Office of Saving People Money on Health Care Releases Second Annual Report on Long COVID

DENVER — The Office of Saving People Money on Health Care, directed by Lieutenant Governor Dianne Primavera, has released its second annual report on Long COVID in Colorado which synthesizes state-specific data, highlights recent work, outlines next steps, and shares first-hand accounts from Coloradans living with Long COVID.

“From the beginning, Colorado has been a leader in COVID response,” said Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera and the Director of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care. “From vaccine distribution and issuing guidelines for a path forward through our response roadmap, to research and advocacy led by the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care which was set in motion by House Bill 22-1401, the State continues to prioritize a timely, equitable, and impactful COVID response. We each were impacted by COVID in our own way, but for some, contracting COVID has altered the course of their life, from their educational opportunities, ability to work, finances, and daily care. Our Office is committed to continuing this work to improve access to care, lowering health care costs, and improving outcomes for the thousands of Coloradoans still navigating the impacts of COVID-19.”

House Bill 22-1401, sponsored by Senator Dominick Moreno and representative Kyle Mullica, charged the Office of Saving people Money on Health Care (OSPMHC) with assessing the preparedness of the state's health system to respond to Long COVID, coordinating, monitoring, and supporting efforts to improve Colorado’s response to Long COVID, and addressing its impact on healthcare affordability, health outcomes, and public health readiness in state programs and department. Colorado began work in November 2022 and has concentrated efforts to understand Long COVID’s burden and impacted population, their needs, furthering relationships with the provider and patient community and establishing new relationships, and sharing information with other states and the federal government to develop a framework addressing the impacts of Long COVID. 

According to recent data from the Census Household Pulse Survey, 15.2% of Colorado adults reported having developed Long COVID, while 5.4% of adult Coloradans reported currently experiencing Long COVID in October 2023. An additional study by the Kaiser Family Foundation outlines some of the challenges Long COVID can cause on the workforce and personal finances with 72% of respondents working full time prior to Long COVID infection, with the proportion of fully employed individuals  declining to 44% during the pandemic. Of those unable to work full time, 31% had to reduce hours and 25% were out of work — meaning that more than half (56%) of working age adults with Long COVID who were working prior to infection were unable to return to work as normal.

“Long COVID impacts a substantial number of Coloradans, many of whom face major challenges in returning to everyday life after their illness,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Rachel Herlihy. “If you have Long COVID, you are not alone, and there is help. Talk with a health care provider to learn more about treating and managing your symptoms.”

Anyone aged six months and older can receive an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine, which reduces the risk of Long COVID. Updated COVID-19 vaccines are available at low or no cost across Colorado. Visit CDPHE’s COVID-19 vaccine webpage to learn more.

In addition to producing the report, the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care has made several key accomplishments over the past year, including:

• Participating in an eight month program with the Data Labs Project, in partnership with the National Governors Association and Georgetown University, as well as working with local stakeholders to  explore the workforce impacts of Long COVID

• Developing and facilitating a Colorado Community of Practice, a group of practicing specialists and primary care physicians which meets monthly to facilitate rapid knowledge sharing of clinical practice to  standardize Long COVID care across the state

• Helping Colorado acquire a $5 million research grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality to improve access to care for Long COVID patients;

• Building upon the State’s existing partnership with the Colorado School of Public Health to analyze five years of data and build a framework for predictive modeling on Long COVID surveillance moving forward;

• Establishing relationships with other states working on Long COVID to learn from each other and share information;

• Creating lines of communication with federal partners such as the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, U.S. Department of Labor, and White House specifically on Long COVID; and 

• Adding questions to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and  Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) to assess the burden of Long COVID in Colorado to improve state-level surveillance.

For more information about the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care visit, ltgovernor.colorado.gov. Find more information about Long COVID on CDPHE’s website.

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