Colorado Health Institute

Colorado Health Institute
Name	Colorado Health Institute
Founded	1989
Type	Nonprofit research organization
Headquarters	Denver, Colorado
Services	Health policy research, data analysis, public education

Contents

Colorado Health Institute is a nonprofit think tank and research institute based in Denver, Colorado focused on health policy research, data analysis, and public education. It produces policy reports, dashboards, and briefs used by legislators, Colorado General Assembly staff, health care providers, and advocacy organizations such as Kaiser Family Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Commonwealth Fund. The organization interacts with federal entities like the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and state agencies including the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

History

Founded in 1989 amid debates over health reform during the administration of George H. W. Bush and the lead-up to initiatives under Bill Clinton, the institute emerged alongside institutions such as Urban Institute, Rand Corporation, and Pew Charitable Trusts. Early projects connected to statewide efforts like the Colorado Health Care Reform Task Force and national studies by Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality documented access and cost issues similar to reports from Commonwealth Fund Commission. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s it collaborated with universities including University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Colorado State University, and Metropolitan State University of Denver while monitoring legislation from the Colorado General Assembly and federal reforms tied to the Affordable Care Act. The institute expanded its data work following national initiatives like the American Community Survey and state efforts such as the Colorado All Payer Claims Database.

The stated mission aligns with goals advanced by organizations like Kaiser Family Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Annie E. Casey Foundation to improve population health through evidence useful to policymakers such as members of the Colorado General Assembly and executive branch leaders including the Governor of Colorado. Governance includes a board of directors with leaders from entities like Centura Health, SCL Health, Denver Health, Kaiser Permanente, University of Colorado Health, and nonprofit partners such as The Colorado Trust and Rose Community Foundation. Its governance model resembles that of Brookings Institution and Aspen Institute with advisory committees reflecting expertise from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, and local public health departments including the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment.

The institute produces research reports, briefs, and interactive tools comparable to work by Pew Research Center, Urban Institute, and Health Affairs analyses. Major topics include health coverage trends tracked alongside datasets from U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Publications examine Medicaid managed care models similar to studies by Commonwealth Fund, analyze behavioral health systems with references to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and investigate maternal health issues paralleling research from March of Dimes and March of Dimes Foundation. It publishes annual reports on insurance coverage amid federal changes such as those influenced by the Affordable Care Act and court decisions like King v. Burwell and National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius.

Policy analysis supports state initiatives such as Medicaid expansion debates earlier informed by organizations like Families USA and legislative reforms resembling actions taken by the Colorado General Assembly in sessions influenced by governors including John Hickenlooper and Jared Polis. Impact is measured in policy adoption, citations by lawmakers, and incorporation into state plans submitted to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The institute’s work has been used alongside research from Urban Institute and Rand Corporation to inform decisions on payment reform, delivery models like patient-centered medical homes promoted by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Innovation Center, and workforce strategies similar to proposals from National Governors Association.

Programs address public health priorities aligned with efforts from CDC Foundation, American Public Health Association, and foundations such as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Initiatives include data dashboards like those produced by Kaiser Family Foundation, health equity projects echoing frameworks by The Commonwealth Fund, and targeted programs on behavioral health modeled after Mental Health America recommendations. The institute supports community health assessments used by county public health authorities such as Adams County Public Health, Boulder County Public Health, and El Paso County Public Health and partners with clinics like Safety Net Clinic Collaborative and hospital systems including Saint Joseph Hospital.

Funding sources mirror those common to policy research organizations including grants from Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Kaiser Family Foundation, The Colorado Health Foundation, and contracts with state agencies such as the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. Partnerships include academic collaborations with University of Colorado Denver, University of Denver, and Colorado State University Health Network and programmatic work with nonprofits like The Colorado Trust, Colorado Children’s Campaign, and Colorado Consumer Health Initiative. The institute has participated in multi-stakeholder projects with payers including Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, UnitedHealthcare, and Cigna and health systems such as UCHealth.

Headquartered in Denver, Colorado, the institute maintains staff with expertise similar to professionals at Kaiser Family Foundation and Urban Institute including health economists, policy analysts, data scientists, and communications specialists. Leadership has included executives with backgrounds at institutions like Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, and state agencies such as the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Staff engage with statewide coalitions including Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention and advisory groups from academic centers like Colorado School of Public Health.

Category:Health policy think tanks in the United States