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Today, the Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) launched an opioid safety pilot in eight Colorado hospitals and three freestanding emergency departments (FSEDs). This initiative will be one of the largest opioid quality improvement projects in the United States. Colorado is at the center of the U.S. opioid epidemic with the 12th highest rate of misuse and abuse of prescription opioids across all 50 states. Colorado hospitals, especially the emergency departments (EDs), are in a strong position to reduce opioid administration. CHA is committed to improving the quality of care and the safety of patients in hospitals and health systems across the state.

This year’s state budget legislation proposed a $528 million reduction to the Hospital Provider Fee (HPF), a fee paid by hospitals that allows the state to draw down federal matching funds for Medicaid. The HPF funds are used to support coverage for more than 480,000 Coloradans and increase reimbursements for hospitals, reducing health care costs for all Coloradans. The proposed reduction to the HPF in this year’s budget is $264 million, which doubles to $528 million with the federal match, will immediately jeopardize the future of as many as a dozen Colorado hospitals. In addition to potential closures, many hospitals in the state will have to consider layoffs, service line closures and delaying facility upgrades or service additions.

A survey by one of the nation’s top Republican pollsters found broad support across Colorado, including among likely Republican voters, for legislation that would place the Hospital Provider Fee (HPF) in an enterprise fund, thereby exempting the legislation from TABOR spending limits. By a 64 percent to 28 percent margin, voters in Colorado said they believe the legislature should enact a HPF enterprise law. By a 51 percent to 39 percent margin, likely Republican voters support placing HPF in a separate fund outside of TABOR spending limits.

“Moving the HPF to a separate fund is a legislative step that will protect hospitals from losing nearly half a billion dollars in funding this year,” said Steven Summer, president and CEO, Colorado Hospital Association. “Especially in rural Colorado, hospitals serve as the lifeblood of their communities, and a cut of that magnitude would be devastating. We urge legislators to support Senate Bill 17-267, which will address this issue and protect Colorado’s rural hospitals and communities.”

Media Contact: Cara Welch, Colorado Hospital Association (720) 330-6073 [email protected] GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLO. – Jan. 19, 2016 – In 2015, Colorado hospitals and health systems