Colorado health care providers fight to save community health workers program from budget axe
More than two dozen health care organizations are urging Colorado lawmakers debating the budget to spare a program that they say will save the state money.
The Community Health Workers Program helps connect patients with non-profits that assist with food, housing, transportation and other non-clinical needs. The goal is to prevent patients from needing public assistance.
The program, which was set to begin in July, costs nearly $3 million in state general fund dollars and $8 million in federal dollars.
Children's Hospital Colorado is one of 25 organizations urging lawmakers to keep the program.
"Not only is it the right thing to do for kids, and for other patients and families, it saves money in the current budget year. And so, if they're looking to make cuts in a difficult year, this is the one thing you don't want to cut," said Zach Zaslow with Children's Hospital Colorado.
The Joint Budget Committee eliminated funding for the program due to a $1.2 billion budget shortfall.
"If this is something that is that important to hospitals, why aren't they funding it? Why aren't they bringing in individuals to make sure that families and children are getting the resources that they need or directing them to the resources they need? We have case workers in social service programs, so it seemed duplication and it wan an additional $3 million that, quite frankly, we just don't have," said Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, who sits on the Budget Committee.
While the senate restored money for the program, a house committee cut it again. The budget is now before the full house where lawmakers could amend it again to fund the program. They are expected to take an initial vote on the budget today.
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