Colorado Access to Care Index Released

“The Colorado Health Institute and the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved released the Colorado Access to Care Index, a first-ever measurement of whether Coloradans are able to get the health care they need when they need it. The index is designed to help communities across Colorado better understand access to care challenges and to guide conversations about how to address them. Each region as well as the state has  an overall score from one to 10 based on their scores in each of the three components of access — Potential Access, Barriers to Care and Realized Access. All materials, including 21 regional infographics, are now posted here.

Click here to register for a webinar Thursday, April 2 at noon to discuss this new tool. It will provide an introduction to the Colorado Access to Care Index, what it includes, and how to use it.

Save the date for upcoming Safety Net Advisory Committee (SNAC) Labs:

• Track 1 – Accountable Care Collaborative: May 21 and September 17, 2015
• Track 2 – Access to Care: July 16 and November 19, 2015” [Source: CHI]

First Survey of Colorado Accountable Care Collaborative Clients Released

“The Colorado Health Institute released findings from the first consumer experience survey of Medicaid clients participating in the Accountable Care Collaborative (ACC), the state’s signature project to reform the delivery of primary health care. The report focuses on 10 findings from the survey, the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS), in which adults enrolled in the ACC rated their health care experiences.

To date, the program primarily has been measured by whether costs and use of certain procedures and servers are declining. The new data contribute insights about clients’ perceptions of the value of having a personal doctor, access to preventative care and coordination across health care services. The survey was a partnership of HCPF, the Colorado Health Foundation, and the Colorado Health Institute. Data were collected in the spring of 2013. The analysis focused on clients in the ACC compared with clients remaining in the traditional fee-for-service (FFS) program.

Read the full report here.” [Source: Colorado Health Institute]

2014 Legislative Forecast Webinar

“With the 2014 legislative session fast approaching, it’s time for the Colorado Health Institute to look into its crystal ball and predict what the coming year will mean for health policy.  We’ve been talking with lawmakers, health policy experts, advocates and others throughout Colorado to gather intelligence on the trends we expect to see.  Now, we’d like to share that information with you.

Please join us for the ‘Legislative Forecast: Health Policy Tends to Anticipate in 2014’ webinar on Wednesday, December 11, 12:00-1:00pm. Space is limited.  Register here.”  [Source:  CHI]

New SNAC Lab materials available online

“The Colorado Health Institute convened our fourth SNAC Learning Lab of the 2013-14 season on September 12. The session focused on access to care, and in particular sustaining safety net clinics in a fast-changing environment. Thanks to those of you who attended the forum and for your participation in the interesting discussion.

The Colorado Health Institute team has posted materials from the meeting here.  We will post a summary of the discussion in the fourth of a new series, Food for Thought: Updates from the Safety Net Advisory Committee (SNAC), in the next few weeks. You can read the first three installments of Food for Thought, including the summary of the July meeting on the Accountable Care Collaborative Payment Reform Initiative (HB12-1281) and information on a survey measuring how Medicaid patients experience care, here.

The next SNAC Lab meeting, which will focus on the Accountable Care Collaborative, is scheduled for Thursday, October 10, from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., at CHI.  The dates for all scheduled SNAC Labs are below. You are welcome to attend either or both tracks.

• Track 1: Accountable Care Collaborative: October 10, 2013 & January 23, 2014
• Track 2: Access to Care: November 14, 2013 & February 27, 2014

Feel free to contact us if you have any questions:
Jeff Bontrager at 720.382.7075 or bontragerj@coloradohealthinstitute.org
Anna Vigran at 720.382.7095 or vigrana@coloradohealthinstitute.org" [Source: The Colorado Health Institute]