Newsroom
Happy New Year 2010!
Join us for coffee
Monday, Jan, 4th from 7:00-8:30 a.m.
NEW LOCATION THIS MONTH!
NGL Burgers
Alameda & Chambers (across the parking lot from Esteamers)
Come and get the latest updates and share your ideas!
Thanks for Helping “Feed Colorado!”
We raised over 200 pounds of food and $75 in cash at our food drive and cookie exchange on Dec. 13th.
We couldn’t have done it without you!
Save the Date...
Monthly Townhall Meeting
Thursday, Jan. 21st
7:00-8:30 pm
Location (this month only): Aurora Central Library 14949 E. Alameda Pkwy.
Topic: The Future of Higher Education in Colorado
Help us welcome our new co-host Rep. Karen Middleton!
Toys for Tots Needs Your Help!
Our local Marine Reserves are asking for your help to contribute to Toys for Tots this year. They are just under 50% of their 75,000 toy goal.
Gunnery Sgt Escabar, who is running the program, is still hoping to get closer before next week. Please make your donation by this Saturday, Dec. 19th, if you can, but you can donate up to the 23rd if necessary.
The program supports the Denver metro area and surrounding counties. All requests for toys come from non-profits and the need is validated before being approved.
Drop off your donations at the Toys for Tots warehouse at 12601 E. 33rd Ave in Aurora (80011). If you have any questions please call 303-801-0166.
HELP FEED COLORADO
You’re Invited!
Help Feed Colorado families by donating any non-perishable food items!
Please join State Rep. Su Ryden for a Food Drive and Cookie Exchange
Where: 16699 E. Kentucky Ave. (1-1/2 blocks west of Buckley Rd.)
When: Sunday, Dec. 13 3:00-5:00 pm
RSVP: su@suryden.com
Bring a batch of your favorite cookies
to share and exchange!
Hot Soup and Beverages provided!
www.ritterforgovernor.com/feedhost
Rep. Ryden (second from right) recently toured the Quail Ridge Dairy and Dairy Farmers of America processing plant in Fort Morgan with other members of the Agriculture/Natural Resources Committee.
REP. SU RYDEN TO HOST “FEED COLORADO” FOOD DRIVE
SUNDAY, DEC. 13
State Rep. Su Ryden, will host a food drive to support Gov. Ritter’s “Feed Colorado” campaign, Sunday, Dec 13 from 3-5 pm at 16699 E. Kentucky Ave. in Aurora.
Everyone is invited to drop off non-perishable food items that will be given to Food Bank of the Rockies.
“There is so much need, especially this year, and this is an opportunity for us to join together as a community and help those families who are having a tough time making ends meet,” said Rep. Ryden who represents House District 36 in Aurora.
More information is available online at www.suryden.com or call 303-898-5797.
Rep. Ryden observes CERT (Civilian Emergency Response Team) training at Horizon Middle School in November.
NEW LOAN PROGRAM HELPS AURORA SMALL BUSINESSES
Desert Ceramics owner Bill Dean and State Rep. Su Ryden listen as Gov. Bill Ritter, Jr. explains the Colorado Credit Reserve Program (CCR) that is helping small businesses in Aurora and around the state.
AURORA — Gov. Bill Ritter came to owner Bill Dean’s Desert Ceramics at 15551 E. 6th Ave. in Aurora to announce the first 23 businesses to benefit from the renewed Colorado Credit Reserve Program (CCR).
“One of the best things we can do to re-energize Colorado’s economy is to give small businesses the tools they need to succeed,” Gov. Ritter said.
“This is a great program, and we're already seeing its effect in local communities like Aurora,” said State Rep. Su Ryden, whose district is home to Desert Ceramics. “With just a small state investment, this program is encouraging Colorado lenders to loan as much as $50 million to our small businesses so they not only stay afloat but thrive during this difficult time.”
The first group of businesses to receive loans span industries such as manufacturing, service, retail, restaurant and wholesale foods. Seventeen of the 23 are women- or minority-owned businesses. Two other Aurora businesses in this group are Colorado K-9 Detection and Grand View Landscapes.
