At a Glance is a Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) publication that provides information on major initiatives, policy changes and program updates. Feel free to share At a Glance with your colleagues. Find previous editions of At a Glance on our website. Thank you for your interest!

#KeepCOCovered

We look forward to seeing you at the March 15, 7:30-10 a.m., free, virtual Health Cabinet Summit. The agenda includes 21 speakers sharing insights through five short sessions: prescription drug affordability, rural hospital investment opportunities, hospital affordability, value-based payments and an update on the end of the public health emergency. Please register to join us.

HCPF has been working tirelessly across many stakeholders, readying the state for the end of the public health emergency, and especially the end of continuous coverage. This month, HCPF, in collaboration with our county partners, will begin sending renewal notices and related information to all Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) members scheduled for renewal in May. The renewal redetermination process will continue month by month, for the next 14 months through April 2024 for all 1.75 million members. 

Work with our federal partners at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has intensified in tandem for HCPF and for all state Medicaid programs nationally. Notably, CMS has established criteria that states must meet to continue to be eligible for enhanced federal matching funds through the end of December 2023. This enhanced match follows the 6.2% enhanced match in place from January 2020 through March 1, 2023, and includes 5.0% for calendar year Q2, 2.5% for Q3 and 1.5% for Q4 2023. CMS confirmed this week that HCPF is indeed fully compliant, that we do not have to implement mitigation steps as other states do, and that we are eligible for continued 2023 enhanced federal matching funds.

We invite you to take comfort in the fact that Colorado continues to lead other states in our readiness for this transition in coverage, estimated at more than 325,000 Coloradans. Our primary goal is to Keep Coloradans Covered through a two-pronged approach: (1) helping members who continue to be eligible for our programs stay enrolled, while (2) connecting disenrolling members to affordable coverage. Thank you in advance for being a part of our collaborative, united effort to achieve this shared goal across state agencies, health care providers, contracted partners, community partners, counties, regional accountable entities (RAEs), Connect for Health Colorado, consumer advocates, health plans and more. 

As part of this effort to Keep Coloradans Covered, we ask for your active engagement:

1. At every touchpoint and opportunity, please remind Health First Colorado and CHP+ members to take action. Please display this flyer (in English and Spanish) in areas of your organization frequented by members, patients or the public. The flyer includes what members need to do and how to do it. This link also includes KeepCOCovered awareness posters, social media images, virtual backgrounds and signature tags to assist in your organization’s engagement efforts. Find more at KeepCOCovered.com.
2. Please help connect those Coloradans who no longer qualify for our programs to alternative, affordable forms of health coverage such as employer-sponsored, Medicare, individual or family coverage and subsidies through Connect for Health Colorado, a spouse's coverage, or parental coverage for those up to age 26. Find tools to accomplish this shared goal and more at KeepCOCovered.com.

As you converse with members/patients, please communicate that the most important thing members can do right now is to update their mailing address, email and phone numbers and sign up for electronic notifications by visiting CO.gov/PEAK. Members who are having trouble accessing PEAK can call the PEAK Help Desk (800-250-7741). County human services departments can also help members update their information; however, members are likely to experience extended hold times, which is why we are recommending the use of PEAK. Second, remind members/patients to look for, complete and sign their Medicaid and CHP+ renewal packets. Members who receive a renewal packet must return it by the deadlines listed within this important renewal communication. The renewal packet will be sent electronically or through the mail in an envelope with red lettering reading - “URGENT - PLEASE REPLY” - to indicate the importance of the required, time-sensitive member action. For more information and videos in English and Spanish about the renewal process, please visit HealthFirstColorado.com/renewals. While about 70% of our members will need to take these actions, about 30% of our members will be automatically renewed without action due to our automation enhancements completed in the last year.

Last, please remind your members/patients to start exploring alternative coverage courses early if they think they will no longer qualify for our safety net coverages, and not to leave this exploration to the last minute. 

We appreciate your continued partnership in helping Keep Coloradans Covered as the public health emergency and the continuous coverage provision come to an end. For more information about the renewal process and frequently asked questions visit KeepCOCovered.com. The website includes information and links to numerous resources for stakeholders and community partners to help our members, and a virtual background and email signature to help get out the message. Additionally:

• Here is a recording of our Feb. 24 Keep Coloradans Covered news conference
• Here is the related news release 
• At HealthFirstColorado.com/renewals are plain language resources and links to help members with what they need to know about their renewals.
• For more information about health insurance coverage types visit the Colorado Division of Insurance Types of Health Insurance Information page.

eConsult Platform Informational Update:

HCPF is implementing a statewide Medicaid electronic consultation platform called the eConsult platform. This platform will promote HCPF's mission to improve health care equity, access and outcomes for members.

