Your Health Hub: May 2012
By Aron Snyder
We should all be able to get the care we need to stay healthy! Decisions about our health are too important to be left to others. By becoming more informed about the changes being discussed and getting involved in efforts to spread the word about healthcare reform, you can take part in making sure healthcare works for you and your family.
Legislative Session Wrap-up
The 2012 Legislative Session of the Colorado General Assembly will be remembered for its emphasis on jobs and the economy. However, three bills were introduced that will bring positive changes to Colorado’s health system, should they be signed into law.
House Bill 1052 requires the Director of the Division of Registrations in the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) to implement a system to collect health care work force data from health care professionals who are eligible for the Colorado health service corps, from practical and professional nurses, and from pharmacists.
House Bill 1281 concerns a Medicaid Payment Reform Pilot Program. This bill allows the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to consider payment reform proposals from current Medicaid primary care providers participating in its coordinated care system. Reimbursements to medical providers are currently based on the services given to patients on each visit. Under the new proposals, reimbursements to medical providers will be based on a rate that considers local cost trends to create a more realistic reimbursement formula. Payment reform will help address Colorado’s growing Medicaid budget while improving the quality of care that patients receive.
Senate Bill 134 requires hospitals to make information available about the hospital’s financial assistance, charity care, and payment plan policies in clear and understandable language. Hospitals also must screen uninsured patients for eligibility for financial assistance and to offer such assistance for uninsured patients whose annual family income is less than 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Hospitals are prohibited from charging these patients more than the lowest negotiated private payer price and must offer qualified patients a reasonable payment plan before initiating collections.
Your Health Hub is a monthly column provided by the be well Health and Wellness Initiative of the Stapleton Foundation intended to provide Park Hill residents with detailed information on what is happening in health in the Park Hill neighborhood. The column will also attempt to clarify the various measures of the new healthcare reform laws, describing what they mean to Park Hill residents. One or more aspects of the new healthcare reform laws will be explained in the column each month. Various organizations and/or entities that serve the Park Hill neighborhood will contribute to the column.
be well is a ground-breaking movement of communities coming together to take charge of their health and wellness. By focusing on the critical relationship between our health and where and how we live, work learn, and play. be well establishes community based projects that provide opportunities for residents and employees to live healthier lifestyles in the be well Zone, which includes the Park Hill, East Montclair, Northwest Aurora and Stapleton neighborhoods. The initiative is a project of the Stapleton Foundation.