The Office of Community Living (OCL) within the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (Department) has the following information to share below:
Announcement:
- A Message from Executive Director Kim Bimestefer
Meetings:
- Prader-Willi Syndrome Training Series
- Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Final Rule: Open Meeting for Informal Feedback on Critical Rule Updates
- Children’s Disability Advisory Committee (CDAC)
- Home Delivered Meals Expansion Stakeholder Engagement
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A Message from Executive Director Kim Bimestefer
Partnering for Transformation
Thank you to the more than 1,000 individuals who registered for the Department Annual Stakeholder Webinar on July 19. To those of you who were not able to attend, we started the webinar with a grounding of who we serve via a powerful member video, reviewed shared accomplishments as well as the challenges and opportunities before us, and then dove into the related details through individual Department Office Director presentations. Webinar materials are posted online for your convenience. As we embark on this new state fiscal year, below are a few highlights of the Department's transformational priorities, which were framed through stakeholder engagement.
Coverage Continuity and Operational Investments
The public health emergency (PHE) was recently extended by the federal government through at least Oct. 13. Though the Department believes that the PHE will be extended again, we have been actively executing on a number of initiatives intended to propel coverage continuity, improve the member experience, reduce eligible but not enrolled Coloradans, and address county workload challenges. We have already communicated that we will be leveraging the 14 months offered by HHS to redetermine our current enrollees once the PHE ends.
In addition, we are innovating to make our Health First Colorado and Child Health Plan Plus application renewal process as easy as possible, including increasing our automation capabilities. As a result, during the last few months, about 35% of our member renewals (we have continued to process renewals through the PHE) didn’t require any action on the part of the member or the county worker. And for a subset of our MAGI members, as many as 77% didn’t require any member or worker action – an incredible accomplishment!
Another initiative intended to achieve those shared goals is the waiving of CHP+ premiums as approved by the General Assembly this past legislative session. That enables the auto-enrollment of children who qualify for CHP+ but no longer qualify for Health First Colorado at the end of the PHE.
In the same spirit, we are also working closely with Connect for Health Colorado to improve awareness of coverage programs and the financial assistance available for Health First Colorado, CHP+ and commercial coverage through the subsidies available through Connect for Health Colorado. On this last matter, we are actively monitoring the current congressional discussion and action.
Health Equity
While the Department is working hard to apply a health equity lens across all our programs and initiatives, we have identified four initial Health First Colorado health disparity areas of focus, including: COVID-19 vaccination rates (currently a 28-pt Health First Colorado uptake disparity measured against all Coloradans), maternal care (the Department covered 43% of the state’s births last year), behavioral health and prevention. You can read more about this in the Department’s Health Equity Plan at CO.gov/HCPF/health-equity.
Concurrent with that submission, effective July 1, health equity plan requirements are now part of each Regional Accountable Entity and Managed Care Entity contract. This important lever is foundational in achieving desired health outcomes as well as decreasing disparities for our members. In addition to targeted interventions to population needs and health priorities, listening to the lived experiences of our members and shoring up our data collection will help guide the Department’s decisions and innovations to improve quality of care. Please stay tuned for our second report on Health First Colorado maternal health disparities, expected in the coming weeks.
Affordability
We took a poll during our July Department Stakeholder webinar which indicated that 29% of the attendees felt that saving Coloradans money on health care should be our top priority of our six pillars (Member Health, Medicaid Cost Control, Care Access, Customer Service & Operational Excellence, Helping HCPF Employees Thrive, Affordability for All Coloradans). This aligns directly with the COVID-induced inflationary challenges presenting across the globe, our shared focus on saving Coloradans money on health care, and the Department’s modernized mission. To drive impactful affordability transformation, we continue to prioritize value based payments in primary care, maternity care and hospital care to reward improved access to quality care, health equity and cost control.
We will also be furthering hospital price transparency compliance with federal and state requirements over the coming months. Our work will help commercial consumers, employers and health plans utilize transparent pricing information to have productive affordability conversations with local hospitals on their prices compared to others for specific services.
