In the mid-90s, President Bill Clinton famously promised to “end welfare as we know it,” by capping the number of years for eligibility and imposing restrictions for certain public benefits. Non-citizens were hit particularly hard as part of that misguided goal as...
Allison Neswood previously served as CCLP's Deputy Director of Strategic Priorities. She is an expert in public health insurance plans (Medicaid and CHP+), Aid to the Needy Disabled, immigrant access to services and health equity.
Recent articles
Part 2: What is Credit Reporting, and How Does It Harm People with Medical Debt?
Accessing and maintaining good credit is essential to achieving economic mobility. However, a derogatory mark on a credit report can likewise significantly harm one’s life. When an individual struggles to pay off medical debt, the resultant poor credit report can...
March Letter from Bethany Pray, Interim Executive Director
March brings change. The session is nearing the halfway point, the sub-zero temperatures are over in Denver — we hope! — and over the next four weeks, the thousands of fiscal decisions that go into the budget will come together and the legislative landscape will begin...
Private Duty Nursing: One Family’s Story
When we think about complicated health insurance programs like Medicaid, it’s easy to miss the stories of the individual people and families who receive these benefits. A few months ago, one remarkable mother shared her family’s story in a public hearing to the...
Report sheds light on Colorado health costs
Colorado has a problem with health care costs. While this is not news to many, a new report released by the Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC) tells the tale in numbers.
The report reviewed total costs across all health care services in five different states and found that Colorado services cost, on average, 17 percent more than services in comparison states.
CIVHC broke down how Colorado compares in terms of costs for different categories of care. Colorado costs are 16 percent higher than the five-state average for inpatient services, 24 percent higher for pharmaceuticals and 30 percent higher for outpatient services.
The report revealed huge variations in costs between different regions of the state. Per member per month (PMPM) costs for all health care services ranged from $390 PMPM in Colorado Springs to $591 PMPM in the Eastern Plains.
Overall, the report suggests how important it will be for Colorado to get control of our relatively high health care costs – a primary driver behind the high premiums that are putting pressure on so many household budgets.
State policymakers are engaged in efforts that could have a positive impact on health care costs. Last summer, the Colorado Commission on Affordable Health Care completed a comprehensive analysis and set of recommendations for cost containment. In addition, bills introduced during the current legislative session aim to rein in pharmacy costs, increase hospital price transparency and implement a comprehensive approach to combatting the state’s opioid epidemic.
In addition, Colorado’s Department of Health Care Policy and Finance is in the process of rolling out the new Accountable Care Collaborative program in Medicaid, which aims to reduce costs by increasing care coordination and integrating behavioral health and primary care.
There are also promising solutions we can draw from in other states. For example, Maryland has implemented global budgets for all hospitals, which involves guaranteeing hospitals a set amount of revenue for the coming year, regardless of the amount of services they provide. The approach creates a powerful incentive to reorganize care for prevention and to invest in community services. Maryland’s model has resulted in improved health outcomes and saved more that $100 million for Medicare in the first year.
CIVHC’s report highlights the importance of data in driving cost containment efforts in Colorado and the need to address health care costs in the state.
– By Allison Neswood
Recent articles
Myths & Facts: Ending Colorado’s Unconstitutional Sponsorship Law
In the mid-90s, President Bill Clinton famously promised to “end welfare as we know it,” by capping the number of years for eligibility and imposing restrictions for certain public benefits. Non-citizens were hit particularly hard as part of that misguided goal as...
Part 2: What is Credit Reporting, and How Does It Harm People with Medical Debt?
Accessing and maintaining good credit is essential to achieving economic mobility. However, a derogatory mark on a credit report can likewise significantly harm one’s life. When an individual struggles to pay off medical debt, the resultant poor credit report can...
March Letter from Bethany Pray, Interim Executive Director
March brings change. The session is nearing the halfway point, the sub-zero temperatures are over in Denver — we hope! — and over the next four weeks, the thousands of fiscal decisions that go into the budget will come together and the legislative landscape will begin...
Private Duty Nursing: One Family’s Story
When we think about complicated health insurance programs like Medicaid, it’s easy to miss the stories of the individual people and families who receive these benefits. A few months ago, one remarkable mother shared her family’s story in a public hearing to the...