The Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved, organized in 1998, is composed of over 150 individuals and organizations representing health care providers, consumers, business, government agencies, philanthropic organizations and others. The Coalition set the following goals for the year 2007: to achieve health insurance coverage for all Coloradans by 2007; to take steps to meet the needs of Colorado's medically underserved and phase in affordable coverage solutions; and to ensure that these goals are a public policy priority. In 2000, the Coalition launched Healthy Colorado Now, a statewide effort to gather information and reactions to five options for providing health insurance coverage for all Coloradans. The Healthy Colorado Now strategy included community and organizational meetings to over 1,000 Coloradans. Surveys of over 500 of these meeting participants gathered preferences and reactions to health insurance coverage options. Media contacts to support educational efforts, and the education of legislators around the state to begin building support were also components of the strategy. Preferred options and desired features of a strategy to cover all Coloradans with health insurance that resulted from Healthy Colorado Now, as well as the next steps for the Coalition in 2001 will be described. Implications and/or applications of this process for identifying statewide preferences through a community-driven process will be discussed. See www.ccmu.org
Learning Objectives: After attending this session, participants will be able to: 1. Describe the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved and its strategy for achieving a vision of access for all by 2007 2. Describe the state-wide community organizing and data collection element of the Healthy Colorado Now strategy implemented by the Coalition in 2000 3. List the outcomes of to date of the Healthy Colorado Now strategy, including Coloradans preferences for health insurance coverage
Keywords: Health Insurance, Community Involvement
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.