Policy Corner—May 2017 The 2017 state legislative session wrapped up last week with rural Colorado winning big in the final days of state lawmaking.  The state budget crisis and federal uncertainty made for a rocky start in January, a sentiment that continued through the six month session.  The General...

Policy Corner: Kelly Erb The Final Countdown: Nine Days Left of State Session The budget crisis, hospital provider fee, and uncertainty about federal changes have dominated much of the session. And with only 10 working days left of the Colorado state legislative session, Colorado lawmakers must make some difficult...

Policy Corner Rural Hospitals, Schools and Roads to Get Some Much Needed Relief: Sustainability of Rural Colorado Bill Introduced! The long-awaited Hospital Provider Fee (HPF) compromise bill, SB17-267, has been introduced with bipartisan support.  In addition to converting the Hospital Provider Fee into an enterprise fund, the extensive legislation...

5 Questions You Should Be Asking About the Hospital Provider Fee (Plus Answers!)   A very hot topic at the Capitol this legislative session (yet again) is the Hospital Provider Fee (HPF).  While this term may be unfamiliar to most people, many of you have been interacting with the fee...

Governor Hickenlooper Identifies Rural Colorado as a Priority in State of the State Address By: Kelly Erb, Policy Coordinator January 2017–Policy Corner With one eye on the state’s $500 million deficit and the other on upcoming changes in Washington, Governor Hickenlooper and the split General Assembly enter the 2017...