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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE		Media Contact: Suzanne Beranek
Mar. 22, 2012		Office: 303.953.3668

 
2011 Colorado Health Report Card highlights the
state of health amid economic challenges

DENVER – Despite making progress in some areas, Colorado continues to fall behind other states in childhood obesity, prenatal care, dental care for children and other factors that impact our physical and economic health, according to the  2011 Colorado Health Report Card. The latest Report Card features a supplement that shows how an investment in evidence-based public health programs could improve Colorado's health and substantially reduce costs.

Released today by the Colorado Health Foundation in collaboration with the Colorado Health Institute, the Report Card tracks 38 health indicators spanning five life stages: Healthy Beginnings, Healthy Children, Healthy Adolescents, Healthy Adults and Healthy Aging. If left unchanged, many of these indicators pose significant risks to the health and well being of Coloradans.

Along with highlighting Colorado's success stories, the report shows where there's room for improvement. Among the findings:

• Colorado made gains in children's health insurance coverage. In the 2011 Report Card, the state ranked No. 36 in uninsured children (or 9 percent) compared with No. 44 (or 12 percent) in the 2010 Report Card*. The increase could be attributed to a number of factors, including an increase in kids who qualify for coverage under Medicaid or the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) because of the downturn in the economy, outreach efforts to enroll more kids in public insurance plans and efforts to expand CHP+ eligibility.
• More Colorado children are living under the federal poverty level. According to the 2011 Report Card, 18 percent of Colorado children live in poverty compared with 16 percent in the 2010 Report Card. With the rise, Colorado's ranking among states fell from No. 14 to No. 20. Studies show poverty dramatically impacts the health and well-being of Colorado children, contributing to poor health and low academic performance.
• Colorado still has the lowest obesity rate among adults (making it the No. 1 leanest state), but the rate rose from 19 percent to 22 percent between the 2010 and 2011 Report Cards. With the increase, Colorado loses the distinction of being the only state in the nation with an obesity rate lower than 20 percent.
• While Colorado made some encouraging progress in adult coverage and vaccination rates for older adults, it continues to fall short in many important health indicators when compared with other states. For example, Colorado lags behind in prenatal care (No. 31) and dental care for children (No. 38).

*State rankings run from best to worst, with No. 1 being the "best" state to No. 50 being the "worst."

"While we're making progress in some areas, Colorado can – and must – do better in regards to health," said Anne Warhover, president and CEO of the Colorado Health Foundation. "Though the economic downturn of recent years has forced some tough budgetary decisions, Coloradans want affordable insurance, manageable out-of-pocket costs and access to healthy food and active living. If all health care stakeholders work together to improve health and cut costs, we're hopeful that future Report Cards will show an uptick over time."

Michele Lueck, president of the Colorado Health Institute, also expressed concerns about what the indicators say about Colorado's overall health. "As state legislators grapple with the challenge of balancing the budget, it's more important than ever to identify solutions that improve Colorado's health while reducing costs," Lueck said.

Report Card results:
While Colorado is making progress with some key health indicators, the state's overall grades haven't improved much since the Colorado Health Foundation issued its first Report Card in 2006. From 2009 to 2011, the overall grade for Healthy Beginnings (an indicator that measures prenatal care for babies and their mothers) remained unchanged at a mediocre C. During the past year, the state's grade for Healthy Children moved from an unacceptably low D+ to a marginally better C-. At the same time, grades for Healthy Adolescents and Healthy Adults stalled at B- and B respectively. Meanwhile, the grade for Healthy Aging (which monitors how Colorado's older adults compare with peers in other states) fell from an A- in 2010 to a B in 2011.

Grades at a glance:

"Though many of the Report Card results look daunting on paper, there's much hope for Colorado," Warhover said. "This report is intended to engage Coloradans with information they need about our challenges and successes in health. Identifying these challenges and opportunities enables Coloradans to move toward our vision of becoming the healthiest state in the nation."

Prevention could improve results
Research shows that prevention efforts could be a key factor in improving health and reducing costs. A recent study estimates that an annual investment of $10 per Coloradan in community-based prevention initiatives could save more than $232 million annually in health care costs after five years – a $5.05 return for every $1 invested. However, despite the potential cost saving, prevention efforts represent less than 5 percent of every dollar spent on health care in the United States. A supplement to the 2011 Colorado Health Report Card,  "Prevention: Strong Investments in Colorado's Health," highlights effective prevention initiatives and identifies opportunities for future investments.

Many of the challenges cited in the Report Card are reflected in Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's (CDPHE) "Winnable Battles" campaign. Launched in January, the campaign brings attention to 10 public health "battles" (including oral health, obesity, tobacco cessation and infectious-disease prevention) that provide the greatest opportunities for ensuring Coloradans' health while improving and protecting our environment.

"To the extent the Report Card helps bring private and public partners together to improve the health of Coloradans, I welcome the spotlight on health," said Chris Urbina, MD, MPH, executive director and chief medical officer of the CDPHE. Urbina will speak as a special guest presenter at a release event for the Report Card today at the Auraria Campus, an educational facility that houses three separate academic institutions in downtown Denver.

To learn more about the 2011 Colorado Health Report Card, expanded information on the health indicators and the methodology behind the analysis of the data, please visit www.ColoradoHealthReportCard.org.

About the Colorado Health Foundation
The Colorado Health Foundation works to make Colorado the healthiest state in the nation by increasing the number of Coloradans with health insurance, ensuring they have access to quality, coordinated care and encouraging healthy living. The Foundation invests in the community through grants and initiatives to health-related nonprofits that focus on these goals, as well as operating medical education programs to increase the health care workforce.

About the Colorado Health Institute
The Colorado Health Institute, which celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2012, serves as a trusted and leading source of credible health information for Colorado leaders.