On behalf of CHAIN, we would like to extend our warmest congratulations to each and every one of you who participated in the National Civic Bee held in Arvada, Colorado on April 18th, 2023. Your dedication, enthusiasm, and knowledge of civics have contributed to the success of this incredible event.

We know that preparing for the National Civic Bee is no small feat. It takes countless hours of hard work, research, and practice to attain the level of expertise displayed by all of you. Your passion for civic education and your commitment to fostering an informed and engaged citizenry are truly inspiring. Your accomplishments reflect not only your individual talents but also the support and encouragement from your family, friends, educators, and mentors.

As you move forward, we hope that you will continue to champion the importance of civic education in your communities. You have demonstrated that you are not only well-informed citizens but also engaged and responsible members of society. The future of our democracy depends on individuals like you, who are committed to upholding the values and principles that bind us together.

Once again, congratulations on your achievements and thank you for your participation in the National Civic Bee. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors, and we are confident that you will continue to make a positive impact in your communities.

Tomorrow the Colorado Senate Health & Human Services Committee will hold its hearing on HB23-1225 (the “Bride of PDAB”).

Colorado consumers, healthcare providers and business organizations are part of a broad coalition opposed to this ill-advised legislation.

They – and we – have already seen how Colorado’s drug price control bureaucracy – the Prescription Drug Affordability Board – has cost taxpayers an average of $80,000 a month to date with zero savings, while Coloradans dependent on life-saving drugs have NO assurances around drug accessibility and the likelihood of access being compromised.
 
Now, Colorado lawmakers are looking to expand PDAB through HB23-1225. The bill removes the two key guardrails of the original program that legislators agreed to, to ensure that the potential damage of the PDAB program could be mitigated. Instead, HB23-1225 gives PDAB carte blanche to set an Upper Payment Limit for any qualified drug (as opposed to the original twelve drug limit). We should be going in the opposite direction.
 
Upper Payment Limits set the price that physicians, hospitals, pharmacists and clinics are allowed to pay for certain drugs, regardless of what the drug actually costs. Mandating what providers can pay for a drug is tantamount to making it unavailable if the purchase price exceeds the state-controlled price. This unproven and potentially damaging approach contrasts greatly to the action other states are taking to generate real savings for drug patients.

For just one example of the risks and concerns being created by the PDAB legislation, read through this recent opinion piece by patient advocate Kris Garcia and learn how PDAB could very well endanger  access to life-saving drugs. https://www.coloradopolitics.com/opinion/consider-rare-diseases-with-rx-affordability-board-opinion/article_665aa284-db39-11ed-bb3e-5f8ec7580934.html

CHAIN opposes HB-1225 and is continuing to educate lawmakers about the scores of unanswered questions on how this bill may compromise patient access to life-saving drugs and how we can be assured that more taxpayer dollars aren’t squandered in delivering ZERO savings for Colorado patients.

PLEASE JOIN WITH US IN OPPOSING HB23-1225, “The Bride of PDAB”.  Contact your legislators and link up with our Twitter stream with #ZeroSavingsCO.

CHAIN has been actively supporting the passage of House Bill 23-1110, the Biomarker Bill that would have ensured every Coloradan had equal access to advanced disease testing and precision medicine.

Despite the advocacy from multiple patient groups, including the American Cancer Society, HB23-1110 is slated to die on the House calendar – meaning that it will receive no further action this session.

CHAIN is proud to have supported the American Cancer Society in advancing this critical legislation.  Every Colorado patient should have access to these increasingly vital treatments for cancer and other other life threatening conditions.

At the same time, improving access to biomarker testing is critical to  advancing health equity. Currently, patients who are insured by Medicaid, Black, have lower incomes, or receive treatment outside of academic medical centers are all less likely to benefit from biomarker testing. A key objective of this legislation is to help expand access to these populations, so that more Coloradans can access biomarker testing and the most effective treatments for their condition.

We look forward to supporting advocates in next year’s legislative session should this initiative be re-introduced.

The National Civics Bee is an annual competition that takes place in partnership with the Colorado Chamber and local chambers of commerce across the United States.

A core mission of CHAIN is to engage the public in dialogue over important issues impacting our communities. The National Civics Bee, part of the U.S. Chamber Foundation’s Civic Trust initiative, aligns with our purpose to engage in civic life and encourage a civically connected community and nation.

On April 18 in Arvada, nine local middle schoolers selected by a panel of community-based judges will compete in this fast-paced live competition at Revive Church, testing their civics knowledge. The winners (and their schools) will be recognized in the community and receive cash prizes, and the top three students will also proceed to the state competition!

This is one of many pilot National Civics Bee competitions promoted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

This event is complimentary! Join CHAIN on April 18 to celebrate civic engagement and knowledge amongst the future leaders of Jefferson County!

Register here: 
https://cochamber.com/event/2023-colorado-civics-bee/