National Jewish Health Supports Governor's Medicaid Plan

National Jewish Health applauds Gov. John Hickenlooper's announced plans to expand access to Medicaid while reshaping the program to maximize savings. 

"We believe it is important that those who need health care can receive it," said Michael Salem, M.D., President and CEO of National Jewish Health. "The announced plans have the potential to include as many as 160,000 more Colorado adults with low incomes in the state's Medicaid program. National Jewish Health, as a specialty hospital with a charitable mission, has always served Medicaid eligible patients and others in need on a first come first serve basis. Further, the emphasis of the Governor's proposal includes a focus on wellness goals such as smoking cessation and weight loss, keys to living healthier lives and lowering costs over the long term."

National Jewish Health has long been focused on wellness. In fact, in the past 10 years the organization's QuitLine has helped more than a quarter million people across the country quit tobacco, including more than 77,000 here in Colorado. Similarly, the organization's FitLogix^® program applies National Jewish Health expertise in behavioral change to help people with weight loss.

Salem also notes that hospitals and doctors in Colorado have long been focused on providing care that is both effective for patients in terms of outcomes and cost efficient. "We believe that working together, we can make a difference in the way health care is delivered. Medicaid is an important component of that equation, and we support the Governor's efforts to enhance the program."

National Jewish Health is known worldwide for treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders, and for groundbreaking medical research. Founded in 1899 as a nonprofit hospital, National Jewish Health remains the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to these disorders. Since 1998, U.S. News & World Report has ranked National Jewish Health the number one respiratory hospital in the nation.

Contact:  Adam Dormuth, 303.398.1082, Cell: 970.222.5034, dormuthA@njhealth.org