Local health organizations responded to the community health issues reported in the County Health Rankings report.
Dave Hart, health director for the Pinon Project, said the Affordable Care Act has dropped the uninsured rate in Southwest Colorado.
The act, known as Obamacare, mandates that adults obtain insurance and offers subsidized rates based on income.
From 2013 to 2015, the uninsured rate in the five-county Region 9 area dropped from 19.3 percent to 11.1 percent.
In the Cortez area, it dropped from 26 percent to 11 percent; in Mancos, from 27.9 percent to 9.4 percent; and in Dolores, from 27.1 percent to 6.2 percent.
“The numbers are drastically down because of the work being done to educate the public on insurance programs,” he said. “Enrollment was up 63 percent in Montezuma County compared to last year.”
The expansion of Medicaid is also helping poorer families, he said.
Southwest Memorial Hospital has addressed access to care issues by hiring more providers, bringing in traveling specialists and a creating a new patient coordinator position, said Haley Leonard, marketing director for Southwest Health Systems.
Patients can now call one number, 970- 516-1616, to connect with doctors and medical services in the area.
“Our new patient coordinator has contacts for all the doctors and knows all their specialties,” Leonard said. “The office also helps to refer patients to medical resources in the community and assists with paperwork.”
Southwest Memorial also recently adding a third general surgeon and a new physician assistant. They have entered into agreements with seven regional care centers and hospitals to send traveling specialists to Cortez on a monthly basis, including for cardiology, neurology and spinal care.
The Montelores Early Childhood Council is working hard to address childhood poverty, said coordinator Vangi McCoy, but it’s a long-term process.
“We are taking a two-generation approach to work with children and their parents to break the cycle of poverty,” McCoy said. “It takes time, and the key is to insure a quality education for children and work to engage parents in the process.”
MECC offers programs and services including monthly family nights, parenting training and youth-empowerment programs. On April 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be free health screenings for families at the Cortez Recreation Center.
To learn about more local children services, visit http://monteloresecc.org