“This loan helped us move to our new building,” said Desert Ceramics owner Bill Dean. “It is what got us going. Here we had more people at our grand opening celebration than we did during an entire year at our old location. I hope more people will take advantage of this opportunity.”
In addition to helping with relocation expenses, the Colorado Credit Reserve Program will allow Dean to purchase new equipment needed to grow sales volume.
To date, the program is leveraging more than $400,000 in small business lending and supporting 161 new and existing jobs across the state.
Joining Gov. Ritter at the news conference were Rep. Sara Gagliardi, and representatives of the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority and the Colorado Enterprise Fund who helped negotiate Dean’s small business loan.
Other lenders in addition to Colorado Enterprise Fund that have signed on to make loans through the program include Wells Fargo, Premier Bank, Timberline Bank and the Upper Arkansas Area Development Corporation.
The program is being administered by the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), which operated the program from 1996 to 2006 until it fell dormant because of a lack of funding.
The revival of the CCR fund was made possible by the passage of Senate Bill 09-67, which Rep. Ryden co-sponsored with Reps. Gagliardi and Don Marostica and Sen. Rollie Heath.
For more information about how to participate contact CHFA at 1.800.877.2432.
SEPTEMBER TOWNHALL DRAWS CROWD AND QUESTIONS
Our September townhall meeting on healthcare drew a large crowd who had many questions for our expert panel that featured:
- Lynn Parry MD, neurologist and a noted expert on healthcare policy
- Rich Mauro, Senior Policy and Legislative Analyst at the Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG)
- Robert Semro, Policy Associate, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative
- Dave Myers, President and CEO of the Metro Community Provider Network of community health centers.
- Sandeep Wadhwa, MD, MBA, State Medicaid Director and Chief Medical Director of the Colorado Dept. of Health Care Policy and Financing
In fact, there were so many questions, we didn’t have time to answer them all. So our panelists graciously agreed to email their answers to us so we could post them on our website.
Here’s what we’ve received to date, and again, we thank our panelists for taking their valuable time to provide their thoughts about these important topics. We also thank everyone who attended the townhall and for the patience and civility shown to each other and our guests that evening.
Can we standardize prices to consumers—a price sheet for services—instead of different pricing for each service by each insurance company.
PARRY: Currently, not without legislation (Maryland, for instance has an all-payer system for hospital care: all payers –Medicare, Medicaid and commercial insurers, pay the same fee for the same service) But the variability of prices reflects underlying cost shifting as well as different contractual rates with insurers. Until or unless there are regulatory changes, this will continue—a reflection of the free market in health care.
SEMRO: Not without national and state reform legislation. The first step in this is to improve pricing transparency for both providers and insurance companies. We need to have a better understanding how cost shifting is calculated by providers and hospitals. We need to know how much of our premium dollar is spent on marketing and administration, etc. The first step in creating standardized pricing is to find out how all of the different parties calculate their pricing in the first place.
Is herbology included in the reform bills?
PARRY: No. See next question.
SEMRO: Not specifically.
Are there any efforts to incorporate alternative medical treatments that can be highly effective at much lower cost?
PARRY: The current approach in health reform is to establish a process called “comparative effectiveness”: it will examine treatments that offer the most effective and safest care.
Why don’t we include holistic health care? It’s less expensive.
PARRY: Reform includes new ways of delivering medical care. Holistic care—if you mean continuous, coordinated care that places the patient and their cultural beliefs at the center – is the premise of the “patient-centered medical home”: it is not a place but an approach for primary care providers to provide that “holistic” service.
A medical bill may reflect a $25,000 charge, but the insurance-negotiated fee may be only $5,000. What happens to the $20,000 difference? Do uninsured or cost shifting pay for the $20,000?
PARRY: As with #1: often hospitals or providers do not know what the actual “cost” for a service is; medicine is sufficiently complex that system and infrastructure costs can vary widely. One of the challenges in a reformed system is to achieve greater transparency and understanding of costs in the system so that appropriate pricing can occur.
