County Connections Newsletter
|
|
This Department of Health Care Policy & Financing newsletter is designed to inform county directors, management and staff about county performance, policy changes, process updates, upcoming due dates, and more
|
|
Message from the Executive Director
|
|
County Partners,
As the spread and response to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) evolves, we would like to provide you this special update about what our Department is doing to ensure our members’ health and safety.
The Department is working closely with Gov. Jared Polis, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and other government agencies to coordinate information for the public, our providers and our members. The health of the people we serve and all Coloradans is our utmost concern and top priority.
Valuable, up to date information is available to help you. Information about current Colorado COVID-19 cases, symptoms and what to do to protect yourself and your family is on
the CDPHE website
. This information is based on the most recent data and guidance from authorities, such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). There is also
information for providers
on the CDPHE site and links to all related
media releases regarding COVID-19
.
In addition, for Health First Colorado and Child Health Plan
Plus
(CHP+) questions, we have created a one-stop resource page at
colorado.gov/hcpf/covid
. There, we have resources specifically for our members, providers, and county and eligibility partners. Information about benefits and other health care specific information will be updated as it becomes available. We are taking proactive steps - including looking at additional ways to leverage telemedicine during this time - and are working closely with our federal partners on program flexibility to improve access to care.
Each of us can be helpful in our communities by keeping up to date with the most recent information and helping others access information. Please visit these webpages frequently for updates, and refer others to them for information. Avoid conveying information that does not come from trusted sources. This is a new and changing situation. We are working hard to answer everyone’s questions as quickly as we can, and will update you as the situation changes and we learn more.
Thank you for your partnership and service to our providers and members during this difficult time.
Kim Bimestefer
|
|
Message from the Staff Development Center (SDC)
|
|
We continue to see users update demographic data (DOB, SSN, Gender) erroneously (ex: update DOB from 2/1/1986 to 2/1/2020). The data entry errors cause downstream impacts in CBMS and external systems that receive the data which then causes delay in benefits for the member &/or payments to the providers.
While it is covered in Building Foundations, and in the Expanding Foundations material, we are asking all of our Certified Trainers to stress the importance of double checking initial record entries, and any updates to existing records for accuracy prior to saving the record and going through client clearance. This includes not only at intake, but when there are changes mid-cert and/or at RRR.
If we can all start emphasizing this with our new hire classes, and spreading the word to our veteran staff, we can make a positive impact for the customers we serve.
Thank you,
The Center
|
|
Reminder to County Offices Regarding Application Dates
|
|
The following is in definitio
ns in Volume 8, 10 CCR 2505-3.
Application Date
is the date the application is received and date-stamped by the eligibility site, an Application Assistance site or a Presumptive Eligibility site. In the absence of a date-stamp, the application date is the date that the application was signed by the client.
|
|
Public Charge Rule & Resources
|
|
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's public charge rule went into effect on Monday, February 24.
This rule changes which public benefits may be taken into consideration in some immigration determinations. This rule may impact members of Colorado's immigrant communities.
|
|
Recent Memo Series Issued to Counties
|
|
OM 20-021
The purpose of this Operational Memo is to inform Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Providers and Case Management Agencies (CMAs) of the action required when a Home and Community Based Service provider agency temporarily closes operations.
OM 20-020
The purpose of this Operational Memo is to inform home and community-based services (HCBS) Therapy Service Providers and Case Management Agencies of temporary and optional changes to the provision of therapy services during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, there is a list of actions members and providers can take to help prevent COVID-19 from entering and spreading in a residence or provider setting. All recommendations in this document are based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
OM 20-019
The purpose of this Operational Memo is to inform Case Management Agencies (CMAs) of temporary operational changes to case management requirements for members’ functional eligibility paperwork.
OM 20-018
The purpose of this Operational Memo is to inform Case Management Agencies (CMAs) of temporary operational changes to case management requirements for face to face member contact and Assessment authorizations.
OM 20-017
The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (the Department) is working in coordination with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to stop the spread of novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). At this time, the Department strongly encourages providers to take emergency measures to screen members and consider restricting visitors at the following settings:
- Brain Injury Supportive Living Programs
- Day Habilitation
- Day Treatment
- Group Homes
- Adult Day Centers
- Residential and Inpatient Treatment
- Partial Hospitalization Program
- Day Treatment
- Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Centers.
OM 20-015
The purpose for this memo is to notify County Departments of Social/Human Services and Medical Assistance (MA) Site staff of the income guidelines for the Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Medicaid program and the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) program effective April 1, 2020.
