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More than one of 15 (7.4 percent) Medicare prescriptions in Colorado is for opioids — prescription drugs such as codeine and oxycodone, data from 2014 show. That is 1.7 percentage points higher than the national rate.
Behavioral health is a hot topic in Colorado these days – and for good reason.
Suicide rates have reached an all-time high. The rate of opioid overdoses continues to climb. And in 2015, nine percent of Coloradans – or 440,000 residents – said they needed mental health care or counseling but did not get it, according to the Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS).
High school classes for teen moms, early childhood education for their little ones, and health care for both. It’s all available at the Florence Crittenton High School in west Denver.
An on-campus school-based health center (SBHC) opened at Florence Crittenton two years ago, meaning the young mothers can get regular appointments for themselves and their children. Last year, the Alethia E. Morgan, M.D. Health Center helped every child stay up to date on immunizations while decreasing school absences among the moms.
Colorado’s legislature convenes for 2017 following a tumultuous campaign season that is likely to have a big impact on health policy.
This second report in CHI’s pioneering ZIP code-level analysis of CHAS data focuses on differing levels of access to care among Colorado’s neighborhoods.
Health policy in Washington seems to be stalled as the new presidential administration takes shape. But health issues are well underway at the Colorado legislature.
The Colorado Health Institute team is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to covering the debates in Denver and Washington this year, and we have a lot to report this week.
Understanding How the Law Has Changed Coverage and Costs in Colorado
Life’s hectic. One example: Seeing a doctor is sometimes easier said than done. Maybe you can’t find child care or are reluctant to ask the boss for time off. Perhaps the provider you want to see doesn’t take your insurance or isn’t accepting new patients.
Regardless of the reasons, nearly one of five Coloradans report not getting needed care in the previous 12 months. And the extent of the problem can vary dramatically depending on where you live.
Repeal. Replace. Repair. Rebuild.
All these “re” words are floating around Washington as Congress moves to get rid of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
In his State of the State address on Jan. 12, Gov. John Hickenlooper called for making the behavioral health system “easier to navigate, more efficient and more responsive.”
He noted strides in expanding access to coverage and integrating primary care and behavioral health. “But,” he added, “behavioral health demands our attention at all points … and not just as one-off efforts when problems get too big to ignore.”