Batter Up!

The Colorado Health Institute team will make its annual pilgrimage to Coors Field this week for some fun in the stadium sun. (That sun part is aspirational.)

In honor of our trip, I present a baseball-themed Our Work This Week. Disclaimer: I do not watch sports, but I do love puns.

CHI added a new team member to our roster this week. Maggie Bailey will be this year’s Colorado College Public Interest Fellow. The Public Interest Fellowship is a yearlong opportunity for Colorado College graduates to gain work experience in nonprofit organizations around Colorado. Maggie graduated with a degree in mathematics and a minor in Spanish. We are excited to have her on the team.

The King v. Burwell case is in the ninth inning at the Supreme Court. A decision could come as early as this Thursday. CHI’s Senior Communications Expert Joe Hanel is hard at work on not one but two reports – one for each potential outcome. This way, CHI will have the instant replay on the case shortly after a decision is made. Need a recap of the case? Read Joe’s blog here.

Speaking of legislation, make sure you check out our annual Legislation in Review.

From telehealth to advanced practice nurses to marijuana, Colorado's legislators in 2015 looked for ways to improve health without spending more money or offending partisan sensibilities. Legislation in Review examines the trends, politics and budgetary pressures that shaped health care policy in 2015. The report also looks at what might be in legislators’ playbooks for 2016.

CHI is looking forward to the release of a new report this week. Narrow Networks in Colorado: Balancing Access and Affordability will make its debut this Wednesday during a panel hosted by CHI.

Mara Baer, founder and president of AgoHealth, was “on first” as the lead author for the paper. Panelists include Peg Brown, Deputy Commissioner for Consumer Affairs, Colorado Division of Insurance;  Adela Flores-Brennan, Executive Director, Colorado Consumer Health Initiative; Janet Pogar, Regional Vice President, Provider Solutions; Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield; and Dr. Mike Volz, President-Elect, Colorado Medical Society.

Official umpire for the panel will be CHI’s President and CEO Michele Lueck.

A few members of the CHI team are away at AcademyHealth’s Annual Research Meeting this week. Michele, Director of Research on Coverage and Access Jeff Bontrager, Policy Analyst Emily Johnson and Senior Data Analyst Rebecca Crepin are all in Minneapolis for the meeting that Jeff lovingly referred to as “health services research Woodstock.” Follow the action on Twitter at #ARM15.

That’s our week. Now play ball!