May 8, 2020
COVID-19 Updates
Logo for the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing
Artistic rendition of the Coronavirus
Thank you for serving Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) and Child Health Plan  Plus  (CHP+) members.
The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing knows providers, case managers, and county and eligibility partners have many questions about the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its impact on our programs. We are sharing updates on emergency policies, COVID-19 specific billing codes and other important information on our website at colorado.gov/hcpf/covid and through this and other newsletters.

Providers: Please sign up for general updates, including COVID-19 information, on the  Provider News webpage .

County and Eligibility Partners: Please sign up for County Connections and the HCPF Memo Series.

Statewide Resource : OnwardCO - One-stop resource for the people of Colorado impacted by job loss during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

For comprehensive public health information about COVID-19 in Colorado, refer to the  Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) website . This website includes information for the general public and special resources for health care providers  on patient evaluation, testing, personal protective equipment and many more topics. 

The information in this newsletter provides a weekly summary of COVID-19 guidance for Health First Colorado and CHP+ providers, Regional Accountable Entities, case managers, counties and other eligibility partners. Some audiences may receive audience specific guidance through other Department newsletters; this newsletter is a roundup of all of those communications in one place.
Information for Health First Colorado and CHP+ Providers and Case Managers
Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) and Disability Community COVID-19 Webinars




  • These include questions for case managers, home and community-based services (HCBS), nursing facilities, Intermediate Care Facility (ICF) and Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Providers.

Guidance Memos
  • Operational Memo OM 20-050: Informs providers and Case Management Agencies (CMAs) of temporary rate increases in response to the COVID-19 pandemic for nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF-IID). Issued May 1.
  • Operational Memo OM 20-053: Informs CMAs and providers of temporary operational changes to the Level of Care Assessment requirements for certain programs based on Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) guidance in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Issued May 6.
  • Informational Memo IM 20-019: State Cross-Agency Guidance on Flexibility in Hiring and Training Staff for Health Care Providers. Issued May 7.
  • Operational Memo OM 20-054: Informs options counseling contractors of temporary operational changes to options counseling requirements for face-to-face member contact and contract requirements. Issued May 7.

New Resource for Residential Care Facilities and Job Seekers

The Department launched ConnectToCareJobs.com , a new website to help prevent health care workforce shortages in Colorado, during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) public health emergency and beyond. Focused entirely on health care, ConnectToCareJobs.com quickly connects residential care facilities and providers with health care professionals seeking employment. 

ConnectToCareJobs.com allows health care providers to select open positions they are hiring for and be matched with job seekers that fit their hiring needs. Job seekers can create a profile identifying the position they are interested in, the distance they are willing to travel for the position, and other professional skills and experience. 

Licensed residential care facilities:
  • Will receive an invitation from the Department to create an account at ConnectToCareJobs.com 
  • Input specific jobs you are hiring for with anticipated start dates
  • Update the jobs you are hiring for as new needs are identified
  • Receive immediate job seeker matches

Job seekers:
  • Visit ConnectToCareJobs.com to create your account
  • Fill out the form with information about your skills and availability
  • The matching tool will pair your profile with facilities looking for staff in your field
  • A facility in need of your specific talents may then contact you directly

Many health care employers and employees have experienced
significant disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department worked with ADvancing States and Centene Corporation to develop ConnectToCareJobs.com to help Colorado
residential care facilities who need employees connect with health care professionals who need jobs. 
ADvancing States represents the nation’s 56 state and territorial agencies on aging and disabilities and long-term services and supports directors. Centene Corporation volunteered to donate resources to build, host and develop ConnectToCareJobs.com . 

The initial launch of ConnectToCareJobs.com is focused on residential care facilities; the site may expand to include hospitals and home care agencies in subsequent phases.
Information for County and Eligibility Partners
In addition to the Department COVID-19 website, updates will continue to be sent out via existing channels, such as the County Connections e-newsletter and the HCPF Memo Series. Please sign up for these newsletters through the Department website .

Guidance For Operations During This State of Emergency
Information for Members
The Department is collecting Frequently Asked Questions from Health First Colorado and CHP+ members at healthfirstcolorado.com/covid .