The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shared new and updated communication resources that may be useful.

On Jan. 5, 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved the COVID-19 Pfizer booster for anyone 12 and older. The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment encourages all Coloradans age 12 and up to get a booster dose as soon as possible if it has been at least six months since they got their second dose of Pfizer or Moderna, or at least two months since they got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. 

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines and boosters and where to find them. Anyone who needs help making a vaccine appointment should call 1-877-268-2926. Health First Colorado members who need help finding a ride to get to a vaccine appointment can use the Non-Emergent Medical Transportation benefit. 

Per Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE): Colorado’s supply of therapeutic treatments, including monoclonal antibody therapy and oral antivirals, is determined at the federal level. As of January 2022, the federal government is supplying an extremely limited quantity of these medications, significantly impacting the frequency at which we are able to provide them. We are hopeful that the supply of monoclonal antibody treatment and oral antivirals will ramp up significantly in the coming months.

In an effort to best organize and make readily available the wide array of health care provider vaccine resources, trainings and materials related to the COVID-19 vaccination program, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) has created the online Colorado COVID-19 Health Care Provider Vaccine Information Toolkit. The toolkit has a variety of robust elements. Please share!

Please review the attached documents for revisions to the Uniform Service Coding Standards (USCS) Manual. Providers must implement the January 2022 edition by January 1, 2022 for dates of service January 1st and thereafter, regardless of submission date.

Here is the link to the official CMS Place of Service Publication.

Health First Colorado and CHP+ will cover any needed medication refills for members whose medications have been destroyed, damaged or lost due to the recent Boulder fires. Members should contact their pharmacy to request medication refills. Please read the press release.

Please read this updated notice from Northeast Health Partners regarding the increase in their fee schedule.

Recent updates have been made to the QRTP billing manual. The following days are not billable:

The rest of the billing manual can be found here.

The PEAK website, utilized by members to apply for or manage medical, food, cash or other State of Colorado benefits, has a new update for their chatbot. The PEAK Chatbot has the following new features that your clients will be able to use on the PEAK Websites:

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact cbms.liaison@state.co.us.

Keystone Peer Review Organization (Kepro) will offer various training sessions to providers within the coming months. Additional information will be sent via email, newsletters, and monthly provider bulletins, as well as posted to the ColoradoPAR: Health First Colorado Prior Authorization Request Program and Physician Administered Drug Provider Resources webpage.

All PAD PA procedures and clinical criteria are on Appendix Y: Physician Administered Drug Medical Benefit Prior Authorization Procedures and Criteria. Providers will be required to follow all General Provider and PAD billing policies found in the PAD billing manual located on the Billing Manuals webpage.

All other PAD benefit questions or concerns may be directed to HCPF_PAD@state.co.us

Please utilize this letter from The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing in regards to the enrollment policy including addition of bed count information effective January 2022.

Beacon Health Options (“Beacon”) will be transitioning to the Availity Essentials Provider Portal. This portal provides a secure platform where providers can submit ANSI and HIPAA, as well as perform eligibility and benefit inquires, and check claim status. As we work to continuously improve the overall provider experience, Beacon will continually expand the platform to offer increased functionality.

Effective March 1, 2022, Availity Essentials will become the preferred portal for verifying eligibility and benefits, claim status and other secure transactions for Beacon.

On January 1, 2022, providers and facilities may begin submitting claims through the Availity Essentials Portal. Providers and facilities that are submitting through a clearinghouse other than Availity Essentials (i.e. Change Healthcare, Office Ally) can continue to do so as all existing clearinghouse trading partners will route claims through Availity Essentials to Beacon. Please be aware that it may take Beacon longer to process claims that are submitted through clearinghouses other than Availity Essentials. It is important to note that Beacon transactions through Availity Essentials are available at no charge to providers.

Please review the links below and share with those who need to know!

Beacon Health Options and Northeast Health Partners would like to contribute resources to providers to share with their members who may be in need of local housing and shelter assistance. Please provide this information to members who may benefit from these resources.

Beacon Health Options and Northeast Health Partners would like to contribute resources to providers to share with their members who may be in need of local child welfare behavioral health programs. Please provide this information to members who may benefit from these resources.

Beacon and Northeast Health Partners will assist with questions new members have regarding Health First Colorado Medicaid benefits.

Beacon and Northeast Health Partners invites anyone to participate in this "working" workshop where forms are available for members to state their wishes if they were unable to communicate them.

RAE ROUNDTABLE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH---2nd Fri of every month at 11am

Click here to join the webinar.

Visit the NHP website for details on previous calls.

This webinar will highlight innovative strategies and discuss resources and practices to overcome challenges related to implementing telehealth and technology-assisted supports. Attendees will hear from three experts in the field who have leveraged technology and virtual services to provide care and services to people who use drugs, including through mail-based harm reduction supply delivery, establishing Never Use Alone, a safer use hotline, and by providing telehealth-based treatment to people with opioid use disorder. Additionally, the resource guide, Supporting Telehealth and Technology-assisted Services for People Who Use Drugs, will be discussed.

Hosted by Beacon Health Options

This webinar is designed for providers and office billing staff who submit claims electronically by either batch or directly through ProviderConnect.

Hosted by Jefferson Center for Mental Health

Thursday, January 27, 2022 11am - 12:30pm Click here for more information and to register.

Hosted by Johnny's Ambassadors, Inc.

Johnny's Ambassadors educates the public about the dangers of today's high-THC marijuana on adolescent brain development, mental illness, and suicide. Join Laura Stack, Founder and CEO of Johnny's Ambassadors:

Tuesday, February 15, 2022 6pm-7:30pm (MST)

LIVE EVENT: Cornerstone Church, 9941 Lone Tree Pkwy, Lone Tree, CO 80124

Click here for more information and to register. Livestream is also available on the link.