SEMRO: It is very difficult to tell. Certainly uncompensated care (the cost of treating the uninsured) and the resulting cost shift to those with insurance represents a substantial amount of this, but it certainly isn’t all. For example, what are administrative costs, how much of that cost is due to medical testing, etc.? That is why transparency (see answer to question #1) is so important.
What about rationing? If I need an expensive drug every month costing $2,500 would I be rationed because of this?
PARRY: There is nothing in any of the bills that talk about rationing. Comparative effectiveness will look at ways of providing services (including medications) that achieve the same result with less cost. That is the only way to appropriately provide care for everyone and it allows exceptions for individuals who need an expensive medication because no other exists. Pharmaceutical profits also have to be examined since much of the cost of medications goes to pay for marketing rather than research.
SEMRO: There is a lot of political hyperbole about rationing, and most of it is just that. There is nothing in any of the national reform bills that creates rationing in any practical way. HR3200 refers to “Comparative Effectiveness” and that term is often referred to by national reform opponents (incorrectly) as rationing. Comparative effectiveness is a process by which multiple ways of delivering services are reviewed to determine which produces the very best results at the most effective cost. Good outcomes would not be sacrificed to ensure economy. It should also pointed out, that in practical terms, insurance companies ration care today, through claims review and claims denial. In addition, being uninsured is the most obvious and blatant form of rationing.
Someone has said that 80% of what modern medicine treats us for today is preventable (via exercise and nutrition). It’s one thing to help victims who need healthcare. It’s another thing to be saddled with helping pay for services provided to those who need those services because they are not responsible for their own health. Does health care reform address this in any way?
PARRY: Excellent question. There are two approaches: punishing people for life-style choices can be problematic since we know there are large disparities by socio-economic status in access to health education, nutrition and support for healthy life-styles.
However, the other approach, rewarding healthy behavior, has already been started in Colorado. Last session, HB 1012 [Reps. J. Rice, S. Ryden, Sen. L. Newell] gave carriers flexibility to provide incentives for participation in wellness programs. Incentives for healthy behavior have been part of the reform package, but as yet, without details.
SEMRO: The best way to reduce healthcare costs is to reduce demand. The best way to do that is to educate people on healthy behavior and to provide incentives (to individuals and the healthcare system, itself) for living a healthy lifestyle. Health behavior is obvious in some ways but not others. What is the best way to reduce high blood pressure for example, especially if it is genetic? What’s the best way to reduce cholesterol? Things like this sometimes need more than mere common sense, and require good medical advice. Access to good medical advice can prevent bigger problems from happening and can significantly reduce costs. House bills 1012 (Incentives to Encourage Voluntary Participation in Programs that Promote Health, and co-sponsored by Representative Ryden) and 1204 (Priority Preventative Health Services, also co-sponsored by Representative Ryden) go a long way toward accomplishing this in Colorado.
Are there any efforts to ensure transparency of physician/hospital performance through a publicly accessible database?
PARRY: Hospitals already report publically in several areas. See their report card at http://www.cohospitalquality.org/index.php
The Skolnik Act [Sen. M. Carroll] requires that physicians report publically financial relationships and adverse actions. For information on the bill, click here.
For accessing information on physicians, click here.
There were plenty of “scary” statistics. It scared me. But, what are the solutions? This wasn’t even mentioned. How is this “reform” supposed to work?
PARRY: The “how” part is longer than the 3000 pages of one of the bills. Generally, the two parts will be (1)Cover everybody: unless everyone is covered, we all pay for people who are sicker when they seek care and costs keep rising. And (2) Contain costs—redesign how we deliver care to make it more safe, effective, efficient, timely, equitable and patient-centric.
MAURO: I would add to that: (3) Everyone should pay their fare share: individuals, employers, insurance companies, providers, and the taxpayers. (4) Insurance reform – no one should have to fear losing their coverage, not for preexisting conditions, nor if they require expensive treatment, change jobs, lose their job, or want to find a more suitable plan. There should be caps on deductibles and out-of-pocket costs, no lifetime limits on coverage, and no higher premiums because of gender and age.
