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“Given the recent measles outbreak across the country, and the impact that has had not just on patient safety and public health – but also on health care costs, this is an ideal time to recognize the importance of vaccines in our health care system,” said Steven Summer, president and CEO, CHA. “CHA and its member hospitals support HB 19-1312 because we believe it will improve our state’s vaccination rates. This legislation is based on proven efforts to improve immunization rates, and vaccines are cost-effective and evidence-based way to prevent diseases in our communities.

This legislative session, CHA has helped develop Senate Bill 19-073, sponsored by Sen. Joann Ginal and Rep. Lois Landgraf, which would require the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to create and administer a new statewide electronic advance medical directives system, making them available to hospitals and health care providers through the state’s two health information exchanges. Colorado’s new system would be modeled after the many other states that have implemented a statewide electronic advance directives registry that allows providers to see a person’s wishes for medical treatment, regardless of where the person is seeking care and if he or she has provided a copy of the advance directives for the medical staff.

CHA was recently awarded a grant from the COPIC Medical Foundation to further its efforts to end the opioid epidemic in Colorado through the Colorado’s Opioid Solution: Clinicians United to Resolve the Epidemic (CO’s CURE). The CO’s CURE initiative aims to bring together the clinician/physician specialty societies of Colorado to develop the nation’s first comprehensive, multispecialty medical guidelines to address and resolve the opioid epidemic in Colorado.

Colorado Hospital Association and its member hospitals and health systems are committed to improving the affordability of health care in Colorado. The Association has worked diligently with the Gov. Polis Administration and Reps. Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon) and Janice Rich (R-Grand Junction) and Sens. Kerry Donovan (D-Vail) and Bob Rankin (R-Carbondale) on this year’s reinsurance proposal – House Bill 19-1168. This work was focused on developing a reinsurance program that could successfully reduce premiums for Coloradans without causing unintended consequences for Colorado’s providers, including hospitals. CHA has moved to neutral on this bill, with the anticipated adoption of amendments that will be introduced in the House on Friday, modifying the funding mechanism for the proposed reinsurance program.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLO. – March 22, 2019 – CHA applauds the Division of Insurance for investing the time and resources to obtain the actuarial analysis

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLO. – Leaders from Colorado’s rural hospitals traveled to the Capitol today to meet with legislators and discuss topics of key importance –

Colorado Hospital Association strongly supports ensuring that patients are informed of their rights and protected from unexpected financial consequences when they receive care. Katherine Mulready,

In their ongoing support for meaningful transparency and being part of the solution in managing health care costs and affordability, CHA supports Rep. Chris Kennedy’s

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, COLO. – Jan. 25, 2019 – Today, a coalition of Colorado Hospital Association (CHA), the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and

Today, Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) is releasing “Health Care Costs and Hospitals: Drivers and Opportunities” – a report that examines a number of components that are tied to health care costs and affordability. Despite recent reports of higher than average costs in Colorado, Colorado actually spent the 5th lowest amount per capita on health care in 2014 (the most recent year for national expenditure data) and nearly 17 percent less per person than the national average. This report examines those comparisons to national data, as well as the role of the cost of living in Colorado and its impact on administrative and capital costs for hospitals; the correlation between hospital overhead costs and health insurance premiums and how hospital building and development compares to national trends.

In the 2019 legislative session, Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) is helping bring forward legislation to create a new licensure category through the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for freestanding emergency departments (FSEDs). The Association is pursuing this effort to help address concerns from consumers, legislators and stakeholders in recent years about the proliferation of FSEDs and their billing practices.

Colorado Hospital Association and its 110 member hospitals and health systems congratulate Governor-elect Polis and the transition team on their Cabinet nominations. Specifically, CHA congratulates Kim Bimestefer on being nominated as Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.