Gretchen Hammer is executive director of the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved. In July, 2011, she was appointed chairman of the board of the Colorado Health Benefits Exchange.
When it comes to providing health insurance for children, Colorado has many reasons to celebrate. According to a new report from All Kids Covered, roughly 90 percent of all children in Colorado now have health insurance coverage.
Additionally, more than 40,000 Colorado kids gained health insurance coverage between 2008 and 2010. These numbers reflect the good news that many families have benefited directly from the policy changes implemented during the past five years to improve coverage and access to care for families.
Among those families are the Warrens of north Denver. In 2010, Aly and Jim Warren took a big risk and left their secure jobs — and employer-sponsored health insurance — to pursue their dreams of being small-business owners. Thanks to recent eligibility expansions intended to make health care coverage more accessible for families not covered by employers, Aly (who is expecting the Warren's second child this year) and Eva, the couple's 3-year-old daughter, obtained health coverage through the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+). Health coverage for Aly and her daughter has provided much-needed peace of mind and security for the Warren family.
Both Aly and Jim embody the pioneering, entrepreneurial spirit that Coloradans are known for. That spirit, supported by the hard work of policymakers, state and local agencies, community leaders, health care providers, advocates and private foundations, is something to celebrate.
Of course, there is still more work to be done. According to recent estimates, between 112,200 and 124,128 Colorado children remain uninsured. To build on the strong momentum of the last few years and cover all children, we need to focus on five key strategies:
- Leadership and accountability to continue cross-sector, non-partisan work
- Coverage and access for all children through increased insurance options and provider availability
- Systems and practices to maximize enrollment and retention
- Messaging and communications that are straightforward and consistent
- Regional adaptation of solutions for each of Colorado's diverse communities
It's not too much to ask that all of Colorado's kids have access to the health care they need, when they need it. By working together we can deliver for Colorado's kids and give them the chance to grow into healthy adults who live, work and thrive in every Colorado community.
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