SEMRO: This could be a very long answer and has been the subject of various health care debates since the administration of Harry Truman. I will repeat the Issues and possible solutions that I gave in my presentation during the town hall meeting. These suggestions are in no way comprehensive. In fact, they barely scratch the surface, but might give a little idea of a direction that might be worthwhile:
1) Rising Cost of Health Insurance Premiums for Individuals and Employers
Health insurance marketplace in Colorado needs more oversight. In most markets, the regulation of insurance companies is weak at best, and this gives insurers an unfair advantage over consumers (We can do this at both the national and state level)
- We need more public transparency to insure that premium dollars are being spent on health care and not executive bonuses, marketing, administration, or bottom line profits. (We can do this at both the national and state level)
- Improve the transparency of insurance products so that individuals know what they are purchasing, the services which are covered and the associated out-of-pocket costs. (We can do this at both the national and state level)
- We need to take measures to ensure that out of state review boards don’t inappropriately deny claims. 20% of healthcare C costs come from slow payment or non payment of medical claims.
We need to get more uninsured people insured because the cost of care for Coloradans without health insurance is shifted onto those with coverage, driving up premiums even more.
- (We have made a big step toward this in Colorado with the passage of the Hospital provider fee bill)
- Increase federal Medicaid funding for states that cover recommended preventive services.
2) Rising Costs of Medical Care
Prevention: The best way to curb costs is to keep people healthy. We need to Improve Access to Preventive Services and we need to strengthen primary care medicine
- We need to move away from a Fee for Service Model and embrace a Pay for performance model.
- We need to tie hospital provider payments to performance on common and high cost conditions
- Transparency in pricing and cost control
- We need to move toward payment bundling and creating disincentives for hospital readmissions
- Move toward more coordinated patient centered care.
- Need to control technology driven costs through a value based purchasing and provider Collaboration
3) Impact on the National Economy
We need to get some form of national health care reform passed. The longer we wait to address Healthcare’s impact on the national economy the worse the problem will become and the more draconian the corrective measures will be.
Even if a bill does pass through Congress, health care reform is not really complete. It is arguable that none of the bills before Congress go far enough to reduce costs and set all of the structures in place that need to be there. Additional reforms must better address delivery systems, affordability, hospital and provider costs, insurance company efficiency and competition, the financial responsibilities of the states, etc. However, as imperfect as these options are the longest journey still requires that first step.
Healthcare Information Online:
Are you trying to sort out the truth from the myths about health insurance reform legislation? There is a very good side-by-side comparison done in lay person's language on the Kaiser Family Foundation website.
For myth busting, the AARP has just issued a very good piece that:
- busts the myth
- tells the origin of the myth
- summarizes the proposals
Issues covered:
- Will the government take over health care so we end up with socialized medicine?
- Will private insurance be outlawed or wither on the vine?
- Will the government encourage euthanasia to save costs?
- Will Medicare be eliminated or gutted to pay for reform?
- Will the government ration care?
For general fact checking, go to www.factcheck.org or www.politifact.com
REMINDER!
This year’s state government furlough closure days will be Sept. 8, Oct. 9, Nov. 27 and Dec. 31, saving a total of $13.6 million.
State driver’s license offices, the Department of Public Health and Environment’s vital records office, and administrative offices for executive branch departments will be among the facilities closed on furlough days, with about 15,500 employees on unpaid furlough.
State parks will be open (except for visitor centers). State troopers will be patrolling the highways. The Department of Transportation’s TrafficOperations Center will be running, as will unemployment benefit offices, state nursing homes, hospitals and other care centers. The state Judicial Branch and courts, Treasurer’s Office, Attorney General’s Office, Secretary of State’s Office and state colleges and universities also will be open.
From the Aurora Sentinel:
Other Voices: Legislative Wrap-up
Despite the challenges we faced in the legislature during these tough times, we succeeded in what we set out to do at the beginning of the session: expanding the circle of opportunity for all Coloradans.
As promised, we focused on saving and creating good jobs, providing support for struggling families, and creating a world-class education system. And even with a tight budget, the legislature was able to do more with less.
For more of this story, click HERE.
