RMAFP January Economic Forum via Hybrid Event (the Alliance Center)

Thursday, January 6, 2021 11:45 a.m.-2:00 p.m. MST

11:45 a.m.-12:00         Attendee arrival and networking

12:00-12:15 p.m.        Luncheon grab n go

12:15-12:25 p.m.         Kick off comments

12:25-1:10 p.m.           Economic Update by Nick Sly

1:20-2:00 p.m.            Health Care Update by Jeff Bontrager

Title: Economic and Health Care Update

Session Description: This presentation will give an overview for the national and regional economy, along with specific indicators for Colorado and the United States. Key economic indicators include: monetary policy, employment, housing, inflation, GDP, energy, agriculture and banking.

And, for the second part of our Economic Forum, we will deep dive with From Revenue to Root Canals: Ten Health Policy Themes to Watch in 2022.

While COVID-19 continues to affect almost every facet of Colorado’s economy, the health and health care sectors remain at the center of the storm. In this interactive session, the Colorado Health Institute will use the latest data to distill ten pandemic themes and what the year ahead holds for decisionmakers.

Speaker(s) Bio:

Nicholas Sly, AVP and Denver Branch Executive- Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Nicholas Sly is assistant vice president, economist and the Denver branch executive at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. He serves as the Bank’s regional economist and its representative in the states of Colorado, Wyoming and in northern New Mexico. Mr. Sly works closely with the Branch’s board of directors and is responsible for briefing the President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City on economic conditions in the Denver branch’s region.

Prior to joining the Bank in 2015 Mr. Sly was associate professor of economics at the University of Oregon. He graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in mathematics and economics and earned his PhD in economics from Michigan State University.

Jeff Bontrager, Director of Research and Evaluation- Colorado Health Institute

Jeff Bontrager is Director of Research and Evaluation at the Colorado Health Institute. He joined CHI in 2005. Jeff serves as principal investigator on the biennial Colorado Health Access Survey and oversees CHI’s evaluation portfolio. Throughout his tenure at CHI, Jeff has focused his policy and research expertise on health coverage, access to care, telemedicine, social factors influencing health, and health inequities in the state. He makes presentations and provides facilitation for a variety of constituencies. Before arriving at CHI, Jeff supported state and national research efforts at the University of Colorado’s Division of Health Care Policy and Research.  

In his free time, Jeff serves on the board of Project Angel Heart, runs his own neckwear business, bikes, skis, writes plays, volunteers, and acts in Denver’s local theatre scene. Jeff was a past recipient of the Denver Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” up-and-coming leaders.

Jeff earned a Master of Science in Public Health degree from the University of Colorado and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Goshen College.

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