver is consistently named one of the healthiest cities in the country, and its easy to see why especially when you factor in its robust health care system of 12 hospitals, dozens of safety net clinics and nearly 3,500 doctors. Despite outward appearances though, the data show that Denver residents are actually in worse health. In fact, the data on Denvers population in general is quite striking. Overall, a higher percentage of Denver residents…