OM 20-011
The purpose of this memo is to clarify to county departments of human/social services (county) the deliverable requirements and necessary information to earn the fiscal year 2019-20 Cybersecurity Incentive.
|
|
IM 20-017
The purpose of this Informational Memo is to inform home and community-based services (HCBS) Day Program Service Providers and Case Management Agencies of temporary and optional changes to the provision and reimbursement of day services during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In addition, there are a list of actions members and providers can take to help prevent COVID-19 from entering and spreading in a residence or provider setting. All recommendations in this document are based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
IM 20-016
This document provides information on steps CDASS participants can take to manage their care and allocation during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. In addition, there are a list of actions members can take to help prevent COVID-19 from entering and spreading COVID-10 in your residence. All recommendations in this document are based on guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
IM 20-015
The purpose of this Operational Memo is to inform Pre-Admission Screening and Resident Review (PASRR) stakeholders of temporary operational changes to the PASRR process. The PASRR process requires all applicants to Medicaid-certified Nursing Facilities be given a preliminary assessment (Level I) to determine whether they might have Serious Mental Illness (SMI) and/or Intellectual or Developmental Disability (IDD). Those individuals who test positive at Level I are then referred for a more in-depth evaluation (Level II). The result of the Level II evaluation provides a determination of need, most appropriate setting, and a set of recommendations for services to inform the individual’s care plan (42 CFR 483.100-138).
|
|
Hospital Transformation Program (HTP) Update
|
|
HTP application materials
A new section has been added to the
HTP website
in the drop-down list titled "Hospital Transformation Program Application Documents." This section contains the below documents pertaining to the HTP hospital application process:
- Hospital application.
- Application background and instructions.
- Application Review Criteria.
- Intervention proposal.
- Letter of Partnership template.
- Ongoing Community and Health Neighborhood Engagement Requirements.
Please reach out to the
Matt Haynes
, Special Finance Projects Manager, with any questions regarding these documents.
Update on federal authorities
As the federal comment period closed on Feb. 9 for the HTP 1115 demonstration waiver, the Department of Health Care Policy & Finance is engaged with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in discussion of each of those components and is working toward obtaining approval for all components in advance of the target implementation date of October 2020.
HTP Road Show training for hospitals
The HTP team would like to thank all those who attended in-person HTP Road Shows that took place across the state over the month of March.
For additional information, we encourage stakeholders to visit
the HTP website
as well as read past editions of the HTP Newsletter in
our online archives
. If you have questions about the HTP, please contact
Courtney Ronner
, Hospital Relations and Communication Manager.
|
|
New Buy-In Training Available
|
|
The Health Care and Economic Security Staff Development Center (SDC) has released the web-based training (WBT) for
Project #12995: MA Buy-In Revamp
that is part of the
February 2020 CBMS Build
.
The Medicaid Buy-In programs, WAwD and CBAwD, allow adults and children with disabilities to access State Plan Medicaid by paying a premium. This WBT will provide you, as an eligibility worker, a full overview of the Buy-In programs. The WBT includes enhancements that are being implemented in the February 2020 Build project #12995.
To access the WBT, users will need to log into
Co.Learn
and search for the title listed below:
|
|
Public Rule Review Meeting
|
|
Public Rule Review meetings
are an opportunity for stakeholders to have one-on-one conversation with the Department's rule author regarding draft rules.
Public Rule Review meetings take place on the second Monday after the second Friday of each month. Stakeholders can attend in person or can e-mail feedback to the rule author before the rule goes to the Medical Services Board (MSB).
This does not take the place of public testimony at the MSB meeting and anyone who wishes is invited to come to the meeting to address the Board directly.
|
|
County Grants & County Incentives Programs
|
|
FY 2019-20 County Incentive Program
New Resources
- Monthly Aggregate data for the Food Security Incentive be found on the County Admin webpage under "Incentives Program Data"
- February's Case Maintenance Data reports have been posted to the County Admin webpage under "Incentives Program Data"
|
|
FY 2019-20 County Grant Program
- If you need to reschedule your virtual Quarter 3 check in, please reach out to the County Team.
- Save the Date! The Q4 Year End Report Out will be May 27 and 28.
MA Supervisor Backlog Targeted Grant
- Please submit monthly progress reports so we can track outcomes and expenditures.
- If there are counties that haven’t spent their MA supervisor funding, let us know so we can reallocate that to others that do.
|
|
Timeliness for February 2020
|
|
Timeliness for all Medical Assistance
applications
was measured at
94.16 percent
.
|
|
Timeliness for all Medical Assistance
redeterminations
was measured at
96.32 percent
.
|
|
Department Contacts & Resources
|
|
Colorado Dept. of Health Care Policy & Financing
(303) 866-2993 | 1570 Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
