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25 Years of Caring

By Heidi W

Where were you 25 years ago? I was in high school, in another state, worrying about typical high school things, such as the cross country meet this weekend, or if I would finish my homework tonight. This year, Colorado Access is celebrating 25 years of caring. We’ve been here for 25 years; as a community partner, a reliable employer, and a trusted resource for both members and providers.

When we first opened our doors, things looked a little different. Minimum wage was $3.00 compared to the $12.00 it is today in Colorado. It feels like Coors Field has become such a staple to the Denver culture. It’s hard to remember a time when it wasn’t there. And for some of us, we don’t know Denver without it. But it was in 1995, on April 26 that the Rockies played their first game there.

In 1995, Bill Clinton was president. Today, we have Donald Trump. The politics around this could not be more different, but one thing remains constant. Back then we were talking about health care. Today, we’re still talking about health care. And Colorado Access has been there for it all. Our longevity shows how we’ve been able to adapt to change. The health care industry may be forever changing, but our mission, though there have been various renditions, has always been the same: to partner with communities through access to quality, affordable care.

The company has ebbed and flowed, and we’ve been around for some monumental things and made changes to our business model. It was ten years ago this year that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act were signed into law. That resulted in things like Medicaid expansion and the implementation of the Connect for Health Colorado marketplace. Telemedicine has ramped up over the years, and in 2014 we began a subsidiary company, AccessCare Services, to keep up with this trend in health care. In 1998, the Children’s Health Insurance Plan (known as Child Health Plan Plus or CHP+ in Colorado), was implemented, and our plan, CHP+ offered by Colorado Access, has now grown to be the largest CHP+ plan in the state. Everything we’ve done over the years has been done with the vision to see healthy communities transformed by the care that people want at a cost we can all afford.

This year, we’re embarking on a celebration. A celebration of 25 years of caring for you and your health.