Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 3d

Last Friday, the Prescription Drug Affordability Board voted to limit the cost of Enbrel to match Medicare’s maximum fair price bringing the average patient’s out-of-pocket cost down and making it more affordable to the Coloradans that need it.
www.denverpost.com/2025/10/03/c...

Colorado sets first-in-the-nation price ceiling on a prescription drug

Last year, the board voted to deem Enbrel “unaffordable,” setting up a months-long process of determining whether it should set a price ceiling.

www.denverpost.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 4d

Last year, the Board deemed Enbrel, Stelara and Cosentyx unaffordable for Coloradans. As the first state in the country to set an upper payment limit of this kind, Colorado is paving the way towards lowering Rx costs on the most expensive medications.

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 4d

Today, @colorado.gov Gov. Jared Polis, Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, @senadoragonzalez.bsky.social came together with doctors, patients and advocates to celebrate the Prescription Drug Affordability Board’s landmark decision to set an upper payment limit on Enbrel.

1 1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 8d

IT’S OFFICIAL! Colorado’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board made history by being the first board of its kind to set an upper payment limit on Enbrel, making it more affordable for patients and bringing down insurance premiums across the board.

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 9d

Establishing upper payment limits on the most expensive prescription medications is an effective way to save money. Take it from Sophia Hennessy at @cohealthaccess.bsky.social who says the PDAB is making history as the first state to set a UPL on Enbrel
www.coloradopolitics.com/2025/10/02/c...

Colorado needs to take action on skyrocketing drug prices | OPINION

By Sophia Hennessy The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most opaque industries in the country. Drugs are arbitrarily priced, profits are maximized, industry players point fingers at each other to...

www.coloradopolitics.com

1 1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 15d

Colorado needs 100,000 more homes to address the housing shortage. While this number is the lowest the deficit has been since 2019, Colorado will need to build roughly 34,000 homes each year to prevent the shortfall from growing.
coloradonewsline.com/briefs/color...

Colorado needs about 100K more housing units to meet demand, demographers estimate | Colorado Newsline

The housing shortfall in Colorado is north of 100,000 units but that number is dropping from a peak in 2019.

coloradonewsline.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 16d

Older Coloradans are juggling the cost of maintaining a home with long-term health care and other bills on limited incomes. Building more housing has shown to help older adults stay in the communities where they’ve built their lives by creating more affordable options.
www.pew.org/en/research-...

Policies That Allow More Homebuilding Can Help Older Adults

More than 7 in 10 older adults would prefer to remain in their communities as they age, while large majorities of those 50 and older favor a roster of zoning and land use policies that would allow mor...

www.pew.org

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 17d

The COVID-19 vaccine IS available in Colorado without a prescription. Gov. Polis and state lawmakers are taking a stand against misinformation and attacks on health care from the federal government by prioritizing accessibility.
www.npr.org/sections/sho...

Wary of RFK Jr., Colorado started revamping its vaccine policies last spring

While Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., dismantles the federal institutions that set vaccine policy, states like Colorado are changing laws and regulations in an effort to preserve access to va...

www.npr.org

1 2

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 22d

When students get involved, great things happen. Agaricus julius became our state mushroom thanks to passionate students from Thornton invested in learning how lawmaking works in Colorado. Check out the journey from a high school politics club to the state legislature
coloradosun.com/2025/09/06/g...

How a Thornton high school teacher with a fungi fixation helped Colorado create its first official state mushroom

Horizon High School teacher Greg Sanchez motivated students to push for official designation of Agaricus julius as the state mushroom

coloradosun.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 23d

Colorado’s housing crisis demands creative solutions to keep Coloradans in the communities where they live and work. Denver Tech Center is converting empty offices into affordable apartments.
www.cpr.org/2025/09/10/d...

Denver Tech Center building leading the pack of empty offices becoming apartments

It’s a tricky and expensive conversion, but one developer found the right building for the right price and got to work.

www.cpr.org

1 2

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 24d

Fall colors peak this weekend! As you make plans to leaf peep, remember to abide by the rules of the road and take care to preserve the natural landscape.
www.denverpost.com/2025/09/11/g...

Heightened enforcement planned as Guanella Pass braces for tens of thousands of leaf-peepers

“Last year, on one of the peak weekends, we experienced 25,000 to 30,000 vehicles on Guanella Pass,” Park County undersheriff said.

www.denverpost.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 25d

LISTEN: Check out Purplish's analysis of CO’s special session that addressed the state's financial crisis when Congress passed their federal budget bill. The episode included a play-by-play of how bills moved and the implications for the next legislative session.
www.kunc.org/politics/202...

Purplish: What went down during Colorado’s special legislative session

In a tense and, at times, dramatic special session, lawmakers pushed through bills to tackle a billion-dollar budget hole, SNAP cuts, and more.

www.kunc.org

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 25d

To offset CO’s current budget crisis caused by the passage of Trump’s federal bill, over $105mil is getting cut from affordable housing projects. The funding will be cut from Proposition 123, a program that allows CO to give grants and loans to communities.
www.steamboatpilot.com/news/colorad...

