2013 Colorado Health Access Survey Data Released November 5th

“The 2013 Colorado Health Access Survey was released November 5th.  The Colorado Health Access Survey – the CHAS – is the premier source of information on health insurance coverage, access to health care and how health care is used in Colorado. Findings from the 2013 CHAS give a detailed picture of Colorado’s changing health landscape. The data will serve another important function as well – providing a baseline of information to help measure the impact of the Affordable Care Act in Colorado. CHAS data will show how many additional Coloradans obtain health insurance, whether it is affordable and whether having health insurance translates into better access to health care.

High-level findings from the 2013 CHAS:

• 741,000 Coloradoans – one of seven residents – does not have health insurance.
• Hispanic Coloradans are disproportionately uninsured. Approximately 26 percent of the population identifies as Hispanic, but 38.6 percent of the uninsured are Hispanic. (See graph below.)
• Nearly 8 percent of Coloradans said they needed mental health services or counseling services in the 12 months before the survey, but did not get them, with the most frequently cited reasons relating to cost.
• More than one of four young adults between the ages of 19 and 26 do not have health insurance, the highest rate among all age groups.

Visit this page to access more findings from the 2013 CHAS.”  [Source:  The Colorado Trust]

November is National Diabetes Month and NDEP Webinar on Nov. 12

“In observance of National Diabetes Month 2013, the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) and its partners are reminding people that Diabetes is a Family Affair.

Diabetes is a challenging disease that affects the entire family in many ways. For people living with diabetes and their loved ones, family support is very important when it comes to managing diabetes and preventing serious health problems. It’s also important to know that having a family history of diabetes – such as a mother, father, brother, or sister with diabetes – increases a person’s risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

Looking for ideas and materials? NDEP has many ready-to-use resources you can use to promote National Diabetes Month in your community – such as press releases, articles, web buttons, social media messages, and more – available at YourDiabetesInfo.org/DiabetesMonth2013.

NDEP is also hosting a webinar on Tuesday, November 12, from 12:00-1:00pm. This webinar is about “Using Plain Language to Make Diabetes Messages Clear and Simple,” featuring Wendy Mettger, M.A., President of Mettger Communications.  Click here to register and for more information.”  [Source: COPrevent]

Coding and Billing Workshops coordinated by The Family Planning Unit at CDHPE

“The Family Planning Unit at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is working with RT Welter & Associates to coordinate three regional coding and billing workshops! The workshops will provide coding and billing information in a three-hour morning session, from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Although discussion will focus on family planning clinic-specific billing and coding, most of the information provided will be helpful for any health care clinic new to billing and coding. Topics include: the revenue cycle, billing basics, collections, diagnosis codes, evaluation and management (E & M) coding, ICD-10, and family planning clinical scenarios. Title X clinics receive priority registration; if a waitlist develops, non-Title X clinics may lose their registration spaces.

Clinic staff also have the option to sign up for a half-hour, one-on-one technical assistance session, offered between 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Workshops will be held in:

• Grand Junction (Friday, November 8th at Community Hospital),
• Boulder (Thursday, November 21st at Via Mobility Services), and in
• Colorado Springs (Friday, December 6th at El Paso County Public Health).

To register, or for more information, click on the name of the city (above) to be taken to the event page. Please contact Callie Preheim at (303) 692-6268 or callie.preheim@state.co.us with any questions. [Source: CDPHE]

Connect for Health Colorado CEO says state health exchange off to a good start

A message from Connect for Health Colorado Chief Executive Officer Patty Fontneau on the first month of operations for the Colorado’s health exchange:
“Today [Nov. 1st] marks the end of our first month since opening Colorado’s health insurance marketplace and I am pleased to report that interest has been strong and we have been busy helping Coloradans shop for health insurance. Thousands of Coloradans are visiting our website every day to compare health plans, learn about their options, apply for financial assistance and enroll. Our Customer Service Center has seen high demand, servicing close to 30,000 phone calls to date. More than 50,000 Coloradans have created accounts with the intent to buy health insurance and more than 3,000 have signed up already. We are quickly resolving technical issues that arise and are working hard every day to improve our operations, customer service and support for our statewide network of certified health insurance agents/brokers and Health Coverage Guides who are on the front lines assisting our customers.

Following the direction set by a 2011 state law, we created a unique service for Colorado through a website and support network that is completely separate from the federal marketplace. It’s important for Coloradans to know that our Marketplace has been operating successfully and has been built specifically for our state. As one Eagle County customer who enrolled in health insurance that will cost her $132 a month with a tax credit: “It worked out great for me. Colorado really has it together.