Other Transformational Investments
In addition to the above, the Department continues to invest in transformational projects, including:
- Implementing 63 projects to create lasting improvements in Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) and supports for direct care workers
- Strengthening the behavioral health safety net, stabilizing crisis services, improving behavioral health access and integrating behavioral health into primary care
- Improving the affordability and accessibility of care provided by rural hospitals and their clinics
- Investing in the health care workforce to expand access
- Funding comprehensive, wrap-around social services for individuals who were recently unhoused.
Thank you again for your ongoing partnership in transforming health care for the betterment of our members and all Coloradans.
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Prader-Willi Syndrome Training Series
Please join us for a Prader-Willi Syndrome Virtual Training Series!
This dynamic and engaging four-part series will provide person-centered insight and strategies to support people with Prader-Willi Syndrome to live happy, healthy, safe, and meaningful lives.
Training is provided by the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association USA.
Topics include: Genetics and Medical Overview, Positive Behavior Support and Life in the Residence/ Working with Families.
Registration: Advanced registration is required for each session. Training series will be recorded and made available on the Department’s website for future viewing.
Target Audience:
- Advocates
- Caregivers
- Children's Services Stakeholders
- Case Management Agencies (CMAs)
- Community Centered Boards (CCBs)
- Families
- HCBS Providers
- HCBS Waiver Recipients
- Hospitals
- Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) Stakeholders
- Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) Stakeholders
- Members
- Nursing Facilities
- Providers
- Single Entry Point (SEP) Agencies
Meeting #1: Genetics and Medical Overview
Monday, Aug. 8, 2022
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT
Advanced registration is required for each session.
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Meeting #2: Positive Behavior Support
Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT
Advanced registration is required for each session.
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Meeting #3: Providing Support with Dignity and Respect
Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT
Advanced registration is required for each session.
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Meeting #4: Providing Support with Dignity and Respect
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT
Advanced registration is required for each session.
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HCBS Settings Final Rule: Open Meeting for Informal Feedback on Critical Rule Updates
The purpose of this open meeting is to provide opportunities for stakeholders to give informal feedback on critical updates to existing regulations under the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Final Rule. All interested stakeholders are welcome.
The meeting will be held:
Monday, Aug. 8, 2022
3-4 p.m. MT
Join via Phone:
(Toll-free) 877-853-5257
Meeting ID 993 1700 7314, Passcode 396389
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Children’s Disability Advisory Committee (CDAC)
The CDAC serves in an advisory capacity to the Department and makes recommendations regarding issues related to benefits for children and youth with disabilities age 20 and younger, provider education interventions and application of standards.
All interested stakeholders are welcome.
The meeting will be held:
Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2022
10 a.m. - 12 p.m. MT
Join via Phone:
650-667-2698,PIN: 194 068 900#
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Home Delivered Meals Expansion Stakeholder Engagement
The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the recently passed Home Delivered Meals Expansion program included in R-9 of the Long Bill for SFY 2022-23. Topics to discuss include service definition, provider service delivery, processes and capacity regarding the expansion of this home and community-based service (HCBS) waiver programs. Providers and all other interested stakeholders are welcome.
All Interested stakeholders are welcome.
The meeting will be held:
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022
10-11 a.m. MT
Join via Phone:
252-843-1139, PIN: 875 944 565#
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HCBS Settings Final Rule -Open Meeting for Informal Feedback on Critical Rule Updates
The purpose of this open meeting is to provide opportunities for stakeholders to give informal feedback on critical updates to existing regulations under the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Final Rule. All interested stakeholders are welcome.
The meetings will be held:
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2022
3 - 4 p.m. MT
Join via Phone:
(Toll-free) 877-853-5257
Meeting ID 993 1700 7314, Passcode 396389
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Reasonable accommodations for all meetings will be provided upon request for persons with disabilities. Auxiliary aids and services for individuals with disabilities and language services for individuals whose first language is not English may be provided upon request. Please notify John Barry at 303-866-3173 or John.R.Barry@state.co.us or the 504/ADA Coordinator at hcpf504ada@state.co.us at least one week prior to the meeting to make arrangements. |
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