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Rural Provider Access and Affordability Stimulus Advisory Committee

Rural Provider Access and Affordability Stimulus Grant Award

After careful consideration, the Rural Provider Access and Affordability Stimulus Advisory Committee and the HCPF Executive Director have reached a consensus for award recommendations for the Rural Provider Access and Affordability Stimulus Grant of $10,600,000.

As expected, we received applications for more funding than we had available. The highly sought-after grant program demonstrates partnership opportunities to improve health access and affordability in rural Colorado. Thirty-three hospitals submitted forty-seven applications requesting $25,300,000 in funding. Although all of these projects would impact access and affordability, only 42% of the requested funds can receive an award.

The committee developed an application and scoring framework to recommend awards that considered the financial need of the hospital, the impact to access to care and/or affordability of the project proposed, and the regional need for the project. More information on the application is available on the Rural Provider Access and Affordability Stimulus Grant Program website.

The committee’s hospital expertise came into play when discussing the projects and the awarding of grants. After careful consideration, the committee identified the following projects as the most impactful applications to improve affordability and/or access in rural Colorado. Executive Director Kim Bimestefer approved the Rural Provider Access and Affordability Stimulus Advisory Committee’s award recommendations.

Funding is contingent upon execution of a grant agreement, including the required subrecipient agreement, risk assessment checklist, and related documentation. 

Information regarding additional grant opportunities is posted on HCPF’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Grant webpage

Please direct questions to hcpf_RuralGrantProgram@state.co.us.


Grant Awardees

Applicant County Access or Affordability Project Name Estimated Award
Arkansas Valley Regional Medical Center Otero Access Southeastern Colorado Rural $500,000
Colorado Canyons Hospital and Medical Center Mesa Affordability Pharmacy Equipment $550,000
Delta County Memorial Hospital Delta Affordability New Electronic Health Record $650,000
Estes Park Health Larimer Access Replacement Beds $150,000
Gunnison Valley Health Gunnison Affordability Upgrade and Integrate EHR $650,000
Haxtun Hospital District Phillips Access Access to Care through Equipment $200,000
Keefe Memorial Health Service District Cheyenne Affordability Digital Records $350,000
Kit Carson County Health Service District Kit Carson Access Bed Replacement Project $100,000
Kit Carson County Health Service District Kit Carson Access Cardiac Rehabilitation Program $200,000
Lincoln Community Hospital Lincoln Affordability Community Paramedicine Program $350,000
Melissa Memorial Hospital Phillips Access Care Coordination and Enhanced Sustainability $650,000
Middle Park Medical Center Grand Access Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner $550,000
Mt. San Rafael Hospital Las Animas Access Rural Health Clinic Remodel and Reorganization $650,000
Pagosa Springs Medical Center Archuleta Affordability Oxygen Generation Building and IT Upgrade $400,000
Rangely District Hospital Rio Blanco Affordability Neurology Department $650,000
Rio Grande Hospital Rio Grande Access Housing $600,000
San Luis Valley Health Conejos County Hospital Conejos Access Expanded BH Coordination $400,000
San Luis Valley Health Regional Medical Center Alamosa Affordability MRI Modernization $650,000
Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center Huerfano Access Advanced Mammography Machine $650,000
St. Vincent General Hospital District Lake Access Spine Surgery Equipment $400,000
The Memorial Hospital Moffat Affordability Radiology Department Upgrade $300,000
Weisbrod Memorial County Hospital Kiowa Access Rural Clinic Sheridan $100,000
Wray Community District Hospital Yuma Access Radiology Capital Project $650,000
Yuma District Hospital Yuma Affordability Ultrasound Plus Project $250,000
Total Awarded $10,600,000

Award Recommendation Framework

Award application framework

  • Financial needs of the hospital
  • The proposed project’s 
    • Impact on affordability and access
    • Likelihood of completion and the timeline’s reasonableness
    • Sustainability
    • Regional need for the project
    • Consideration of diversity, equity, and inclusion
    • If applicable, the partner engagement, support, and collaboration
  • The quality of the application

The committee also considered the regional dispersion of available funding in selecting award recommendations.

Our Members

The Advisory Committee was appointed by Department Executive Director, Kim Bimestefer, and consists of 9 voting members: one from the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, one from the Department of Public Health and Environment, one from the Office of eHealth Innovation, one from Colorado Rural Health Center, four from rural providers (2 of which are from frontier areas), and one rural health care consumer who is a member of the disabled community.

  • Angela Koch, Rural Health Care Consumer
  • Beth Saxton, Chief Executive Officer, Yuma District Hospital
  • Kelea Nardini, Chief Nursing Officer, Spanish Peaks Regional Health Center
  • Michelle Mills, Chief Executive Officer, Colorado Rural Health Center
  • Nancy Dolson, Director of Special Financing, Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
  • Stephen Holloway, Health Equity and Access Branch Director, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
  • Stephanie Pugliese, Director, Office of eHealth Innovation
  • Zachary Weiderspon, Hospital Administrator, Conejos County/San Luis Valley Health

2022 Meeting Schedule and Handouts

All meetings will be held virtually via Zoom. Meetings will occur every other Friday at 1:00pm, unless otherwise noted.

November 18, 2022

This meeting is scheduled on November 18, 2022, at 1:00pm via Zoom.

November 4, 2022

The meeting is scheduled on November 4, 2022, at 1:00pm via Zoom.

October 21, 2022

The meeting is scheduled on October 21, 2022, at 1:00pm via Zoom.

October 7, 2022

The meeting is scheduled on October 7, 2022, at 1:00pm via Zoom.

September 23, 2022

This meeting is scheduled on September 23, 2022, at 1:00pm via Zoom.

September 7, 2022

This meeting is scheduled on September 7, 2022 at 3:00pm via Zoom.

References

Contact Us

Nancy Dolson
nancy.dolson@state.co.us
303-866-3698