Gretchen Hammer receives CMS Breakthrough Award

Friday, November 01, 2013 12:33 PM

Kate Alfano, CMS contributing writer

The Colorado Medical Society awarded the inaugural Breakthrough Award to Gretchen Hammer, executive director of the Colorado Coalition for the Medically Underserved for her innovative and determined leadership to secure health care for all Coloradans working as chair of Connect for Health Colorado.

CMS Immediate Past President Jan Kief, MD, presented the award before the House of Delegates on Sunday, Sept. 22.

“This house of medicine has been pushing up against the glass ceiling of health coverage for over a decade,” Kief said. “Breakthroughs take persistence, collaboration and – the most elusive of factors – skilled leadership.”

“Sometimes, the breakthrough in the pursuit of expanding coverage for working Coloradans takes a hammer, manifested by the appropriately named Gretchen Hammer. The Colorado Medical Society is presenting this award to Gretchen for her steadfast leadership and diplomacy often under considerable political pressure – not to mention friendly fire – as chair of Connect for Health Colorado.”

Gov. John Hickenlooper appointed Hammer to a four-year term on the Connect for Health Colorado board and her colleagues voted for her to serve as chair of the board. The exchange launched on Oct. 1.

Colorado enjoys a political culture that strives to fix problems rather than place blame, Kief said, which leads to the pursuit of the kinds of nationally-recognized delivery innovations leaders like Hammer are building and implementing.