Meeting of interest
Hosted by Grand Junction Chamber of Commerce
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
Krey/Zeigel Room of the Mesa State College Student Center
Grand Junction
Colo. Health Care Reform:
What's the Employer Response?
We'll
update employers on health care reform efforts and capture their
responses to proposed changes. The Business Health Forum will lead the
discussion.
Join us to review legislative proposals and
recommendations from a blue ribbon commission on health care, and give
us your feedback to take back to the Capitol. The latest survey
technology will capture your opinions - and those of your peers - for
on-the-spot sharing and discussion.
Register for the event online or by calling 970-242-3214.
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The Business Health Forum is funded by several foundations, including The Colorado Health Foundation.
Stay tuned for info.. about upcoming business health care forums in your community.
To learn more about the Forum, contact Renee' Mowers at rmowers@bizhealthforum.org or call 303-866-9658.
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Dear Amy,
As
health insurance premiums continue to soar and Colorado examines
wide-scale health care reform, there has never been a more important
time for the business community to engage in the debate. The Forum is a
new project to help you connect the dots and weigh in on solutions.
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Rising costs hammer Colorado business
Between 2000 and 2005, Colorado
businesses saw their health premiums
increase nearly 60 percent. Premiums have grown, on average, more than five times faster than the rate of inflation.
So it's no wonder the cost of coverage eats up an increasing share of business expenses and employees' wages.
If your small business is hurting due to rising insurance costs, you
are not alone. Between 2000 and 2005, the proportion of Colorado
employers with 50 or fewer employees offering health benefits dropped
from 53 percent to 42 percent. At the same time, the percentage of
small business employees who take coverage, when offered, dropped from
57 percent to 51 percent.
"Lack of affordable health care is a
major barrier to business development for some entrepreneurs and
contributes to an estimated 35 percent of delinquencies and defaults on
our micro-loans," said Kersten M. Hostetter, CEO and President of Micro
Business Development in Denver. To learn more, click here.
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Top health care news
Study: Colorado near bottom for kids' access to health care
States
vary widely in the quality of health care children receive, and when it
comes to children's access to care, Colorado ranks 48th nationwide.
However, Colorado is No. 5 when it comes to kids' potential to lead
long, healthy lives.
That's according to a new scorecard issued by
The Commonwealth Fund, who says differences across states add up to
real consequences for children and their families. The report estimates
that if all states performed as well as the top states:
- 4.6 million more children nationwide would have health insurance;
- 11.8 million more children would get their recommended yearly medical and dental check-ups;
- 1.6 million fewer children would be at risk for developmental delays;
- 10.9 million more kids would have a medical home; and
- Nearly 800,000 more children would be up-to-date on their vaccines. The Commonwealth Fund
More spending doesn't improve patients' perception of care
Higher levels of spending on medical care don't improve patients'
perceptions of the care they receive, according to researchers who
conducted a survey of Medicare recipients.
Per capita spending on
Medicare beneficiaries varies widely nationwide and differences in
health don't account for this variations, said the study authors, who
added that little is known about whether beneficiaries in
high-expenditure areas receive better care than those in
low-expenditure areas.
There was a strong link between per capita
spending and receiving more medical care, such as average number of
ambulatory visits to physicians in the past year and more cardiac
tests. But seven of the 10 measures of patients' perception of health
care quality -- such as unmet needs for tests and treatment, and
spending enough time with doctors -- were unrelated to expenditures,
said the study. Washington Post
Glenwood Chamber hosts June 23 meeting on health reform
Ralph Pollock, member of the 208 Commission, and Amy Fletcher,
associate director of the BHF, will lead a discussion on health care
reform.
Join us to review legislative proposals and
recommendations from a blue ribbon commission on health care, and give
us your feedback to take back to the Capitol. The latest survey
technology will capture your opinions - and those of your peers - for
on-the-spot sharing and discussion..
The event will be held from
7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. Stayed tuned for details on the meeting location
and on how to register. For more information, call Angie Anderson at
970-945-6589.
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