Rep Ryden tells a gathering at Lincoln Park, "I think that this law will give people that extra incentive to buckle up." Statistics show that 56% of all traffic fatalities are associated with those not wearing their seat belts. It is estimated that this costs the state more than $90 million dollars per year in economic productivity.
SB09-296, sponsored by Senator Betty Boyd and Representative Su Ryden, is a measure that would make not wearing a safety belt a primary offense, thereby requiring standard enforcement of safety belt laws in conjunction with all other traffic laws.
Retiring Leadership Aurora Board member Su Ryden with
Rachel and Alfonso Nuñez of La Cueva restaurant.
Gov. Ritter signs Make a Wish Foundation tax
check-off bill into law at the State Capitol.
Rep. Su Ryden Announces New Fund to Help Recently-Orphaned Girls from Aurora
(DENVER) — Colorado lawmaker Su Ryden (D-Aurora) today announced a fund to benefit two little girls who were recently orphaned during a murder-suicide.
Brianna and Alliyah Patterson were the subjects of an Amber Alert last month when their mother was found murdered in her Aurora home. Their father committed suicide after releasing the girls to the police. The sisters, three and four years old, are living with their maternal grandparents.
Senators Morgan Carroll, Mary Hodge, Nancy Spence and Suzanne Williams; and Representatives Cindy Acree, David Balmer, Karen Middleton, Kevin Priola, Nancy Todd and Suzanne Williams are joining the fund-raising effort.
Public Service Credit Union (PSCU) is accepting donations for the “Brianna and Alliyah Fund” at all of its 28 branches, including the Aurora Branch at 16900 E. Quincy Ave., Aurora, CO 80015. To find additional PSCU branch locations, please visit www.pscu.org.
Information about federal stimulus package can be found at:
www.recovery.gov
Information about the Colorado impact of the stimulus package can be found at:
www.colorado.gov/recovery
Wondering about a specific bill? Find bill titles, bill status, daily calendars and more at the Colorado General Assembly website
Cherry Creek News
Su Ryden (Aurora) was elected with 100% of the vote by the Democratic delegates at the Arapahoe County Assembly as the Democratic candidate for House ...
Rocky Mountain News
Su Ryden to run to succeed Morgan Carroll...
The Colorado Independent
HD 36 Candidate Ryden triples opponent in spendable cash...
Square State
Su Ryden running to replace Morgan Carroll...
The Colorado Independent
First-time candidate Su Ryden not a political animal...
MAY 19, 2008
FOR: SU RYDEN, Colorado House District 36 Candidate
CONTACT: Su Ryden — 303-898-5797
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MONDAY, MAY 19, 2008
SU RYDEN KICKS OFF CAMPAIGN FOR HOUSE DISTRICT 36
Su Ryden, Democratic candidate for the State House of Representatives in District 36 in Aurora ,will hold a kick-off reception this evening (Monday) at the Clubhouse at The Conservatory, 2665 S. Jebel Way. The event, from 5–7 p.m., will feature House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, Rep. Morgan Carroll, who is running for Senate District 29, and Arapahoe County Commissioner Frank Weddig.
“The recent legislative session accomplished a number of positive things, especially for Colorado´s kids,” Ryden said. “I want to be involved in helping craft creative solutions to the hard questions facing us in healthcare, education and other areas,” she added.
A longtime Aurora resident, Ryden is a business owner and an active community supporter. Her firm, Ryden & Associates Integrated Marketing, has been in business since 1975. She is an active member of the Aurora Chamber, serving on the board of Leadership Aurora since 2004. She is also on the Aurora Fox Arts Center Board and the Aurora Historic Preservation Commission. A Rotarian, she serves on the board of the Colorado Ethics in Business Alliance (CEBA). She also served on the Rocky Mountain Research and Prevention Institute board which spearheaded the successful Colorado Kids 1st license plate campaign.
Ryden and her husband Jerome have a son Armand, who is a resident physician in Chicago. For more information, contact Su Ryden at 303-898-5797 or email her at su@suryden.com. More information is available online at www.suryden.com.
# # # # #
200 E. Colfax, Rm 271
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 303-866-2942
Email su.ryden.house@state.co.us
