Publications

Every CIVHC publication is aimed at serving, engaging, educating, or amplifying Change Agents, thereby highlighting their good work and providing necessary information and tools to help them move forward.

Data Byte: Emergency Department Facility Payments

Released: August 2019
Download here

This Data Byte identifies how much commercial health insurance payers and patients pay for the Evaluation and Management (E&M) facility portion of an Emergency Department (ED) visit.  ED visits typically include an E&M facility component that corresponds to the severity level of the visit – ranked from low to high. These payments only represent a portion of what is billed for an ED visit and do not include amounts for other services which may be performed during the visit such as lab tests, imaging services, surgical procedures, or other fees that may be billed directly by the ED physician or provider.

Quality Measures: Diabetes A1c Testing and Breast Cancer Screening

Released: August 2019
Download the Quality Measures Summary
Download the Excel Data File

As part of the Qualified Entity Certification Program (QECP), CIVHC has developed information for Breast Cancer Screening and Diabetes A1c testing using Medicare Fee for Service (FFS), Medicaid, Commercial and Medicare Advantage claims data from the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD). The two quality measures are based on nationally endorsed specifications, and can be used by public health agencies, providers and others to understand variation in quality and improve care for Coloradans.

Regional Price Variation For Common Procedures

Released: July 2019
Download here

In Colorado, prices for common health care services vary across regions, and frequently, the regions with the highest and lowest prices are not consistent when comparing different services. The map below illustrates regional variation for 11 common services. This information can help communities understand how their health care prices compare to other areas across the state.

Common Procedure Episode Price Breakdown

Released: June 2019
Download here

Facility price and quality information available on CIVHC’s Shop for Care tool provides total price information for high cost, high volume procedures. The total price is determined based on the full “episode” of care which includes everything that happens before, during and after a procedure. This infographic shows what percentage of the price is typically paid to the facility where the procedure takes place.

Imaging Services Price Variation

Released: April 2019
Download here

Facility prices for common imaging procedures such as CT Scans, MRIs, and X-rays vary widely across the state of Colorado. This infographic shows the statewide median for the imaging procedures displayed in CIVHC’s Shop for Care tool, along with the highest and lowest facility medians. Price differences range from hundreds to thousands of dollars depending on the imaging service.

Spot Analysis: Prescribing Opioids in CO

Released: March 2019
Download here
Supplemental Data File - Download here

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that for acute pain, providers should offer alternative treatment options to opioids, and when necessary, prescribe the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration, typically three to seven days. This analysis from the CO APCD investigates prescription fill rates and length of suggested dosage for short-acting versions of three commonly prescribed opioids – Oxycodone, Percocet, and Vicodin.