The Colorado Health Access Survey results underscore the challenges Coloradans are facing when they are trying to access health insurance.
As the results of the survey point out, there are 829,000 Coloradans without health insurance and many more that are classified as underinsured. Many mention cost as an obstacle to obtaining private insurance; family incomes have decreased during the recession while the cost of insurance premiums has continued to climb. An increasing lack of access to employer sponsored plans also contributes to the high number of uninsured in Colorado.
The benefits of health insurance are clear. Research has shown those with insurance have better access to health care services such as cancer screenings and are more likely to be diagnosed at an earlier stage. Kids without a usual source of care can end up in emergency rooms for conditions like asthma or ear infections which could be treated much more cost-effectively in a primary care setting. The cost of uninsurance is passed along to all of us in the form of more crowded emergency rooms and higher insurance premiums for private insurance coverage.
While the uninsured rate has risen, enrollment in public health insurance programs like Medicaid and CHP+ that provide access to health insurance for some of the most vulnerable of our citizens has increased.
Programs administered by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing including the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), the Colorado Indigent Care Program (CICP) and Medicaid now cover more than 800,000 Coloradans. To meet the challenges of this record enrollment, our Department has redoubled its efforts around providing the most value for every tax payer dollar spent while focusing on quality, the health of our clients, and improving client experiences.
According to most recent data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Colorado’s average spending per Medicaid enrollee is the lowest in the Rocky Mountain Region and our average annual percent growth in spending per enrollee (1.8 percent) is nearly half that of our region (3.2 percent).
While obtaining health insurance may be difficult for Coloradans now, the bipartisan supported Colorado Health Benefits Exchange is in development and will provide another option to help Coloradans find easy to compare, affordable health insurance options for their families when it becomes operational in 2014.
When the General Assembly passed the legislation authorizing the Health Benefit Exchange, they recognized the need for Coloradans to have a voice in creating our own Colorado-specific solution. The Colorado Health Benefit Exchange will help many working adults and their families who may earn too much to qualify for public health insurance, but who still need help to afford private health insurance. When the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange is operational, some Coloradans will qualify for subsidies that can help pay for premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.
We all have a stake in reducing the number of uninsured Coloradans. An insured Colorado will be a healthier and more competitive Colorado.
Susan E. Birch is executive director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
