Health
Colorado launches ‘I Matter’ mental health program for youth
Colorado children can now undergo up to three free mental health counseling sessions through a program announced by the governor’s office on Wednesday. The “I Matter” program is a response to a worsening mental health crisis because of the COVID-19 pandemic and is funded by $9 million from the Polis administration’s Colorado Comeback roadmap. “We […]
How billing turns a routine birth into a high-cost emergency
This story was originally published at khn.org. Caitlin Wells Salerno knew that some mammals — like the golden-mantled ground squirrels she studies in the Rocky Mountains — invest an insane amount of resources in their young. That didn’t prepare her for the resources the conservation biologist would owe after the birth of her second son. […]
For Coloradans, health literacy more important than ever
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has impacted millions across the country, and Colorado has not been spared. Most health insurance companies have waived COVID-19 related costs, but the state’s complex health care system and uncertainty around medical care during the pandemic has created a noticeable increase in surprise bills for many Coloradans. Even before the pandemic, […]
Congress needs to eliminate harmful billing practices
Recent years have been hard for Americans across the country. With a string of tragic weather events like Hurricane Ida and the Colorado bomb cyclone, many Americans will be out of a job and turn to short-term, limited-duration health insurance, or STLDI, plans to have some level of health coverage during their period of unemployment. […]
Colorado special education sees funding increase this year, but is it enough?
Colorado will have some extra money this year to spend on early intervention and special education for young people with disabilities. The $10 million influx comes as a result of a last-minute amendment to the state budget. Some state legislators and educators fear, however, that even with the increased investment, the state doesn’t come close […]
New Mexico’s lone shark attack
A version of this story first appeared in Source New Mexico. New Mexico has had one shark attack since 1900, a glaring statistic considering it’s one of the few landlocked states with an incident. It all started with a tweet. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis published the innocuous post on last week from his personal verified […]
How a Mississippi court case could pave the way for new abortion bans across the U.S.
WASHINGTON — A six-week abortion ban in Texas enacted in September forced those seeking abortion services in the Lone Star State to look across state lines for care. But the timing couldn’t have been worse for Texans living near the state’s eastern border. The law took effect as neighboring Louisiana was reeling from the destruction […]
Lotteries did not encourage COVID-19 vaccinations, new study finds
The chance to win $1 million did not lead to increased vaccination rates against COVID-19, according to a new study published Friday that examined the states that held vaccine lotteries earlier this year. There was a “near zero” association between those cash drawings and additional vaccinations in states like Colorado, which held five drawings among […]
FDA panel recommends booster shot of Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine
WASHINGTON — Millions of Americans who received Moderna’s two-shot COVID-19 vaccine are expected to be eligible soon for booster shots, after a federal advisory panel on Thursday recommended a third dose for older and higher-risk adults as well as certain workers. The unanimous recommendation from the Food and Drug Administration vaccine panel came a few […]
When to get COVID-19 vaccine shots in Colorado in time for the holidays
Coloradans who aren’t yet vaccinated against COVID-19 still have time to get their shots before the holidays. Depending on the type of vaccine someone chooses, the timeline may be running out, though. The COVID-19 vaccine developed by pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech requires two doses three weeks apart, while Moderna’s shots must be given four […]
Colorado first in nation to include gender-affirming care in some health care plans as essential benefit
Colorado has become the first state in the nation to require comprehensive gender-affirming care as part of minimum, or “benchmark,” health care plans sold on the individual and small group markets, which accounts for about a quarter of the state’s health care customers. The gender-affirming care element was announced during a Tuesday news conference that […]
Marching again for Roe
By Marilyn Lori Thirty years ago, I boarded a bus in Ann Arbor bound for Washington, D.C., to go to a massive protest in favor of a woman’s right to choose the fate of her reproductive life. A group of us drove through the night to march in support of the notion that a woman’s […]