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 of the policy-making process.

Policy Priorities

Each year, we focus our policy advocacy efforts on the issues that are most pressing to achieve health equity. These priorities, along with input from our board, health policy committee, and grassroots membership, guide our action at the Capitol. For the 2021 legislative session, we’re prioritizing:

• Improving access to health insurance and the affordability and quality of health care – Specifically, we’ll be working to expand access to contraception through Medicaid, create equitable health insurance options, and lower prescription drug prices.
• Increasing immigrant rights and health – Specifically, we’ll be working to repeal a couple discriminatory laws from 2006, and then pass a data privacy law and create a legal defense fund for immigrants. We do this work as part of a diverse coalition of health care and immigrant rights advocates.
• Addressing social determinants of health – We’ll advocate for rent and utility assistance, policies that address food access and food insecurity, and the expansion of unemployment benefits, small business loans, and other cash assistance, all regardless of immigration status

Learn about the bills and issues we faced in past years’ sessions:

If you want to learn more about our policy advocacy work, please contact our Policy Manager, Rayna Hetlage.