health

A Boulder Daily Camera commentary describing some difficulties for families with mentally ill children in a state where public funding for school-based mental health clinics is low.

A Boulder Daily Camera commentary criticizing the state for revoking presumed eligibility for pregnant women in Colorado, a change to the Medicaid program intended to prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving services that led to 19,000 low-income women being denied prenatal care.

A Boulder Daily Camera commentary explaining the consequences of the state's poor funding of public health departments and other essential health services as a result of strict spending limits in Colorado.

A Boulder Daily Camera commentary explaining how federal and state funding limitations have caused Colorado's Medicaid program to be one of the leanest in the country.

We should fight poverty; 10 percent of Colorado???s families still live below the federal poverty line. But at least twice as many of our families and children live in the economic noman???s- land between the federal poverty line and actual selfsufficiency. We must ensure hard work pays and that necessities like housing, child care and health care are affordable. And we should make sure that low-income families can also begin to save and build assets.

Colorado can restructure its education system for the 21st Century, ensure Colorado families can afford the health care they need, renew the promise of secure pensions and retirement plans and make strategic investments in the jobs and infrastructure that underpin a competitive economy.

Increase funding to local public health departments so they can continue to provide immunizations and prenatal care, monitor communicable diseases and help provide visiting nurse services.

We should continue to dedicate more resources to the Colorado Indigent Care Program to expand community-based health care. If the Colorado Health Care Services Fund proves effective, the legislature should increase funding to expand coverage to more Coloradans who need it.

Colorado is a land of opportunity for many of us ??? a place where those who are willing to work hard and play fair can realize the American Dream. Our task is to extend this promise into the 21st Century.

Colorado???s next governor and legislature should commit to taking the necessary actions to reform our health care system so all Coloradans have access to a core set of affordable, quality health care services. We should identify the most promising ideas for improving our health care system and put them into action.