2019 POLICY AND ADVOCACY PRIORITIES
CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL COLORADO
Protect and Expand Healthcare Coverage
and Access for All Children Prohibit E-Cigarette Use in
Public Places
Medicaid is the heart of healthcare coverage for many of Colorado's children.
Nearly half the kids we see at Children's Hospital Colorado rely on Medicaid for
their health insurance. We see every day how access to comprehensive, reliable
healthcare services—often made possible by Medicaid—allow kids to grow up
healthy and strong. At the same time, we also see the many ways Medicaid must
be strengthened for the children it serves. Colorado and the nation are grappling with an “epidemic” of
teen electronic cigarette use, according to the Food and Drug
Administration.
Defending and Strengthening
Colorado Medicaid
Children's Colorado has long been a leader in defending the
Medicaid program and standing up against efforts to limit
children's access to medically-necessary care. In 2019, we
will continue defending access to Medicaid and the care that
it provides for the children who need it most. Yet we will
simultaneously press for improvements in the program’s benefits
and coverage. For example, together with patients, families
and other advocates, we will urge Medicaid to cover and pay for
breakthrough drugs and therapies that have life-saving potential.
Safeguarding Meaningful Access to Private
Coverage for Children
Legislators will introduce a range of bills in the 2019 session aimed at
addressing the rising costs of health insurance in rural and mountain
communities where individual market options are limited. Many
approaches will be debated, including reinsurance, changes to how
health plans are constructed and rated on the Connect for Health
Colorado Exchange, and a Colorado-specific public option. Children's
Colorado will work with legislators and patient advocates to ensure
that children's well-being is part of these conversations and that any
changes will improve access to care and foster greater competition,
while at the same time striking the right balance between robust
benefits and affordability for families.
With a new governor's administration coming into office, we
also expect to see exploratory moves towards creating a new
healthcare authority. A healthcare authority could combine
some of the health-related functions currently spread out across
different departments of state government. While details are still
forthcoming, Children's Colorado will be engaged as this model is
deliberated, serving as a voice for children in the process.
Facilitating Access to Quality
Oral Healthcare
Cavities are one of the most common chronic childhood
conditions in the United States. When untreated, they can
negatively impact the ability to eat, speak, learn and play. To
help ensure that no child experiences this unnecessary pain and
discomfort, Children’s Colorado will partner with other advocacy
organizations to champion comprehensive preventive oral
healthcare for all Colorado kids and families.
Specifically, we will work to add dental benefits for pregnant
women participating in the Children’s Health Insurance Program
(CHIP)—or CHP+ in our state—to improve the oral health of
moms and their children. We also plan to work alongside coalition
partners to hold private insurance carriers accountable in
fulfilling their Affordable Care Act-required obligations to cover
fluoride varnish application in primary care settings, so that all
our youngest Coloradans can enjoy strong dental health.
Commonly referred to as e-cigarettes, these electronic smoking devices are battery-
operated products that deliver a heated solution or aerosol of nicotine and other chemicals
to the consumer.
In 2017, 44 percent of Colorado youth reported trying e-cigarettes, or “vaping,” at least once
and 27 percent reported current use. This is the highest rate of teen e-cigarette use in the
nation—and a distinction that all Colorado elected officials should agree is unacceptable.
The science is clear: nicotine negatively
impacts the developing brain, particularly in
terms of addiction and toxicity. In addition,
the aerosols in e-cigarettes can increase a
consumer’s exposure to carcinogens and
heavy metals like lead and arsenic, both
directly and through secondhand smoke.
The emerging e-cigarette industry is growing
fast, with marketing campaigns that appeal
to consumers by suggesting these products
may be less harmful than traditional
cigarettes. Despite the known damage that
nicotine can have on the developing brain,
only 50 percent of Colorado youth believe
vaping is risky. In contrast, 87 percent believe
smoking poses a threat to their health. A
key strategy to addressing youth use of
these products is to eliminate them in public
spaces, as youth can be highly sensitive
to normalization and perceptions of harm
based on what they see in their environment.
In 2006, Colorado passed the Clean Indoor
Air Act, prohibiting the smoking of cigarettes
and other tobacco products in enclosed public
places like restaurants, libraries, offices,
grocery stores, child care facilities and public
transportation. Smoking marijuana was
covered in 2013. Well-supported research
suggests that the implementation of smoke-
free laws can contribute to reductions in
smoking rates and lead to direct population-
level health benefits, such as declines in
heart disease morbidity and improvements in
respiratory health.
In 2019, Children’s Hospital Colorado is
prepared to combat the e-cigarette industry
on behalf of teen health. We will lead a
legislative and coalition strategy to update the
Colorado Clean Indoor Air Act to add the use
of e-cigarettes as a prohibited activity in public
indoor spaces and workplaces. Joining with
advocates like the American Cancer Society,
we will seek to protect Coloradans’ right
to breathe clean air, free from secondhand
exposure to nicotine and other harmful
chemicals. Facing an accelerating e-cigarette
industry, it’s vital that lawmakers uphold the
enforcement of existing smoke-free laws and
build on the benefits these laws have brought
to Colorado.
Protecting Kids at the Federal Level
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We will continue our strong support for children with pre-existing conditions and
those on Medicaid, and will staunchly oppose any federal efforts to walk back
protections or impose drastic budget cuts on health or social programs for children.
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