Colorado Patient Advocacy Leadership Summit (PALS)

In 2016, a new president was elected and with major expected policy changes to the Affordable Care Act. The Affordable Care Act is the most significant overhaul of the health care system in decades and the ramifications of it are still being uncovered. For patients and their advocates, it is imperative to ensure their newfound or continued access to high-quality, affordable care. This includes maintaining the continuity of care, and understanding the changes in benefits to the Affordable Care Act program. To fulfill these goals, advocates gained knowledge, experience and tools to work at the federal, state and local level to ensure that policies and programs meet the needs of patients who need access to care. Fifty advocates in Colorado came together to explore the impact of reform on their constituencies, learn about long term trends in health care delivery, investigate how they can influence policy and implementation, and perhaps most importantly, network among themselves so as to develop a strong support system for patients. The documents below are resources for patient advocates developed at PALS and available to the public, with information on the the 2016 Election and the ramifications to patients. On December 1, 2016 The Society hosted Colorado PALS: The 2016 Election and How Does it Affect Patients.

This 2015 Colorado PALS event featured a look at the state level costs of health care reform and the efforts to bend the cost-curve in public healthcare programs. On October 13, 2015 The Society hosted Colorado PALS: Cost of Health Care- How Does it Effect Patients?

Featuring keynote speaker T.R. Reid, a Washington Post columnist and author of “Healing of America” (2009), with a presentation on “Obamacare: What is Working?” this 2014 PALS focused on the first year’s implementation of the Affordable Care Act Exchanges. On October 7, 2017 The Society hosted Colorado PALS: Shaping the New Health Care Environment to Improve Access, Promote Quality and Empower Communities

In 2012, the theme of the PALS meeting was implementation of health care reform. The Affordable Care Act is the most significant overhaul of the health care system in decades and the ramifications of it are still being uncovered. For patients and their advocates, it is imperative to ensure their newfound or continued access to high-quality, affordable care. This includes maintaining the continuity of care, understanding the changes in benefits and increasing coordination of health care. To fulfill these goals, advocates gained knowledge, experience and tools to work at the federal, state and local level to ensure that policies and programs meet the needs of patients who need access to care. Fifty advocates in Colorado came together to explore the impact of reform on their constituencies, learn about long term trends in health care delivery, investigate how they can influence policy and implementation, and perhaps most importantly, network among themselves so as to develop a strong support system for patients. The documents below are resources for patient advocates developed at PALS and available to the public, with information on the Affordable Care Act and Dual Eligibles, the Medicaid Expansion, the new Colorado Health Benefit Exchange, and new Regional Collaborative Care Organizations.

• Medicaid Expansion
• Regional Care Coordination Organizations
• Dual Medicare/Medicaid Eligibles
• COBHE Fact Sheet 101

On October 10, 2012 The Society hosted Colorado PALS: Improving Patient Advocacy Leadership in Health Care Reform