Colorado Health Insurance
Colorado’s health status
Colorado, though decreasing slightly in 2008 in America’s Health Rankings, has still a great Health Ranking, and it’s in the top 20 states ranking in 2008 the 19th position. Though there was a slight fall (Colorado ranked 16th in 2007), it has a strong health system. Some of Colorado’s best features are the lowest rate of obesity in the nation, at 19.3% (it’s still the lowest despite increasing 1.1% in the past year), and very low percentages of cancer-related and cardiovascular-related deaths (only 168.3 and 248 per 100,000 population, respectively). The percentage of preventable hospitalizations is also low, and Colorado is ranked 6th in the nation.
Issues that need to be looked into, are geographical disparity (at 18%, it’s the third highest in the nation), which has weight in the fact that 16.8 percent of Colorado residents lack Health Insurance. Immunization Coverage percentage for children between ages 19 to 35 months is also decreasing as compared to the previous year, but it’s not the worst in the country, as it was in 2006. Average public funding (approx. $74 per person in Colorado), which has increased almost $20 per person from last year, is an optimistic measure that will hopefully help lower the high percentage of people that lack Health Insurance in the state.
Other issues need to be looked upon are determinant issues, such as the adequate prenatal care (only 65.7% of pregnant women received adequate care), an increasing violent crime rate (though lowering, it still needs to be looked upon), and a very high percentage of Binge drinking, with 16.8% percent of the population being binge drinkers. If these issues can be controlled like infant mortality was controlled in 2007 (which lead a five percent decrease in the infant mortality rate in one year), Colorado can be an even better state in terms of Health Care.
Overall, Colorado’s Health System has been always a strong health system, and it should stay that way, if Key issues can be controlled and public funding continues to raise. It’s important to mention that the health determinants are ranked higher than health outcomes, which indicates that the overall healthiness of the Colorado people seems to decrease over time. This does not mean that health decreases over time, or that the Health system is ineffective, it only means that some of the Key aspects in improving the health care system in Colorado are Outcomes (specifically, the Geographic Disparity). Overall, Colorado is a very good and healthy place to live.
Colorado health insurance information
About 83.7% of the citizens in Colorado have Health Insurance, with 16.8% of the population lacking it, a percentage that needs to be lowered with new policies and Health Care Plans. The percentage of employers offering health insurance to employees is 54.1% and it’s been going up for the past few years, with 76 percent of workers taking the Health Insurance plans offered by their employers.
The access to primary health care is average (Colorado is ranked 23rd) despite its very high geographical disparity, and with an increasing government funding, the percentage of population that could get medical care when needed is high at 87.7% and the patients served by FQHCs as a percent of population under 200% FPL stands at 32.6%, a high number.
If coverage has been denied for you, there are still some options you can check:
Health Care for All Colorado
Health Care for All Colorado is a Colorado nonprofit organization working for universal health care under a single-payer system for all people living in Colorado. Visit their site for more information on the organization and its goals, and how it can help you with Health Insurance.
Best health plans in Colorado (according to US News)
The prestigious US News ranks yearly the best Health Plans in the country, polling and evaluating consumer assessment, prevention, and treatment offered by all plans. They gather information and rank the results, nation-wide and state-wide, showing on their results the best plans available for Colorado as well. The Rankings reflect results of consumer surveys and success in preventing and treating illness compared with average health plan.
Not only they rank Commercial Plans, they also rank Medicare or Medicaid plans, covering and evaluating as many plans as possible. If you want to browse their list of best-of, please go to the US News Health Plans Search site.
Get involved
If you are concerned about Colorado’s health care issues and want to speak out, your safest bet is to contact your federal official, either via phone or fax. Postal Mail is not recommended, since it takes too long, and e-mail might not be seen. Also, make sure you communicate with the right Member of the Senate and/or Congress.
If you want more guidance and tips on how to contact and communicate with your representatives, there are various sites on the internet that can help on how to contact your elected officials.
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Contact the White HousePHONE: toll free 1-800-671-7887 (ask for the Comment Line) FAX: 1 202-456-2461 State officials:
Official Colorado health insurance information
| Recent Colorado health insurance newsHealth Insurance is always a hot topic for discussion, since it involves the citizens of Colorado and their welfare. Here are some of the latest news and updates on the current issues and news related to Health and Health Insurance for Colorado: |
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