Business groups seeking solutions

Business groups statewide are working on solutions to the health care crisis. To become more informed and engaged in the debate, consider joining one or more of the following groups: 

Business Health Forum

The Business Health Forum engages the business community in major health care policy reform efforts, including work done through the Colorado General Assembly, Gov. Bill Ritter's administration and other initiatives. It provides information to individuals in the business community to encourage their thoughtful participation in the health care reform debate. 

Amy Fletcher
Business Health Forum
1799 Pennsylvania St.
Denver, CO  80203
Phone: 303-861-1251 

Mountain States Employer Council (MSEC)

MSEC is a non-profit membership organization that partners with employers to provide a "one-stop shopping" resource for members in the areas of human resource management, employment law, surveys and training.  Their regular member surveys on health benefits provide valuable data on employer insurance trends. MSEC provides a clearinghouse of information and services where members receive consultation in the complex human resource issues facing their businesses. MSEC has more than 2,700 members that include a wide cross-section of industries and both large and small employers, public and private.   

Kelly Esselman
Mountain States Employer Council
1799 Pennsylvania Street 
Denver, Colorado 80203 
303-839-5177

The Colorado Business Group on Health (CBGH)

CBGH is a non-profit coalition of Colorado employers that are partnering with health plans, providers and purchasers to promote cost effective delivery of quality medical care. CBGH collects and reports information on health plan performance and provides links to other sources of publicly available quality information on Colorado hospitals and providers. They have been nationally designated by the Department of Health and Human Services as a “Community Leader” in the field of health care and excellence. 

Donna Marshall
Executive Director
Colorado Business Group on Health
200 South Sheridan Boulevard, Suite 105
Denver CO 80226-8010
Phone: (303) 922-0939 

Colorado Forum

The Colorado Forum is an association of CEOs and other business leaders dedicated to bringing an informed business voice to critical public policy issues.  The Colorado Forum has addressed a wide variety of policy topics ranging from Rocky Flats Nuclear Facility clean-up efforts, to early childhood education, to health care access and the uninsured.  The Colorado Forum currently has 65 members statewide and functions entirely on a consensus basis.   

Gail Klapper
Member/Director
The Colorado Forum
511 16th Street, Suite 210
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: 303-825-1211

National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB)

NFIB represents small businesses and has offices in Washington DC and all 50 state capitals. In Colorado, NFIB has joined a coalition effort called “Divided We Fail”. Working alongside AARP, the Business Roundtable and the Service Employees International Union have made common cause to promote better health care and financial security. To learn more, or to get involved, contact: 

Tony Gagliardi
NFIB/Colorado State Director
1410 Grant Avenue, Suite C107
Denver CO 80203
(303) 860-1778

Local Chambers of Commerce

Several chambers offer discounted group rates for insurance plans to members. Contact your local chamber to see if such a membership benefit is available to you.  
Also, your local Chamber of Commerce may have an active Health Care Policy Committee. To learn more, or to join the advocacy process, consider joining these chambers and their health care committees. A few Colorado chambers active in health care include: 

Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce
225 South Meldrum
Fort Collins CO 80521
(970) 482-3746
general@fcchamber.org  

Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce
1440 Market Street
Denver CO 80202
(303) 534-8500

South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce
John Brackney
6840 South University Boulevard
Centennial CO  80122
(303) 795-0142
 

Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry (CACI)

CACI is a business association with a strong and active presence at the capital. Throughout the year, CACI monitors government rules and regulations to protect and enhance the ability of businesses to operate successfully in Colorado. They have worked health care issues affecting businesses. Through their “Grassroots Initiative”, business owners across Colorado can become directly involved in Colorado’s political landscape.

Colorado Association of Commerce & Industry 
1799 Pennsylvania St.  
 
Denver, CO 80203
(303) 831-7411  

Club 20

Club 20 is an organization of counties, communities, tribes, businesses individuals and associations in western Colorado.  In addition, their Health Care Subcommittee has taken stands on a variety of health policy issues including: the uninsured, cost-shifting, malpractice, and specialty hospitals. Club 20 also submitted a proposal to reform the Colorado health care system to the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform. 

