HCI Primary Care Medical Provider Monthly Newsletter
March 2022
IN THIS ISSUE:

Provider Resources:
  • March: Brain Injury Awareness Month
  • Colorado Health Institute Agenda
  • Health Cabinet Policy Summit
  • Improving Care of LGBTQ+ People of Color
  • Preparing Your Workplace for Peer Integration
  • Provider Handbook
COVID Information:
  • CDPHE Quick Provider Guide
  • Health First Colorado Coverage of At-Home COVID Tests
  • Omicron Resources
  • State Wide Vaccine Information
Member Resources:
  • Black & African American Suicide Prevention
  • New Member Webinar
  • Advanced Directives Workshop
Webinars and Events:
  • Program Improvement Advisory Committee (PIAC)
  • PCMP Learning Collaborative
Provider Resources
MARCH: BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS MONTH

There are more than 5.3 million individuals in the United States who are living with a permanent brain injury-related disability. That’s one in every 60 people. The Brain Injury Association of America has created a webpage with resources for providers such as fact sheets, engagement toolkits, and personal stories.
COLORADO HEALTH INSTITUTE (CHI) HEALTH AGENDA
CHI has released their 2022 agenda for addressing health care in Colorado. They have included three focuses:
  • Integrating systems of care
  • Behavioral health
  • Climate change
Visit this link to learn more about these initiatives and other resources
HEALTH CABINET POLICY SUMMIT

On March 24th 2022 and March 31st 2022, the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing will be hosting a FREE virtual event is designed for policy makers, advocates, payers, care providers, health care leaders and other industry stakeholders. This event will include Lt. Gov. Primavera, Health Cabinet executive directors and industry leaders for the Health Cabinet Summit.

Presentations, topics and panels will include:  
  • Health care affordability for Coloradans
  • Behavioral health transformation
  • Hospital Insights Report findings
  • COVID-19 Pandemic to Endemic, Future Readiness
  • Keeping Coloradans covered after the public health emergency

Use this website for more information and to register.
IMPROVING CARE OF LGBTQ+ PEOPLE OF COLOR

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) newsletter provided this resource ,"Lessons from the Voices of [LGBTQ+] Patients" and other LGBTQ+ materials for providers including term definitions, health team best practices, and much more.
ON DEMAND: PREPARING YOUR WORKPLACE FOR PEER INTEGRATION

Employers require ongoing evaluation, guidance, strategies, tools, and support to achieve a truly integrated workforce that welcomes and values peer specialists and their unique contributions. Incorporating peer specialists can be a confusing task for all stakeholders. This recording provides a broad overview of how organizational leadership, managers, and supervisors can prepare or improve their workplace for integrating peer specialists. Recording includes information on:

  • Identify competencies for peer employers. 
  • Describe recovery orientation.
  • Develop a plan to successfully prepare their workplace for peer employees. 

Click here to access recording and helpful handouts
PROVIDER HANDBOOK

As a reminder, you can access The Provider Handbook on Health Colorado's website under the Provider Handbooks & Policies section. Please utilize these resources to answer questions in regards to member services, provider information, key performance indicators, etc.
COVID
CDPHE QUICK COVID VACCINE PROVIDER GUIDE

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) released a quick reference guide for healthcare professionals including information on the proper storage, preparation, and administration of the currently authorized COVID-19 vaccine products in the United States.
HEALTH FIRST COLORADO COVERAGE OF AT-HOME COVID TESTS

Health First Colorado, the Colorado Medicaid program, will pay for at-home COVID-19 tests for members effective Jan. 15, 2022. Each enrolled Health First Colorado member can get up to 15 free at-home tests per month from pharmacies that serve Health First Colorado. There is no out of pocket cost or co-pays for Health First Colorado. Health First Colorado will reimburse the pharmacies after members receive the free tests.
 
Health First Colorado members must get the tests from a Health First Colorado enrolled pharmacy. Health First Colorado cannot be reimbursed for at-home tests they may have already purchased.
 
Currently, there is a shortage of at-home tests and pharmacies have the discretion to limit how many tests they will provide customers at one time - such as a parent wanting to receive a month’s worth of tests for each member of his/her family at one time. The Biden Administration has ordered 500 million tests be made available nationwide by early February.
 
The Health First Colorado webpage has more information on the at-home test program, enrolled pharmacies and FAQs that will be updated as new questions arise.
OMICRON RESOURCES

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) shared new and updated communication resources that may be useful.
STATEWIDE COVID-19 VACCINE INFORMATION

Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment provides extensive resources and up to date information regarding the COVID vaccine. 
Health Colorado Member Resources
Beacon and Health Colorado would like to give their providers important resources to share with members.
BLACK & AFRICAN AMERICAN SUICIDE PREVENTION
 
Black Wellness Lounge This is a safe space created to talk about things that directly impact Black people's mental health. They talk about systemic racism, white supremacy, and microaggressions. But they also highlight Black joy, Black peace, and Black healing!! Welcome to the Lounge!
 
WEBINAR: Why do Black Males Consider Suicide? March 9, 2022 1:00 PM MT: Suicidologists have focused on the quality and reproducibility of the science of why people die by suicide. Dr. Sean Joe, a social work scientist, highlights the emerging science on suicidal behavior among Black Americans, calling attention to important roles of sex and age that reflect not only differences in etiology, but also other important variations in relation to risk, the nature of suicidal behavior and its prevention and practice with Black boys and young men.
HEALTH COLORADO: WHERE DO I START? WEBINAR

Beacon and Health Colorado will assist with questions new members have regarding Medicaid benefits.
YOUR CHOICE, YOUR VOICE: LIFE CARE PLANNING ADVANCE DIRECTIVES VIRTUAL WORKSHOP

Beacon and Health Colorado 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.
Webinars / Events
HEALTH COLORADO PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PIAC)

Health Colorado would like to encourage you to join our Program Improvement Advisory Committee (PIAC).This group is for members, family members, providers, county employees, and other stakeholders. The next meeting held will be  Monday, April 18th from 11:00am-12:30pm
PCMP LEARNING COLLABORATIVE

Thursday, March 10, 2022 12 - 1pm (MST)
Focus will be on the patient experience.

Contact your Transformation Coach for the call-in information for this meeting.