Bradford Efforts Benefit Mesa County Community Health Care Clinics

Bradford’s work in budget negotiations helped preserve funding for Community Hospital, Marillac Clinic and St. Mary’s Clinic and Medical Center


DENVER—State Rep. Laura Bradford wanted a conservative state budget in these difficult times while preserving essential services in her district for those most in need.

Budget negotiations between legislative leaders delivered the conservative budget and her work with Joint Budget Committee members helped to protect health care programs for Mesa County.

“I saw a real opportunity to roll up my sleeves and get involved in the budget process for something I knew would be beneficial and meaningful for our community,” said Bradford, R-Collbran.

Bradford worked to help identify available funding for the Colorado Indigent Care Program.  90 percent of those served by community health centers in Colorado, which are heavily supported by the program, have family incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level, according to Colorado’s Community Health Network.  In Mesa County, the Program is important to Community Hospital, the Marillac Clinic, St. Mary’s Family Medicine Clinic and St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center, Inc.

“Laura deserves credit for how hard she fought for the people in her district,” said Joint Budget Committee member Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen. “If it weren’t for her, funding for the Indigent Care Program would not have materialized this year.”

Bradford voted against Senate Bill 219 because it failed to fund the Program. However, when a $4 million accounting error in Medicaid Provider Fee revenue was discovered by the Joint Budget Committee staff, Bradford worked with Gerou to secure $1 million of that funding for CICP providers. That $1 million in turn draws down an additional $1 million in federal funding.

“The funding of this program is an investment,” said Bradford.  “With the continuation of these programs, Colorado’s most vulnerable families can get preventative care they need before requiring more serious procedures that could cost taxpayers significantly more money.”

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