Don't let COVID haunt your house! The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) have created this Halloween one-pager for you to share so everyone can celebrate safely!

Colorado is distributing free rapid COVID-19 over the counter (OTC) self tests directly to people’s homes. The program uses Abbott BinaxNOW™ rapid antigen tests that show results within 15 minutes. The program has been specifically designed to provide parents, guardians, and caregivers some peace of mind by making it easy to test school-aged children and help keep schools open. Individuals must apply through the CDPHE rapid at-home testing program website. Share this widely with your patients.

Starting September 2, 2021, primary care providers can receive grant funding ranging from up to $60,000 to $120,000 (depending on practice size) to support the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Click here for details on the COVID-19 Primary Care Vaccination Program and how to apply. 

In an effort to best organize and make readily available the wide array of health care provider vaccine resources, trainings and materials related to the COVID-19 vaccination program, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment CDPHE has created the online Colorado COVID-19 Health Care Provider Vaccine Information Toolkit. The toolkit has a variety of robust elements. Please share!

To ensure all Coloradans have every opportunity to be fully vaccinated, the Colorado Joint Vaccine Task Force is joining the CDC in new guidance that advises that providers should not miss any opportunity to vaccinate every eligible person who requests a COVID-19 vaccination. Click here for more information.

Now that Colorado's vaccine supply is becoming readily available, more and more primary care physicians are beginning to administer vaccinations to their patient population. CDPHE created a communication toolkit for primary care doctors who can help encourage their patients to get vaccinated. 

This observance brings awareness to the need for depression and mental health screenings. A number of different factors can often come into play with depression that can include a mix of environmental, genetic, psychological, and biological /biochemical components. Not everyone experiences depression in the same way, but it can affect anyone at any time. So, it is important to take that next step and seek out professional help and be screened if someone feels they may be depressed. Depression is a highly treatable condition with many different options available, but a professional should be sought out to help determine the best course of action for every individual that is suffering from it. Mental health screenings allow for early identification and intervention and help bridge the gap. Early identification and treatment leads to better outcomes. Early treatment may also lessen long-term disability and prevent years of suffering. Below are facts sheets and resources that are at hand.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, behind skin cancer. An estimated 281,550 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women in 2021, according to the American Cancer Society. Breast cancer accounts for 15 percent of all new cancer diagnoses and 7 percent of all cancer deaths each year. Finding breast cancer early and getting state-of-the-art cancer treatment are the most important strategies to prevent deaths from breast cancer. Breast cancer that’s found early, when it’s small and has not spread, is easier to treat successfully. Getting regular screening tests is the most reliable way to find breast cancer early. Health First Colorado and Northeast Health Partners have created a simple tip sheet for breast cancer screening that is helpful for you to share with your members. Below are educational resources and fact sheets.

While there is no way to completely prevent breast cancer, there are ways most women can lower their risk for the disease:

Basic health literacy is fundamental to the success of each interaction between health care professionals and patients—every prescription, every treatment, and every recovery. Basic health literacy is fundamental to putting sound public health guidance into practice and helping people follow recommendations. It's critical that individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. The Colorado Health Literacy Coalition promotes health literacy by providing resources, training and best practices through collaboration with organizations across the state. The CDC’s health literacy website is for health communicators, public health professionals, and community leaders who seek information and tools on health literacy research, practice, and evaluation. The Institute for Healthcare Advancement provides tools and resources for education and promotion of Health Literacy Month.

According to the American Stroke Association, about 1 in 4 people worldwide will have a stroke in his or her lifetime. To prevent stroke, it's vital to understand the risk factors. Some risk factors — such as age, race, gender, and family history — are outside of our control. But one can control other risk factors.

Acting quickly may be the difference between recovery and disability. Use the letters F.A.S.T. — Face Dropping, Arm Weakness, Speech Difficulty, Time to Call — to spot the common signs of stroke and know when to call 911.

Visit the American Stroke Association website for resources, infographics, and more.

The initial authorization mandatory minimums will be updated effective October 1, 2021. These are the minimum time frames to request an initial authorization. Please see the chart below. If you have any questions please call 888-502-4185 or 888-502-4189.

3.1, 3.3, 3.5---14 days minimum

3.7---7 days minimum

3.2WM---5 days minimum before concurrent auth

3.7WM---4 days minimum before concurrent auth

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF), in collaboration with the Regional Accountable Entity (RAE) partners, has published a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Provider Network List. The list includes all residential and inpatient SUD treatment providers who are contracted with RAEs to provide SUD services. This list continues to be updated regularly and made available on HCPF’s SUD webpage, Ensuring a Full Continuum of SUD Benefits under "IMPORTANT UPDATES." The list is available in two formats: 

Effective October 1, 2021 the USCM will be updated. This document sets forth the requirements of billing procedure codes for behavioral health services covered by the Colorado Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) and the Office of Behavioral Health (OBH). Impactful changes are as follows:

It will be updated on the HCPF website on October 1. View the new updates and the document here under Behavioral Health Services.

