Safety net organizations are important community partners in our goal to improve health for people and communities. Clinics funded by the community, rural health clinics, free clinics, school-based health centers, and Federally Qualified Health Centers are key parts of Colorado’s health care safety net. They provide high-quality care for the people who need it most.
We’re committed to supporting access to care and the safety net through a variety of ways.
Through our Safety Net Specialty Care Program, Kaiser Permanente specialists give advice online to safety-net organizations that help uninsured adults. The program also offers in-person visits at Kaiser Permanente for patients referred by a safety-net partner. Since 2013, more than 5,000 people have received care through the program, many of whom would have gone without it or would have needed to visit an emergency room.
“The opportunity to provide broad-based medical specialty advice and select, face-to-face care for safety-net patients truly aligns with Kaiser Permanente’s mission to improve the care of our communities,” said John Riopelle, DO, Kaiser Permanente gastroenterologist. “In addition, our providers enjoy the satisfaction of caring for under-resourced populations and delivering advice and care to help meet the needs of our local safety net partners and their patients.”
We work with safety net groups to help families join the Colorado Bridge Program. This program gives patients a Kaiser Permanente health plan and helps pay for the plan's premium and copays for services at Kaiser Permanente.
People are eligible if they live in Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, or Jefferson county, have a household income up to 300% of the federal poverty level, and don't qualify for other health coverage like Medicaid, OmniSalud, Medicare, or Child Health Plan Plus.
They may also join during a special enrollment period within 60 days of a qualifying life event like a birth or marriage, or if their income is below 150% of the federal poverty level.
Reach out to a Colorado Bridge Program community partner for more information or to enroll.