Colorado Health Access Survey | Colorado Health Institute

Colorado’s Best Source of Insight and Information About Health, Coverage, and Care

The Colorado Health Access Survey – the CHAS – is the premier source of information on health coverage, access to health care, and the factors that influence health in Colorado.

More than 10,000 households in the state have participated every other year since 2009, allowing comparisons across a time marked by sweeping changes in health policy. Recent surveys have expanded to cover factors closely tied to health, including housing, food access, and experiences of discrimination. The survey provides a credible source of information about key trends and challenges facing Coloradans that is not available through any other source.

Did you receive the survey? This page answers frequently asked questions. Click here

2021 CHAS

The COVID-19 pandemic brought more than a novel and dangerous virus to Colorado. The 2021 Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) documents historic shifts in health, access to care, and social and economic conditions. More people than ever before reported challenges with their mental health, especially young adults.

Survey History

The CHAS Data Dashboard

Explore data on a variety of topics from 2009 to present, and make comparisons among demographic categories of your choice. This dashboard is best viewed on a desktop.

“Considered the gold standard for numbers on how people interact with the state’s health system.”

“5 Numbers that Explain Why Colorado Lawmakers Need More Insight into Prescription Drug Costs” Colorado Sun, Feb. 12, 2020

Colorado’s Essential Health Survey

The CHAS plays a central role in efforts to improve health for everyone in Colorado.

In the past decade, the survey has measured the effects of the Affordable Care Act and identified work left to do to improve access to health care. More recently, it has examined social factors such as housing, food access, and discrimination in health care. The 2021 survey looks at the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey’s large sample size allows for statistically significant samples in urban and rural areas and by age, race, and income.

Policymakers, state agencies and local governments use the CHAS to measure access to care in Medicaid and to identify needs in behavioral health. Health systems and providers use it to help understand access to care in the areas they serve. Community-based organizations rely on CHAS data to evaluate local needs and inform their strategic plans and programs. Researchers and journalists use it to track the impact of policy shifts and gain insight into the state’s evolving health needs.

The CHAS Is For You

Data from the CHAS are available to anyone who is interested. We invite researchers and other interested parties to use our research file or to reach out with requests for information and data. Contact chas@coloradohealthinstitute.org.

How to Use the Survey

The survey is conducted every other year, and results are released in the fall of the survey year. CHI publishes the survey data in several formats:

A summary report with graphics and high-level analysis
Spreadsheets with data on all survey questions broken out by demographics
Two-page regional profiles
A research file for academic inquiry

Click on links to each year's survey above to see all the content for each year.

Latest CHAS Analysis

Colorado Is Facing a Child Care Crisis

A Dose of Reality: Prescription Drugs in Colorado

Diverse State, Diverse Needs

Language and Culturally Responsive Care in Colorado

Mental Health in Colorado’s LGBTQ+ Communities

More CHAS Analysis

Job Loss, COVID, and Health

Poor Mental Health Persisted Even After Laid-Off Workers Found New Employment

Support the Colorado Health Access Survey

The CHAS is for all of Colorado, and it takes people from all around Colorado to make it happen. If the CHAS has made a difference in your work, please let us know how. Contact Kristi Arellano.

And if you can help raise money for future surveys, please contact Jeff Bontrager.