The Prescriber Tool empowers providers with real-time information on prescription drug costs and affordable alternatives. The goals of the Prescriber Tool are to help improve patient health outcomes and service, reduce administrative burden for prescribers, improve prescription drug affordability for Coloradans, employers and the state, and support providers with value-based payments  that reward them for addressing the number one contributor to rising health care costs – rising prescription drug costs. 

·   Real-Time E-Prescribing: Prescribers can now send prescriptions electronically to pharmacies for Medicaid patients, increasing convenience and saving time for patients, prescribers and pharmacies.    

·   Real-Time Benefits Inquiry: Prescribers now have rapid insight into preferred medications from the Medicaid preferred drug list, empowering them with drug affordability and cost options.    

·   Real-Time Prior Authorization: Prescribers can now get rapid prior authorizations, reducing workload and avoiding manual entry, forms, faxes, lists and rework.  

Please visit The Prescriber Tool Project for more information.

This toolkit was created for anyone to use to spread the word that expanded tax credits can help lift up to 40% of Colorado families out of poverty. The toolkit contains English and Spanish language messages, a flyer for distribution in physical settings, and sample newsletter and text message content. Please share with your networks and families who could benefit from these new cash-back resources!

HELP GET THE WORD OUT! FREE HIGHER EDUCATION FOR HEALTH FIRST COLORADO MEMBERS

Members can fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at FAFSA.gov or on the myStudentAid mobile app in the Google Play or Apple App Store. Anyone who does not have lawful immigration status or does not qualify for FAFSA can apply for the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA). Please note: students cannot get free money from both FAFSA and CAFSA.

For more information, visit My Colorado Journey or email MCJ@dhe.state.co.us.

Visit the About the PDMP Program web page for more information about the PDMP Program.

The Beacon Quality team in collaboration with Medical, Clinical, Peers, Provider Relations and additional key stakeholders across the organization expanded our PCP toolkit online resource. The PCP toolkit is intended to support primary care clinicians by providing a quick guide to access behavioral health resources.  This toolkit is also beneficial for behavioral health providers and Beacon health plan partners. The toolkit is useful for managing populations with co-occurring disorders. The toolkit promotes an integrated healthcare approach encouraging whole person health by providing PCPs and other practitioners additional resources beneficial to clients, including screening tools. 

Click here to access the PCP toolkit online resource.

RAE ROUNDTABLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH---2nd Fri of every month at 11am

Click here to join the webinar.

Visit the NHP website for details on previous calls.

NHP RAE ROUNDTABLE PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL PROVIDER--3rd Wed of every month at 12pm

Please click here to join the webinar:

Or By Telephone: 1- 669-900-6833---Webinar ID: 971 5387 1547---Passcode: 869908

Visit the NHP website for details on previous calls.

Beacon hosts several provider geared webinars throughout the month that you may find helpful for staff and billing personnel. Click here for the current monthly list as well as archives.

Beacon's Colorado member engagement team would like to recognize our amazing providers that continue to provide stellar services to our community! Many of you have worked with our practice transformation team to select QI measures and goals related to preventative care. We want to come along side as a resource. Did you know that we offer live Getting Started ZOOM meetings on the first Thursday of the month at 11am that your patients and their families, or even your staff, can attend to learn about benefits and ask questions in real time?

From ECHO Colorado AND CoPPCAP

This series meets weekly on Thursdays from 7:30am - 8:30am (MST) starting on September 30, 2021. Click here for more information and to register.

From ECHO Colorado AND CoPPCAP

This series meets weekly on Thursdays from 12pm - 1pm (MST) starting on September 30, 2021.

Click here for more information and to register.

From ECHO Colorado

There will be six weekly virtual sessions on Thursdays from 7am - 8am starting on October 14, 2021.

Click here for more information and to register.

The Colorado Health Institute invites you to join them online to review the stat's leading source of data on the systemic factors that influence health. This year it will provide the first detailed look at the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Colorado.

Colorado Consortium 4th Annual Education Symposium

This year, the Consortium is partnering with the Colorado Society of Addiction Medicine to host the 4th annual provider education symposium. Join colleagues in medicine, public health, pharmacy, community coalitions, law enforcement, and others from across Colorado as we explore the fentanyl crisis in Colorado and beyond. Local and national experts will discuss issues related to fentanyl, including fentanyl testing, harm reduction, and the impact on BIPOC populations.

For Mental/Behavioral Health Therapeutic Communities and Healthcare Providers

This presentation was created to help educate the therapeutic community as well as peer services who work with, live with, or care for military service members, Veterans, and their families.

The COVID-19 pandemic drove significant expansion in federal- and state-based telebehavioral health policies, playing a critical role in ensuring access to mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services. In this webinar from innovaTel Telepsychiatry, a panel of clinical, compliance and legal experts will examine the most important telehealth policy changes and impact(s) on the delivery of mental health and SUD/medication-assisted treatment (MAT) services.