Reeves Brown
Executive Director
PO Box 550
Grand Junction CO 81502
(970) 242-3264
 

Progressive 15

Progressive 15 was formed to speak with a single unified voice for northeastern Colorado to influence public policy and increase economic viability and enhance the quality of life.  Progressive15 takes formal positions and publishes resolutions on public policy issues, including health insurance and health-related topics.  

Cathy Shull
Executive Director
629 Warner Street
Fort Morgan CO 80701
(970) 867-9167
 

Action 22

Action 22 represents southern Colorado, including citizens, counties, communities and businesses in 22 counties. Action 22 has defined five major goals, including addressing the cost, access and availability of medical services. 

Cathy Garcia
President/CEO
503 N. Main, Suite 310
Pueblo CO 81003
(719) 560-9897
(888) 799-1799

Colorado Rural Health Advocacy Coalition (CoRHAC)

CoRHAC is a statewide coalition devoted to providing rural Colorado a voice in policy decisions affecting rural healthcare. The coalition of consists of five organizations – Action 22, Club 20, Colorado Rural Health Center, Progressive

15 and Rocky Mountain Farmers Union – and aims to obtain sustained involvement of rural partners, to disseminate rural health information in a quick-response method, and to solicit input from rural members and constituents.  

Lynne Swanson, Business Manager
Colorado Rural Health Center
225 East 16th Avenue, Suite 1050
Denver, CO 80203
Phone: 303-832-7493 

Health insurance is a big cost of doing business.  Improve your return on investment with the following tools:  

Colorado Health Plan Report Cards

The Colorado Business Group on Health collects a variety of quality indicators that describe the performance of Colorado providers and health plans. This information is compiled in a report card format to permit employers to easily compare performance when purchasing health insurance coverage for their employees. CBGH publishes this information on their website for employers, employees, and other stakeholders to use.  

Donna Marshall
Executive Director
Colorado Business Group on Health
200 South Sheridan Boulevard, Suite 105
Denver CO 80226-8010
Phone: (303) 922-0939 


Mountain States Employer Council (MSEC)

Human Resources Surveys

MSEC surveys provide employers with information and statistics that are used in the development of personnel policies, benefit design, and compensation plans.  Regularly scheduled surveys provide MSEC members with an accurate and timely picture of employee health benefits, premiums, cost-sharing, and other benefit-related information. The Council's program includes community surveys in the Rocky Mountain area, as well as various industry-based surveys. MSEC also provides training and consulting services.  

Kelly Esselman
Mountain States Employer Council
1799 Pennsylvania Street 
Denver, Colorado 80203 
303-839-5177

eValue8

eValue8 is an evidence-based request for information tool that is widely used by business health coalitions (including the Colorado Business Group on Health), their purchaser members, and national employers to assess and manage the quality of their health care vendors.  eValue8 uses a standard annual survey to gather hundreds of quality measures from health plans and consolidates them into standardized performance reports.   

Denise Diggs
National Business Coalition on Health
1015 18th Street NW, Suite 730
Washington DC 20036
(202) 775-9300 
 

Leapfrog

Leapfrog supports improvement in the safety, quality and affordability of hospital care nationally by surveying hospitals about their current practices. The focal point of the survey is safety, as it strives to reduce preventable medical mistakes. In Colorado, Leapfrog implementation has been overseen by the Colorado Business Group on Health, and comparative quality/safety results by hospital are available on their website.  

Donna Marshall
Executive Director
Colorado Business Group on Health
200 South Sheridan Boulevard, Suite 105
Denver CO 80226-8010
Phone: (303) 922-0939

If you are involved in an exciting project that could inform the health care debate in Colorado, and would like to be listed on this page, please contact:

Amy Fletcher
Associate Director
Business Health Forum
(303) 866-9659
afletcher@bizhealthforum.org