The purpose of this Policy Memo is to inform members, advocates, case managers

(CMs), and other stakeholders of operational instructions and information related to the

implementation of the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Supported Living

Services (SLS) Waiver Exceptions Review Process.

The purpose of this Operational Memo is to provide service providers and case

management agencies (CMAs) with the required attestation form for the base wage

rate increase response to the COVID-19 pandemic for some home and community-based services (HCBS) waiver benefits. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

(CMS) and Joint Budget Committee members approved a plan put forward by the Polis-Primavera administration and the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (the Department) to institute a base wage for Direct Care Workers. Effective Jan. 1,

2022, Direct Care Workers providing certain HCBS waiver services must have a base

wage of $15 per hour or have received an increase to per diem wages.

The purpose of this Operational Memo is to provide all Eligibility Sites, (county

departments of human/social service and Medical Assistance (MA) Sites, and Eligibility

Application Partners (EAP)) with information about regulations 42 C.F.R. §435.916 and

§457.343 on completing redeterminations of eligibility for Medical Assistance and Child

Health Plan Plus (CHP+) members. This guidance is intended for all eligibility workers

and supervisors. Please share this memo with anyone who works with Health First

Colorado/CHP+ applicants and members.

The purpose of this Operational Memo is to inform stakeholders, members, providers,

and Case Management Agencies (CMAs) of a temporary rate increase or enhanced rate

using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for the Home and Community-Based

Services (HCBS) waiver respite benefits and to communicate additional guidance regarding billing procedures for the temporary enhanced respite rates. This temporary enhanced rate is available to respite services on the Elderly, Blind and Disabled (EBD), Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS), Brain Injury (BI), Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), Children’s Extensive Support (CES), Children with Life Limiting Illness (CLLI), Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP), and Supported Living Services (SLS) waivers.

The funding for this temporary enhanced rate is provided by the federal ARPA funding

as part of the Department’s federally approved ARPA spending plan. The enhanced rate

is in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the need to provide relief to

primary caregivers to help members and their families as well as increase provider

capacity for the HCBS waivers’ respite benefits.

The purpose of this Operational Memo is to provide updated information to case

management agencies (CMAs), providers, and stakeholders on a temporary

enhancement to the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) home modification

benefit for the Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD) waiver, Brain Injury (BI) waiver,

Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS) waiver, Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) waiver,

Supported Living Services (SLS) waiver, and the Children’s Extensive Supports (CES)

waiver.

The funding for this temporary benefit enhancement is provided by the federal

American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding as part of the Department of Health Care

Policy & Financing’s (the Department) federally approved ARPA spending plan. The

2021 ARPA provides additional relief to address the impact of COVID-19 on the

economy, public health, and individuals. More information surrounding the

implementation of ARPA initiatives are on the Department’s ARPA webpage.

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (the Department) invites

the public to comment on proposed waiver renewals for the following Home and

Community-Based Services (HCBS) waivers: Persons with Brain Injury (BI), Community

Mental Health Supports (CMHS), and Elderly, Blind and Disabled (EBD). The

Department invites the public to comment on the proposed waiver amendments for the

following HCBS waivers: Children’s Extensive Supports (CES), Children’s Home and

Community-Based Services (CHCBS), Children’s Habilitation Residential Program

(CHRP), Children with Life Limiting Illness (CLLI), Developmental Disabilities (DD),

Persons with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), and Supported Living Services (SLS).

The purpose of this Informational Memo is to inform long-term services and supports

(LTSS) members, families, case managers, providers and advocates that two National

Core Indicator (NCI) surveys, the NCI surveys for Intellectual and Developmental

Disabilities (NCI-IDD) and Aging and Disabilities (NCI-AD) will soon be in the field.

Members are selected randomly and asked to participate in the survey. Due to COVID-19, surveys will be conducted remotely using either video conferencing or through the

telephone from Jan. 31, 2022, through June 30, 2022.

The purpose of this Informational Memo is to inform stakeholders that the home and

community-based services (HCBS) waiver amendments submitted to the Centers for

Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Sept. 17, 2021, were approved.

Case management redesign (CMRD) refers to several initiatives aimed at simplifying

access to long-term services and supports, creating stability for the case management

system, increasing and standardizing quality requirements, requiring accountability, and

achieving federal compliance.