The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency

The COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ended on May 11, 2023. To learn more about flexibilities that have been made permanent and those that are changing, go to Overview of COVID-19 Emergency Federal Flexibilities Colorado Medicaid. The webpage features a chart of what flexibilities were requested, what was used, what policy changes were made permanent and what will be changing at the conclusion of the PHE.

The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) will be communicating each of these provisions to impacted providers, stakeholders and members through our member newsletter, provider bulletins, HCPF and Health First Colorado websites and other stakeholder communications as timelines are finalized. Some provisions could still change as additional federal guidance is received.

The End of the Continuous Coverage Requirement

Colorado is returning to regular eligibility renewal processes for Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), with renewals due in May 2023. Not all members will be renewed at the same time. The renewal redetermination process will continue month by month, through April 2024 for all 1.75 million members. Each member’s renewal month will align with their already established annual renewal month. 

HCPF will be reporting its progress on “unwinding” the continuous coverage requirement to the federal government. The first unwinding data report for the May 2023 renewal period is live on the Continuous Coverage Unwind Data Reporting page. 

Unwind Reporting Frequently Asked Questions

When will reports be posted?

HCPF will be publishing data monthly after it has been submitted to the federal government. We will post reports on the Continuous Coverage Unwind Data Reporting page and include links to this information in our monthly COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Updates newsletter. To sign up for the newsletter, see our newsletter sign-up page and select the COVID-19 newsletter.

This data is available monthly. Can we get the data more frequently?

It is critically important to share accurate information with the public, including our federal and stakeholder partners. HCPF does not have resources to pull ongoing ad hoc reports which also risk inaccuracies and public confusion if the numbers are different given different point in time data pulls.   

Can we get more detailed information? Is county level data available? 

Yes, HCPF will be sharing demographic and regional data breakouts in our quarterly partner webinars. This will be a deeper dive than the information provided in the federal monthly reports. Looking at this information quarterly will allow us to spot any trends and share those out with community partners.

For stakeholders interested in enrollment changes by county, we currently have county level Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and CHP+ enrollment data available on our website in existing monthly caseload reports. These reports are published mid-month and include enrollment information for the prior month. The caseload reports are a point in time and include historical months.      

What is a procedural denial?

A procedural denial is a denial of health care coverage because a proper eligibility determination could not be made. Examples include: someone not returning the renewal packet, not signing the signature page of the renewal packet, incomplete information/verifications not provided or could not contact the member/whereabouts unknown. 

How does the PHE unwinding data compare to Health First Colorado redetermination data before the pandemic?

Leaving Health First Colorado or CHP+ coverage during the renewal process is part of normal eligibility operations. Renewals conducted pre-pandemic resulted in an average of 41% of Medicaid members losing coverage annually for procedural reasons (12%) and eligibility reasons (29%).

As we return to normal renewal processes, we anticipate a similar percentage of individuals will leave the program. Individuals can reapply for coverage at any time and could rejoin the program when they qualify. Based on pre-pandemic information, on average, about half of the members who had lost eligibility were deemed eligible for Medicaid again within two years.

For those that no longer qualify for Health First Colorado or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), do you have a way of tracking if they have other health care coverage or if they are uninsured?

We anticipate many enrolled in Health First Colorado who are no longer eligible will already have other coverage through an employer, Medicare or other source. Those who do not will need to be connected to other health care coverage.

We will be tracking who is enrolled in Health First Colorado and CHP+ and publishing enrollment information monthly. There is not a centralized statewide database to provide a clear metric to see how many people lose Medicaid coverage and transition to other forms of coverage or go uninsured as a result. Further complexity is added because former Health First Colorado and CHP+ members have up to a year to enroll in a marketplace plan due to an extended Special Enrollment Period. The time frame for this Special Enrollment Period is from April 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024. So, a member may lose coverage and find alternate coverage within a month or up to a year.

Connect for Health Colorado will be reporting the number of individuals who no longer qualify for Health First Colorado or CHP+ that qualify and enroll in their plans. The federal government plans to publish information in the fall of 2023 on transitions in coverage, including information about those who were up for renewal that are now covered by Medicare.

How can you help support members during the PHE unwinding process?

HCPF has developed extensive partner toolkits regarding the end of the continuous coverage requirement. Update Your Address, Understanding the Renewal Process and Take Action on Your Renewal toolkits all include resources to help members take action to keep their coverage. A new joint webpage KeepCOCovered.com includes partner resources and information for those who may need to transition to other health coverage. Flyers have recently been developed for Colorado employers to distribute to their employees to help spread the word.  

You can help raise member awareness about the renewal process by sharing the messaging in our toolkits. The materials in the toolkits identify key actions for members to take: updating contact information, taking action when a renewal is due, and seeking help with renewals at community or county resources when they need it. Flyers, social media messaging and graphics, website content, and other outreach tools can be found in our PHE Planning Resource Center. Partners can also educate themselves and their staff on the basics of the renewal process to assist members who may need help. See our Renewal Education toolkit.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the end of the continuous coverage requirement and return to regular renewal processes are available in the PHE Planning Resource Center. Members with questions about the renewal process can learn more by visiting Health First Colorado’s renewal webpage available in English and Spanish. 

Thank you for your continued collaboration! 

Scammer Alert

Scammers are targeting Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) members through text messages and phone calls. They are telling members they must pay to keep or renew their health coverage. Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) never asks members or applicants for money, bank account or credit card information, complete social security numbers, or any other financial information through text or over the phone. HCPF will contact members to ask them to update their address and contact information. Members can do this at any time online through PEAK and are not required to give this information over the phone. Please help us alert members of potential scams by sharing this important message. And report any suspected scam activity to the Attorney General Consumer Protection Unit.

Partner Webinars

HCPF will be hosting quarterly informational sessions about the end of the Continuous Coverage Requirement and the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. These webinars are geared toward community partners such as advocacy organizations, providers, and community organizations who may provide other assistance to Health First Colorado or CHP+ members (housing, social services, etc.). 

Upcoming Webinar Information

When: July 26, 2023, 1 - 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time

Register in advance for this webinar: Zoom Registration.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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