Click here to read more on 10 facts about how Connect for Health Colorado is working for Colorado.” [Source: COPrevent]

New Nutrition Guidelines from the American Diabetes Association: One Size Does Not Fit All

“The American Diabetes Association (ADA) has released a new position statement on nutrition therapy for patients with diabetes in Diabetes Care, October 2013. The last statement was published in 2008. These new guidelines acknowledge there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to recommending nutrition therapy for patients with diabetes. All nutrition therapy should be individualized suggesting patients consider their individual goals and choose an eating pattern that fits their food preferences, yet is still nutritional.

Practice Pearls:

• New nutrition guidelines available replace those from 2008 and acknowledge there is no "one size fits all" when it comes to eating plans.
• Recommendation of portion sizes should take into account individual preferences, culture, religious beliefs, traditions and metabolic goals.
• Patients with diabetes should receive individualized nutrition therapy to improve clinical outcomes.”   [Source: COPrevent]

HCPF October At a Glance & CICP November Newsletter

The October At A Glance publication provides information on major initiatives including policy changes and program updates from the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

Please view the CICP November Newsletter. [Source: HCPF]

Denver Metropolitan Affiliate of Susan G. Komen® Announces Request for Applications to Fund Breast Cancer Projects

"The Denver Metropolitan Affiliate of Susan G. Komen® has released its Request for Applications for funding of breast cancer projects for the 2014-2015 fiscal year through its website at http://www.komendenver.org/grants-program/how-to-apply/. Since its founding in 1992, Komen Denver has invested more than $32 million in local breast health awareness and breast cancer screening and treatment projects in the Affiliate’s 19-county service area of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Clear Creek, Denver, Douglas, Gilpin, Jefferson, Larimer, Logan, Morgan, Park, Phillips, Sedgwick, Summit, Washington, Weld and Yuma counties.

For the 2014-2015 fiscal year, Komen Denver will consider breast cancer projects that meet at least one of the Affiliate’s priorities of:

• Increasing access to breast cancer screening, diagnostics and treatment by reducing financial barriers for uninsured and under-insured populations, with priority populations including Hispanic/Latina; African American/Black; gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender; Native American; rural; or low-income individuals.
• Increasing culturally relevant breast health education and awareness in medically underserved populations through partnerships with community health workers, promotore/a or similar, community-based navigation programs, with the end-goal of these projects being to connect medically underserved individuals with clinical breast exams (CBEs) and mammograms.
• Building capacity for the continuum of breast health care with the goal of creating continuity between education, navigation, screening, diagnostics, treatment, and patient support.

Breast cancer projects seeking funding from the Affiliate should fall into one of the following funding categories:

• Community Health Workers (CHW): Members of the community who are fluent in and sensitive to the language and culture of their audience with the primary aim of helping people in their community understand health behaviors, recognize health options, and make decisions that will improve their health. Komen Denver Affiliate considers proposals for projects where CHWs provide culturally responsive breast health education to diverse populations that focus on addressing barriers to screening. The end-goal of these projects is to connect medically underserved individuals with clinical breast exams, mammograms and timely follow-up diagnostic care.
• Screening: Provide direct patient screening services that include all aspects of breast cancer screening, diagnostics and other follow up care at a clinical location.
• Treatment: Provide direct patient services that include all aspects of breast cancer treatment including, diagnostics and staging, chemotherapy, radiation, hormone therapy, surgery, counseling, navigation, alternative therapies and other follow up care in a medical setting.
• Patient Support: Offer assistance outside of direct clinical services that assist breast cancer patients with their immediate needs in healing mentally and physically and that improve the overall treatment experience. Komen Denver Affiliate considers proposals for a wide range of non-medical support services that can greatly improve the patient’s life, decrease stress over finances and assist the breast cancer patient in dealing with their diagnosis Projects funded in this area must focus on breast cancer patients who are actively in treatment.

The Affiliate will only fund projects that focus exclusively on breast health and/or breast cancer for uninsured, underinsured and low-income individuals. Qualifying organizations include any United States nonprofit, federally tax-exempt organization, including nonprofit hospitals and hospital systems, governmental entities, Indian tribes, and nonprofit educational institutions, with tax-exempt status under the Internal Revenue Service code.

To access the 2014-2015 application for funding, click on “How to Apply” in the Grants section of the Affiliate Web site at www.komendenver.org. All applications are due by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 2, 2013, using the Susan G. Komen online Grants eManagement System. Questions about Komen Denver’s application or the application process should be directed to Director of Mission Programs Toni Panetta at (303) 744-2088 ext. 305 or tpanetta@komendenver.org." [Source: Susan G. Komen]