Policy Advocacy

We shape, impact, and advance good public policy.

We work at the state Capitol and with state agencies administering Medicaid and other important public health programs, to ensure Colorado’s public policies help Coloradans achieve their best health. We also collaborate with hospitals, clinics, and providers to ensure they optimize the health of their patients. By bringing together diverse leaders and partners, we amplify our impact and accelerate change toward a health care system that works for everyone.

Our legislative efforts have secured a number of major policy victories, and our leadership has allowed us to strategically amplify the voices of Coloradans, especially those who have been historically left out.

See our summary of the 2018 Colorado state legislative session, see what we worked on this session, or catch up on key issues from past elections and sessions:

+ 2016 Election

• STATEMENT – The Future of Health Reform in Colorado
• STATEMENT – Amendment 69: ColoradoCare (FAILED)
• STATEMENT – Amendment 70: Minimum Wage (PASSED)
• STATEMENT – Amendment 72: Tobacco Tax (FAILED)

+ Past Session Summaries

• REPORT – 2018 Session
• REPORT – 2017 Session
• REPORT – 2016 Session
• REPORT – 2015 Session
• REPORT – 2014 Session
• REPORT – 2013 Session
• REPORT – 2012 Session

Health Policy Committee

Our Health Policy Committee has a finger on the pulse of current and upcoming Colorado legislation that both directly and indirectly affects health. These providers, clinic administrators, consumer advocates, and lobbyists ensure that we have well-informed data and perspectives to drive our health policy advocacy.

  Our 2018 policy priorities:

• Immigrant health – Policies that mitigate challenges in access to care for immigrants, such as I Drive legislation and budgetary items. as well as issues concerning immigrant safety.
• Payment reform mechanisms to include social determinants of health – Legislation that supports payment reform, with the ability to move health care systems to support social determinants of health, as prioritized by the impacted community, and with the end goal of improving health equity in the community.
• Addressing the “upstream” factors in health inequities in order to more effectively improve health outcomes – Legislation that specifically addresses social determinants of health that directly correlate with the greatest health inequities; this year, we will focus on issues related to housing and food access.

Learn more about our 2018 Legislative Agenda and the bills we followed this session.

Policy Research and Analysis

Moving forward important legislative and regulatory change requires thoughtful analysis. Center for Health Progress takes the time to interview stakeholders, research the issues, and when appropriate, recommend solutions.

• CASE STUDY – Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Innovations Statewide (PDF)
• FACT SHEET – Policy Background on EMS Innovations
• FACT SHEET – Policy Background on Medicaid Non-Emergent Medical Transportation
• REPORT – Our Perspective on the American Health Care Act (PDF)

If you want to learn more about our Health Policy Committee or our general policy advocacy work, please contact our Public Policy Manager, Chris Lyttle.