Opinion: Coverage numbers soar, but affordability remains a serious problem
By Bethany Pray
The Colorado Health Institute’s Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) data released earlier this month shows encouraging evidence that health care policy changes are resulting in more Coloradans getting health insurance coverage. According to the report, the rate of Coloradans without insurance dropped to a historical low of 6.7 percent — or 353,000 people. Meanwhile, a mere 2.5 percent of children are going without coverage. Much of the coverage growth can be attributed to two changes brought by the Affordable Care Act: Medicaid expansion and the availability of subsidized coverage through Colorado’s health care exchange, Connect for Health Colorado.