Coffman and Polis to Co-Chair
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Washington, October 25, 2017 | Daniel Bucheli (202-213-8660)Washington, D.C. -- Today, Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., and Mike Coffman, R-Colo., launched the Integrative Health and Wellness Congressional Caucus in the House of Representatives. The Caucus will serve as a non-partisan educational forum for legislators to receive up-to-date information from experts related to best practices and new research, and to discuss legislative and administrative opportunities for integrative health.
“Integrative and complementary therapies and treatments are often the missing piece for people on their journey to health and wellness,” Polis said. “As we debate how we can further the health care system in the U.S., we must ensure that it is affordable and accessible to all - but also, we must ensure that it provides the best possible care available. That means investing in evidence-based integrative care. I am proud to launch this Caucus alongside my fellow Coloradan Rep. Mike Coffman, and hope that our collaboration serves as a reminder that bipartisanship can help us reach our goals in health care.”
“I think it’s important for patients to have all the facts and latest research when it comes to therapies and treatments available to them when making medical decisions. I am happy to co-chair the ‘Health and Wellness Caucus’ with my fellow Colorado colleague, Jared Polis, as we can contribute immensely given our experience dealing with healthcare in a state as diverse as Colorado.” said Coffman.
Integrative health emphasizes prevention, health creation, health promotion and general well-being, and includes therapies like acupuncture, chiropractic, and mindfulness. At a time when the most expensive drains on our nation’s health dollars are chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure, integrative approaches can offer improved outcomes with lower costs. While at least a third of Americans use complementary or alternative medicines, access is often inconsistent. This caucus will provide a platform for legislators to participate together and focus on the important opportunity that integrative health and wellness approaches offers across federally funded health programs, and find ways to make these solutions more available to the American people.
Since first being elected to Congress, Polis has been a leader on increasing access, affordability and quality of healthcare. This year, he hosted digital round table on healthcare in February and June, and sent a letter to Speaker Ryan outlining a bipartisan path to improving the Affordable Care Act. In addition, Polis, along with Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., are members of the congressional Problem Solvers Caucus, which has been active in crafting bipartisan healthcare solutions
A Marine combat Veteran, Coffman represents the 6th Congressional District of Colorado and serves on the Veteran’s Affairs Committee and the Armed Services Committee. Previously, he served in Colorado’s House & Senate where he worked diligently to reform and improve healthcare throughout Colorado. In Congress, he has led the discussion on healthcare reform and earlier this year presented his plan for a bipartisan approach to replace the ‘Affordable Care Act’.
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