Date: 01/29/2009
Final
Colorado Community Health Network
COMMITTEE ON JOINT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
| Votes: View--> | Action Taken: |
| <none> | <none> |
03:56 PM -- Colorado Community Health Network
Annette Kowal, Chief Executive Officer, Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN), spoke to the committee regarding about the background of the community health network. She stated that community health centers in Colorado serve a larger portion of low-income individuals due to the state's lean Medicaid program. Ms. Kowal stated that CCHN provided a road map for the state to provide access to care through a primary medical home. She spoke to the initiative which is called "Access for All Colorado." Ms. Kowal provided some financial statistics on how much it will cost to provide a primary care home to all uninsured kids in Colorado.
04:08 PM
Ms. Kowal spoke to the proposed 10 percent budget cut or approximately $6.0 million cut to providers. She said that they would have to reduce their services immediately and serve about 12,000 less individuals.
04:09 PM
Pete Leibig, Chief Executive Officer, Clinica Family Services, Chair of the CCHN board, spoke to the proposed budget cut. Mr. Leibig explained that the community health center's budget is about $24 million. He stated that with the proposed Medicaid reimbursement rate cuts, he will need to cut his budget another $939,000. He stated that the community health center functions as an enrollment center for Medicaid and CHP+. Because of that, he stated that his billing department, which is approximately 15 percent of the budget, has to absorb the costs to process the necessary paperwork for Medicaid and CHP+ enrollees. He stated that it makes it very difficult to continue to take new Medicaid clients with the reduction of the reimbursement.
The Access for All Colorado Plan roadmap was provided to the committee (Attachment D).
04:13 PM
The committee adjourned.