Colorado Access Spotlights Women in Civic Leadership
AURORA, Colo. —Colorado Access hosted a panel for employees focusing on civic engagement and health policy challenges facing Coloradans in the wake of the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” or H.R. 1. The panel featured women in public service whose personal stories, professional insights, and advocacy underscored the critical intersections between government, health care, and community voice.
The panel, led by Liz Owens, vice president of government relations for Colorado Access, featured Colorado State Senator Iman Jodeh, State Representative Lindsay Gilchrist, Arapahoe County Commissioner Carrie Warren-Gully, and Executive Director Mannat Singh from the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative. Together, they led a candid roundtable conversation about what civic engagement means today and what’s at stake for Coloradans as federal policy changes threaten access to care. In the wake of the passage of H.R. 1, 10 million people nationwide are expected to lose coverage due to the legislation, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.
“This event was more than a discussion—it was a call to action,” said Owens. “As an organization rooted in access, equity, and partnership, these conversations are essential to our mission. We are honored to provide a platform where our employees can hear directly from the women shaping the policies that impact our daily lives.”
During the event, panelists expressed deep concern about H.R. 1’s potential to erode access to health care by introducing work requirements, cutting Medicaid funding, and reducing Coloradans’ ability to obtain affordable marketplace coverage. Speakers emphasized that while many of the most damaging provisions are not slated to take effect until 2026 or later, Coloradans could see the effects sooner than that.
“People can’t afford their health care now. They’re making choices about whether they’re going to have health insurance coverage, pay their rent, keep their car, or feed their kids,” said Singh. “That harm that already exists is being exacerbated with this bill. Not only will we likely see people losing Medicaid coverage, but those who go to the marketplace to seek out another form of affordable care, will likely see premiums that have skyrocketed.”
Representative Gilchrist and Senator Jodeh both spoke about how action at the state-level could be critical in minimizing the impact for Coloradans as the provisions of H.R. 1 begin to take effect.
“We are facing scary cuts to Medicaid. We all want to have health care; that’s a core value and something we should all be fighting for,” said Representative Gilchrist. “I think we are going to have to look at the state budget with a fine-tooth comb again and try to figure out how we can ensure our Medicaid population has coverage.”
Senator Jodeh, who worked to advance the Colorado Option during her first year in office, expressed the importance of protecting health care rights at the state level, considering cuts and expected changes at the federal level.
“In my mind, health care is a basic human right,” said Senator Jodeh. “Under Colorado law, preventative services such as vaccinations and mammograms are covered and protected. No one can take them away. We also made sure maternal health protections were put into place.”
The panel also spoke about the importance of addressing health-related social needs as part of health care and how Coloradans can be a part of the effort to ensure the health of their communities. H.R. 1 will also change funding and eligibility for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
“It’s very important to start thinking about the most basic things we can do to sustain folks- such as families and seniors in our communities,” said Commissioner Warren-Gully. “One of the biggest is food assistance. We know the SNAP program is going to be incredibly different, but that’s something people can do something about. We also know that housing and childcare are incredibly important. We can also ask ourselves, what actions can we take as community members- get involved with a food bank, volunteer, donate food, work with your housing authority. That’s what we’re going to have to do.”
About Colorado Access
As the largest and most experienced public sector health plan in the state, Colorado Access is a nonprofit organization that works beyond just navigating health services. The company focuses on meeting members’ unique needs by partnering with providers and community organizations to provide better personalized care through measurable results. Their broad and deep view of regional and local systems allows them to stay focused on members’ care while collaborating on measurable and economically sustainable systems that serve them better. Learn more at coaccess.com.