The eConsult platform will enable asynchronous (store and forward) clinical communications between a Primary Care Medical Provider (PCMP) and a specialty provider. The PCMP will be able to transmit an electronic clinical question to a specialty provider and medical information will be reviewed by the specialty provider. The specialty provider will be able to review the case without the member being present. The specialty provider then provides electronic medical consultative guidance that assists the PCMP in the diagnosis or management of the member’s health care needs or facilitates the appropriate referral for a face-to-face visit with a specialty provider when clinically appropriate. 

HCPF is excited to announce that stakeholder engagement will resume late spring/early summer 2023 once the contract has been approved by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the contract for the eConsult platform is executed. Stay tuned for updates as HCPF gets closer to implementation of the statewide Medicaid eConsult platform!

Anticipated Timeline

• Fall/Winter 2023- Contract Negotiations
• Spring 2023 – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Review of Contract
• Summer/Fall 2023 - Implementation Activities
• Fall/Early Winter 2023 - eConsult platform Go Live 

Please note that the project timeline is subject to change without prior notice and is only provided as a reference.

For more information, visit the eConsult Platform webpage or email HCPF_econsult@state.co.us.

Register Now for the March Health Cabinet Summit:

Please register to join Lt. Governor Primavera, Health Cabinet executive directors and industry leaders for the Health Cabinet Affordability Summit hosted by the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing – March 15, 7:30 - 10 a.m. This FREE virtual event is designed for policymakers, advocates, payers, care providers, health care leaders and other industry stakeholders.

Presentations, topics and panels will include:

• Hospital and prescription drug affordability
• Rural hospital opportunities
• Value based payments
• Partnering to Keep Coloradans Covered after the end of the public health emergency

The full agenda will be posted on our website.

Child Tax Credits: Help Us Spread the Word!

Please help remind Health First Colorado and CHP+ members of the 2023 Child Tax Credit (CTC). This federal tax credit can help save Coloradans money. Unlike other tax credits, these are available even to those who earn very little income. Individuals only need to file a simple tax return to get the payment. Members can get started at www.getaheadcolorado.org.

Mental Health Parity Request for Public Comment:

HCPF has begun work on the annual Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) Report to assess the compliance of the Medicaid benefit with mental health parity laws. HCPF is gathering stakeholder thoughts and experiences related to mental health parity. These insights will be used to design the mental health parity analyses and inform an annual report.  

Individuals interested in submitting written comments can do so using this form. The form will be open until March 15. The purpose is to collect feedback from stakeholders; HCPF will not be responding to submitted comments.  

For more information, visit our webpage. 

Ambassador Program:

Health First Colorado is launching a Community-Based Organization (CBO) Ambassador Program to help improve the readability of letters and other program information for Spanish- and Vietnamese-speaking members.

We want to work with current members and others who might be eligible for services to improve letters and other written information in Spanish and Vietnamese.

Ambassadors will:

• help us understand the needs of the communities they live in
• partner with community organizations to help make the information we send culturally responsive and easy to understand in their native languages
• be paid an hourly wage and get training and support from HCPF

Trusted community organizations can contact our subcontractor, Health Management Associates (HMA), if they are interested in supporting the Ambassador Program. This could include hosting an Ambassador or providing information about potential Ambassadors in their community.

For more information, contact Cesar Zatarain.

Communication Toolkits and Resources:

HCPF has been working with stakeholders and partners to develop communication toolkits to prepare members for the return to normal renewal processes. 

The Take Action on Your Renewal toolkit is new! The materials in this toolkit are designed to encourage members to look for their renewal packet in the mail and PEAK mailbox and take action when they get it. This toolkit includes general member awareness outreach partners can share in their websites, newsletters, social media as well as direct-to-member email and text messaging communications. It also includes downloadable, customizable flyers. These resources are currently available in English and Spanish. 

The Preparing for Renewals toolkit includes renewal process information that explains key terms and provides sample notices so partners can see exactly what the member will see when they go through the renewal process. In addition, both partners and members can view short videos in English and Spanish on key actions: updating an address, completing the renewal process, and transitioning to other coverage if a member no longer qualifies.

Update Your Address Campaign:

We know that many members have moved over the past few years. It is crucial that we have correct addresses so that members get the information they need to keep or change their coverage. Please continue to help us spread the word to Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) members to update their contact information. Update Your Address tools are available in the top 11 languages for HFC members.

Health First Colorado Renewals Page:

In preparation for renewals to start back up, HCPF has added an informational webpage for members on the Health First Colorado website. Members can find general information about the renewal process and answers to frequently asked questions. This page is published in English and Spanish. 

For the latest information on returning to normal renewal processes and other communication resources, visit the COVID-19 PHE Planning webpage.