Dear Colorado Health Care Payers, As it so frequently happens, the hustle and bustle of life can distract us from what truly matters. While we strive to make it through our busy days, we sometimes forget to stop and say the important things. That is why I am taking a Read more…
I’ve been in health care for over 20 years, but until several years ago I had no idea what opioids were, what they were doing to our society, and the complexity of the problem. I never really paid much attention to when and how many opioid prescriptions I was personally Read more…
Planning for the future can be exciting and full of possibilities – like when you’re mapping out your college courses to ensure career success. It is a gigantic puzzle, making sure you have enough credits, that you’ve completed the required courses, and choosing your electives. It requires forethought and diligence Read more…
When a person with diabetes has bypass surgery following a heart attack there are a lot of instructions. Some of these instructions are about the days immediately after release from the hospital and others detail lifestyle overhauls to be implemented in the future. There are prescriptions to pick up and Read more…
Until recent years, if you were a patient needing a health care service, it was nearly impossible for you to determine what it might cost you unless you had health insurance and access to a cost estimator tool. If you didn’t have insurance, your only option was to start calling Read more…
When it came time to make the decision to start a family, I was fortunate to be insured and able to set aside dollars in a Flex Savings Account (FSA) to plan for the costs associated with having a baby. I anticipated costs based on information pieced together from our Read more…
When I started reading this year’s 2018 Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD) Annual Report, I have to admit I got a little teary. Before you think I’ve lost my mind and cry over health care claims data (that would just be weird), you need to know something about Read more…
End of life is a scary, vulnerable time for both patients and families. Not only are they confronting the reality of death but they are also trying to navigate unfamiliar portions of the health care system. Palliative and hospice care have different goals than other specialties, as they are less Read more…
Picture Day. Love it or hate it, it was an integral part of every school year. If you were lucky, you chose your favorite outfit and made sure your smile sparkled. If your luck was at the other end of the spectrum, you forgot what day it was and were Read more…
In November I had the honor of participating in an inspiring event centered on changing the conversation about health care in Colorado. The CIVHC Connect: Dollars and Sense day-long meeting was full of solution-focused discussion, insightful questions, and a diversity of perspectives. All too often, health care conferences strive to Read more…