New Study Explores Roles of Nurse Practitioners & Physician Assistants in Improving Access to Primary Care

A new report by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured looks at the potential of nurse practitioners and physician assistants to increase the supply of primary care, in areas experiencing physician shortages as well as system-wide, as Medicaid expands to cover more uninsured adults.

Colorado Health Benefit Exchange Board Accepting Applications

Applications are now being accepted for appointments to the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange Board and are due May 23. With the passage of SB11-200, Colorado now begins work on establishing a health insurance exchange for individuals and small businesses. Click here for more information.

One Park. One World. CAHEP Global Health 5K Walk/Run.

ClinicNET affiliate, Colorado Alliance for Health Equity and Practice (CAHEP) would like to invite you to participate in their first 5K walk/run, entitled “One Park. One World.” on Saturday, May 28, 2011 at Denver City Park. Click here for more information. 

Community Transformation Grants

Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the opportunity for communities to apply for $102 million in public prevention health capacity building and implementation activities, called the Community Transformation Grants. In addition to smoke-free living, active living and healthy eating, these new grants will focus on high-impact, quality clinical and other preventive services, social and emotional wellness, and healthy and safe physical environments. Communities will have the opportunity to identify other strategies relevant to their communitys' unique needs including adolescent health; arthritis and osteoporosis; cancer; diabetes; disabilities and secondary conditions; educational and community-based services; environmental health; HIV; injury and violence prevention; maternal, infant, and child health; mental health and mental disorders; health of older adults; oral health; and sexually transmitted diseases, as related to the overall goals of the program. Through a competitive selection process, as many as 75 communities will soon be expanding their work on disease prevention and health promotion for both youth and adults. Your community may already plan on applying and you should be involved! Letters of Intent are due June 3rd!  

Interested in learning more about the Accountable Care Collaborative?

The Accountable Care Collaborative (ACC) is a new Medicaid program designed to coordinate the health care of its members. Medicaid clients in the ACC will receive services using the fee-for-service model, and will also belong to a Regional Care Collaborative Organization (RCCO) designed to help manage their care. Some Medicaid clients will be automatically enrolled into the program starting this month. Visit the ACC webpage to learn more.

Colorado Health Institute Webinars!

March 25 - Publicly Funded Insurance Programs
June 8 - The Private Market: the Foundation of Health Insurance
June 22 - A Profile of your Community's Health
July 13 - The State Health Insurance Exchange

Each webinar will be held from noon-1pm. Click here to register.

HCPF Updates

Click here to view At a Glance This publication provides updates from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing and includes information about:

• Provider Payment Delays
• CO-CHAMP Funding
• Accountable Care Collaborative - Regional Care Collaborative Organizations
• Dual Eligibles
• HCPF Regional Conferences

Click here to read the latest CICP Communicates.