Effective April 1, 2022, POS 10 will be added to reflect Telehealth Provided in a Patients Home. Additionally, the existing POS 02 has a description change.

Please note that Medicare has not identified a need for new POS code 10. Providers should continue to utilize the Medicare billing instructions for Telehealth claims in Pub. 100-04, Medicare Claims Processing Manual, Chapter 12, Section 190.

For additional information regarding the codes, please access this document at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/R11045CP.pdf.

Here is the link to the official CMS Place of Service Publication.

Recent updates have been made to the QRTP billing manual. The following days are not billable:

The rest of the billing manual can be found here.

Please utilize this letter from The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing in regards to the enrollment policy including addition of bed count information effective January 2022. If you have had a change in bed count data from the time you became a Medicaid provider, please update in your provider portal

Eating disorders are serious medical illnesses marked by severe disturbances to a person’s eating behaviors. These disorders can affect a person’s physical and mental health; in some cases, they can be life-threatening. But eating disorders can be treated. National Institute of Mental Health has provided the resources below.

The following brochure provides information about eating disorders including who is at risk, common types of eating disorders and the symptoms of each, treatment options, and resources to find help for yourself or someone else. Eating Disorders: About More Than Food

Beacon Health Options and Northeast Health Partners would like to contribute resources to providers to share with their members who may be in need of local child welfare behavioral health programs. Please provide this information to members who may benefit from these.

Here is the link to the latest SUD Provider Manual. This can also be found on the HCI website in the Provider section under the Substance Use Disorder Expanded Benefit tab.

ATTENTION BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS! CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITY FOR FAMILY FIRST PROGRAM

Please review the attached documents for revisions to the Uniform Service Coding Standards (USCS) Manual. Providers must implement the January 2022 edition by January 1, 2022 for dates of service January 1st and thereafter, regardless of submission date.

Beacon Health Options (“Beacon”) will be transitioning to the Availity Essentials Provider Portal. This portal provides a secure platform where providers can submit ANSI (American National Standards Institute) and HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), as well as perform eligibility and benefit inquires, and check claim status. As we work to continuously improve the overall provider experience, Beacon will continually expand the platform to offer increased functionality.

Effective March 1, 2022, Availity Essentials will become the preferred portal for verifying eligibility and benefits, claim status and other secure transactions for Beacon.

On January 1, 2022, providers and facilities may begin submitting claims through the Availity Essentials Portal. Providers and facilities that are submitting through a clearinghouse other than Availity Essentials (i.e. Change Healthcare, Office Ally) can continue to do so as all existing clearinghouse trading partners will route claims through Availity Essentials to Beacon. Please be aware that it may take Beacon longer to process claims that are submitted through clearinghouses other than Availity Essentials. It is important to note that Beacon transactions through Availity Essentials are available at no charge to providers.

Please review the links below and share with those who need to know!

The PEAK website, utilized by members to apply for or manage medical, food, cash or other State of Colorado benefits, has a new update for their chatbot. The PEAK Chatbot has the following new features that your clients will be able to use on the PEAK Websites:

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact cbms.liaison@state.co.us.

Medicaid beneficiaries are:

Participation in SNAP /WIC:

Please utilize and share these resources to assist members in enrolling in WIC and SNAP benefits:

Beacon Health Options and Health Colorado would like to contribute resources to providers to share with their members who may be in need of local housing and shelter assistance. Please provide this information to members who may benefit from these.

Beacon and Health Colorado will assist with questions new members have regarding Medicaid benefits.

Beacon and Health Colorado invites anyone to participate in this "working" workshop where forms are available for members to state their wishes if they were unable to communicate them.

Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has formally extended the Public Health Emergency (PHE). The PHE can be extended for up to 90 days at a time. This extension started Jan. 16, 2022 and likely runs through April 16, 2022. For further details, please visit the PHE Planning website.

Health First Colorado, the Colorado Medicaid program, will pay for at-home COVID-19 tests for members effective Jan. 15, 2022. Each enrolled Health First Colorado member can get up to 15 free at-home tests per month from pharmacies that serve Health First Colorado. There is no out of pocket cost or co-pays for Health First Colorado. Health First Colorado will reimburse the pharmacies after members receive the free tests.

The Health First Colorado webpage has more information on the at-home test program, enrolled pharmacies and FAQs that will be updated as new questions arise.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shared new and updated communication resources that may be useful.

For vaccine information from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, visit this webpage.

Health Colorado would like to encourage you to join our Program Improvement Advisory Committee (PIAC).This group is for members, family members, providers, county employees, and other stakeholders.

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

Please click here to join the webinar:

Visit the HCI website for details on previous calls.

Hosted by Johnny's Ambassadors, Inc.

Johnny's Ambassadors educates the public about the dangers of today's high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, mental illness, and suicide. Join Laura Stack, Founder and CEO of Johnny's Ambassadors:

Click here for more information and to register. Livestream is also available on the link.