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
As VP of Business Development, one of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping Change Agents access data from the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD). Each innovative project is spearheaded by individuals working to improve health care in Colorado and across the country. Access to timely Read more
One of the classic moments in any movie western is the runaway stagecoach. In order to save the city-slicker passengers, the hero races behind the galloping team and somehow leaps onto the driver’s seat and coaxes the horses to a stop, usually at the very edge of a cliff. Costs Read more
CIVHC is excited to announce that, via partnership with the Colorado Advance Directive Consortium (CADC), we are the new home for the Medical Order Scope of Treatment (MOST) form. A resource for the seriously ill, the MOST form summarizes and consolidates important information about a patient’s preferences for life-sustaining treatments Read more
If you have been to a doctor’s office in the last several years, you’ve likely signed a form detailing the provider’s privacy practices, how they protect your information, and how they comply with something called HIPAA. The Healthcare Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA, pronounced just like it is spelled: Read more
On a monthly and quarterly basis, health insurance payers including Medicaid, over 33 commercial payers, and Medicare submit claims to the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD). Payers submit claims for everyone they provide coverage to, regardless of whether they accessed health care during the previous period or not, Read more
Five years ago, my father had a massive heart attack. Thankfully, he was rushed to the emergency room and straight into the intensive care unit (ICU). His condition was so bad that he was on more nitroglycerin than his nurse had ever seen and he had to wait in ICU Read more