Colorado governor cuts Medicaid, pulls $100M in affordable housing funds to help close state budget gap

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis is cutting Medicaid reimbursement rates and redirecting more than $100 million in affordable housing funds as part of his plan to close the state’s budget deficit. The annou...

www.steamboatpilot.com

2

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · 26d

Do you need a prescription to get a COVID-19 vaccine this year? Not in CO! Gov Polis made it possible for Coloradans to get booster shots at pharmacies without needing to visit a doctor’s office. Protect your community and schedule a booster with your flu shot this fall.
www.cpr.org/2025/09/03/e...

Amid federal vaccine uncertainty, Colorado takes steps to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines

State health department and chief medical officer issue orders to expand Coloradans' access to the shots.

www.cpr.org

1 3

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Sep 4

To address the housing crisis, Colorado’s Governor and legislative leaders are committed to building more homes that hardworking people and their families can afford in the places where they live, work, and go to school.
www.thecentersquare.com/colorado/art...

Colorado committed to increasing housing supply

(The Center Square) – Colorado remains committed to building more homes to address the ongoing housing crisis.

www.thecentersquare.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Sep 3

The Governor’s plan includes ending special corporate tax breaks, dipping into the state’s reserves, and making spending cuts to state programs like Medicaid, higher education, and more. (2/2)
www.denver7.com/news/politic...

Polis announces spending cuts to balance state budget, with healthcare and higher ed the biggest targets

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday announced a total of about $250 million in spending cuts and redirected funds in order to balance the state budget.

www.denver7.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Sep 3

Last week, Governor Polis announced spending cuts to balance Colorado’s state budget next year after Congress voted to make life more expensive for hardworking people by raising health care and overall costs, slashing food assistance, and defunding services that Coloradans rely on. 🧵(1/2)

1 1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Sep 1

Celebrating those who inspire us to advocate for policy that improves the quality of life of every hardworking Coloradan. Happy Labor Day!

2

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Aug 29

Two health insurers are pulling coverage for hardworking Coloradans who purchase health care plans on the state’s marketplace. Nearly 96k Coloradans could lose health insurance entirely and others could see costs skyrocket by 100-200%.
www.denver7.com/lifestyle/he...

96K Coloradans could face health insurance cuts under Rocky Mountain HMO, Anthem HMO: CO Division of Insurance

Approximately 96,000 Coloradans could face changes to their health insurance under Rocky Mountain HMO and Anthem HMO, according to the Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI).

www.denver7.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Aug 28

Teachers are spending nearly half of their income on housing costs in Colorado. That’s not right. Coloradans need creative housing solutions to address our housing shortage.
www.kunc.org/news/2025-08...

Paying for housing on a Colorado teacher’s salary? It’s not easy, report finds

The report surveyed over 3,200 educators in 10 school districts across the state.

www.kunc.org

1 1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Aug 25

State lawmakers worked through the weekend to address the holes in the state’s budget as a result of federal funding cuts. Get a recap on the weekend here. coloradonewsline.com/2025/08/24/c...

Colorado special session 2025: Updates from the Capitol | Colorado Newsline

The Colorado Legislature is meeting in a special session to address a nearly $800 million hole in the state budget. Work began on Thursday morning and is expected to last through the weekend. After Re...

coloradonewsline.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Aug 22

Are you following Colorado’s special session? Here are the answers to the most asked questions so you can stay informed while lawmakers return to the legislature this weekend.
coloradosun.com/2025/08/14/c...

Frequently asked questions — and misunderstandings — about Colorado’s special session to close a nearly $1B budget hole

There’s a lot of confusion out there about why the hole exists, how the state budget works and what’s going to be done to address the gap

coloradosun.com

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Aug 20

Despite federal lawmakers slashing funding for health care and other benefits, Colorado is working to support the state’s Medicaid program to minimize the impact on patients.
coloradosun.com/2025/08/12/m...

Colorado hopes a last-second bid will help soften the One Big Beautiful Bill’s Medicaid cuts

Colorado submitted an application for a Medicaid state directed payments program just days before the big beautiful bill became law

coloradosun.com

1 2

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Aug 19

Colorado families, health clinics, and communities are terrified of the impacts that federal cuts to Medicaid will have to health care. In Alamosa County, 2 in 5 residents are enrolled in Medicaid and these cuts leave patients like Julianna Mascarenas on edge. www.kunc.org/news/2025-08...

Medicaid cuts could have vast ripple effects in this rural Colorado community

In rural Colorado and across rural America, Medicaid is a lifeline, especially for people who wouldn’t otherwise have easy access to health care. That includes low-income seniors who need supplemental...

www.kunc.org

1

Centennial State Prosperity @censtprosperity.bsky.social · Aug 15

School starts this week, here’s how parents can help kids to ease back into school.
www.ksjd.org/2025-08-06/c...

Tips for getting CO kids mentally prepared for new school year

Mental health experts urge Colorado parents to support kids emotionally as the school year begins. Tips include setting routines, limiting screen time, and watching for signs of distress.

www.ksjd.org

1