The Holiday Season is filled with many positives, but we have also come to expect the negatives – tension, anxiety, and depression. By adding diseases like COVID-19, RSV, and the flu into the mix, you may be wondering why December is National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month. This recognition serves as a reminder to focus on our mental health, and by following these tips you can help mitigate the stressors. You can find some additional mental health resources by going to the Mental Health Colorado website.

It is important that all health care providers know that Health First Colorado members cannot be billed for services covered by Health First Colorado. Please visit this policy statement for more detailed information.

Why and How to integrate Services for Whole Person Care

Agenda:

The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (Department) is seeking applications for the Health Care Practice Transformation Grant Program Steering Committee, also known as the Integrated Care Grants steering committee, created by House Bill 22-1302.

The legislation created a $31 million grant program to support, improve, and expand integrated behavioral health services in Colorado. This funding is scheduled to be awarded next summer and will continue through 2026. The Department is organizing and chairing a grant program steering committee that will:

 Provide continuous input into the following grant application requirements;

Steering committee members are invited to share their expertise in clinical care, payment models, and sustainable program design. The steering committee will offer insights that can guide the Department in setting strategic priorities for the Health Care Practice Transformation Grant Program. As the program progresses, steering committee members will serve as advocates for funded initiatives and provide support for grant awardees.

Those who have expertise in integrated care are invited to apply. The Department is specifically looking for people who have experience in areas adapted from the CU/Farley Center Building Blocks of Behavioral Health Integration

Please share this opportunity with your network. If you are interested in applying, read the steering committee description and additional details regarding the committee’s policy on confidentiality, time commitment, attendance, and travel expense policies. You can apply and submit an application no later than Monday, Dec. 5.

Please direct questions to Roderick Prayer, Strategic Outcomes Division Director and Laura James, Strategic Unit Project Manager.

HCI is partnering with Care on Location to build a Bridge Care program that supports Hospital Transformation Program (HTP) initiatives and RAE 4 Access to Care standards which are amenable to telehealth modalities and care coordinators being able to connect patients directly to a care source.

Goals:

Additional information and resources:

Here is a link to information that was offered in previous Beacon RAE Roundtables, including the October call information on member services, updated coding manual and provider email update.

As a reminder, you can access The Provider Handbook on Health Colorado's website under the Provider Handbooks & Policies section. Please utilize these resources to answer questions in regards to covered services, claims, provider information, etc.

Health First Colorado members have the right to file a complaint at any time and also have the right to file an appeal. Please familiarize yourself with the following document in the event a member has questions. You will then be able to direct them appropriately. This can also be found on the Health Colorado, Inc. website.

The Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit provides comprehensive and preventive health care services for Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid Program) members age 20 and under. EPSDT is key to ensuring that children and youth receive appropriate preventive, dental, mental health, developmental and specialty services. Click here for a flyer with more information.

Please help spread the word about the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband they need for work, school, healthcare and more.

The benefit provides a discount of up to $30 per month toward internet service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.

The Affordable Connectivity Program is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

Eligibility requirements apply.

For more information, call 877-384-2575 or visit https://www.fcc.gov/acp

Health Colorado's website provides many resources for members to access to keep up with their health and wellness. Get access to all things member related here and share as needed.

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

Leverages strong community relationships in SE CO to establish a community-based, co-location to facilitate medical navigation and social support to pregnant and postpartum women with an OUD with PEERs and those with lived experience.

The Care on Location team also has a test to treat page for more information on COVID-19 with the increased cases. Their providers are able to evaluate for risk factors, coordinate with pharmacies that have medication available and also provide further guidance on supportive therapies OTC.

More information:

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing have uploaded new COVID-19 counseling codes that are ready to use. Please reference the links below for more information.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a webpage with Monkey Pox information, resources and vaccine information.

 

The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) also has a webpage with local statistics and information as well as a social media toolkit which is encouraged to share with the public.

Another extension started October 13, 2022, and if extended the full 90 days, runs through January 11, 2022.

Keep updated on the public health emergency declarations for COVID-19 by visiting this site. You are also encouraged to visit the state site as well.

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, the 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 for providers to use.

In an ongoing effort to decrease hospitalizations for at-risk Coloradans by ensuring access to COVID-19 therapeutics, we are sharing information provided by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) for health care providers. Included here is updated National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommendations, as well as provider eligibility and enrollment information for both the CDPHE Therapeutics program and Health and Human Services (HHS) Test to Treat program, Health care providers are encouraged to learn more about these lifesaving treatments and talk about them with patients who may be eligible to receive them.

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

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

Please click here to join the webinar:

Visit the HCI website for details on previous calls.

Provided by Beacon Health Options

Webinar designed to provide an introduction and overview of the eServices platform for those health plans that use this portal. Topics covered include how to register, use, and submit claims and authorizations via eServices.

Provided by Beacon Health Options

Provided by Beacon Health Options

Provided by Beacon Health Options

Provided by Beacon Health Options

Provided by Beacon Health Options

This live training provides an overview of billing and claims information and how to submit claims to Beacon Health Options along with reviewing best practices and avoiding claim denials. 

Provided by Beacon Health Options