In front of a room full of medical professionals, Colorado legislators who have led health reform efforts over the past few years said: virtual conversation Last week, we used a face-to-face panel in 2021 at the 2022 Colorado Reform Health Policy Conference in Denver.
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The panel included Colorado Senator Jim Smallwood (R – Castle Rock), Senate Minority Caucus Chair, Sen. Daphna Michelson Jennette (D – Aurora), Chair of the House Public and Behavioral Health and Human Services Committee.
The panel shared their thoughts on progress made in the previous session and future work.
Healthcare professionals listen to lawmakers at the 2022 Colorado Reform Health Policy Conference.
Gratitude Fields spoke to everyone in the room for successfully navigating the state through the COVID-19 pandemic about the health disparities that continue to plague the healthcare system.
“Why I’m Passionate about Healthcare [is] It’s this whole issue of fairness,” Fields said. “Growing up, I could see disparities in my community. I saw a pattern of different health problems, and I wanted to lend my voice to some of them.
Senators highlighted access to housing, transportation and fresh fruits and vegetables as some of the social determinants of health that legislation can address to eliminate and reduce health disparities among residents. She said more policy dialogue is needed about precautions to keep people concerned about their health and away from emergency departments.
Field cited passage of Reproductive Health Equity Act and the behavioral health management As an improvement from the last session, which she was most proud of.
Michelson-Jennett shared Fields’ views on the law while recognizing the challenges Colorado continues to face with access to healthcare and the workforce.
Michaelson Jenet worked closely with officials from the Department of Health Policy and Finance to determine how the state would spend the $450 million it received. ARPA Funding to Address Behavioral Health.
This investment addresses a range of issues affecting the behavioral health care delivery system. Temporary program To promote youth mental health services, Enhancement of housing services For youth and families with behavioral health concerns by providing more beds online and building the state’s first neuropsychological facility for children.
“Part of the bed problem is [that] A bed is more than just a metal frame mattress,” said Michelson-Jennett. “Nurses, doctors, technicians, [and] Physical floor print. There are so many factors in making that bed available. ”
She also discussed how some of this funding will be used to support the behavioral health workforce.
“We are currently focused on ‘how do we build that workforce? It’s a question I hear from people.
We put a significant portion of ARPA’s money into building our workforce, especially in the healthcare sector. And hopefully we’ll see the fruits of that as those money go out into the community. ”
Health care reform was the reason Smallwood entered politics, as his term in the Senate was coming to an end.co-sponsored Senate Bill 081 The final session will run a campaign to educate consumers about the state’s numerous health exchange plans and provide comprehensive information on continuum of care coverage and services.
He highlighted the progress Congress has made in simplifying the complex health care of Colorado citizens on a day-to-day basis.
“We’ve made some changes to our health insurance plans that we believe will make them more accessible to citizens,” said Smallwood. “I’ve seen hospital transparency, doctor transparency, a lot of the rules around that. There’s been a huge debate about whether it’s increasing access to , or it’s just too complicated for a layman to understand, and you’re going to go out and pay for more than you wanted that day.
Smallwood remains critical colorado options and of the state Prescription Drug Affordability Commissionargues that these policies will encourage the withdrawal of private health insurance and pharmaceuticals from the local market.
“[The] The Colorado Option was built with the goal of failure, so if it fails, it can move toward the single payment system promised by this administration,” said Smallwood. “It was, of course, set to fail. Of course, it included unrealistic metrics. Set management.”
Nevertheless, he expressed relief. first unsuccessful effort Reformed to establish public health insurance options in states 2021 Initiative Successwhich removed the provisions of the plan to compete with private plans on the market.
“I’m just excited Specification Colorado was changed to a place without medical insurance, competing with private insurers.
And for those who didn’t get a chance to pick up and read the bill introduced, the bill introduced would make Colorado a health insurance company and the only health insurance company that could charge all doctors and hospitals. In our state, every doctor and hospital would either adopt that scheme with its fee structure or lose its license, or at least be subject to disciplinary action and lose its license. ”
Smallwood said he believes health care should be nonpartisan and that patients should be able to choose where and how they access it, and will continue to oppose the administration’s single payer agenda.
Fields said the focus remains on health equity and fighting for the most vulnerable people in the state.Both Democrats on the panel expressed concern over the health of black mothers, Additional reforms to support mothers and children will be pursued in the next session, he said.
“In Colorado, we have some examples of very poor maternal health for black people,” Michelson-Jennett said. “We need to focus on that, and in addition to the black maternal health outcomes, which are maternal mental health outcomes that are currently very poor for our general community. .
So we need to look at how pregnant people can stay alive, healthy and mentally healthy. These are some of the things I look forward to working on. [during] legislative session. ”
Colorado’s 2023 Congress begins on January 9.
