NGA names four states for chronic care collaborative

The National Governors Association (NGA) announced Tuesday that Colorado, Minnesota, Oregon and Pennsylvania have been selected to participate in the NGA's new learning collaborative on integrating chronic disease prevention services.

According to NGA, chronic disease is a major contributor to rising healthcare costs in the United States, accounting for 84 percent of healthcare spending. To address one of the root causes of rising costs, state public health officials focus on preventive care by promoting physical activity and better nutrition, smoking cessation, screenings for cancer and diabetes and programs to help people control their blood pressure and asthma.

For more information, click here.

New web resource for tracking public policy

The Colorado Trust launched a new section of its website dedicated to tracking and informing public policy issues that could affect the health and well-being of Coloradans. The new section of the site includes information about federal, state and local  laws, regulations, bills, judicial decisions and political events. It  highlights information about Colorado health and fiscal policy, federal health care reform and national health policy, and provides daily news updates, links to key publications and health policy-related websites.

Building Medical Homes: Lessons From Eight States with Emerging Programs

The Commonwealth Fund reports on eight states that are at different stages in the development and implementation of a medical home program and have relied on different strategies to encourage primary care providers to adopt the model, including developing state medical home qualification standards instead of  adopting national standards. Click here to read the full report.

State Health Spending Gap Widens

Kaiser Health News reports that a state-by-state breakdown of estimated health care spending found that the  gap is broadening between the highest-spending and lowest-spending states. Click here to read the complete article.

Update to the Colorado Medicaid EHR Incentive Program

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing continues to work on implementing the
Colorado Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program, through which eligible health care
professionals and hospitals can receive incentive payments for adoption and meaningful use of certified EHR
technology.

> Medicaid Program Status Update

Mental Health Care in Colorado

In 2003, the Mental Health Funders Collaborative, a group of eight Colorado grantmaking foundations, commissioned TriWest Group to conduct an assessment and critical analysis of the public and private mental health systems in Colorado. The Status of Mental Health Care in Colorado was published that year and revealed alarming data about the lack of mental health care funding and access to care for people in the state. It also published, for the first time, information about Colorado’s many overlapping and fragmented systems for providing mental health services.

In response to these findings, four Colorado foundations partnered to create Advancing Colorado’s Mental Health Care (ACMHC). Visit the ACMHC website for more information about the project.

CICP Proposed Rule Changes

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing has submitted a draft proposed rule concerning the  Medical Assistance Rule Concerning the Colorado Indigent Care Program.

A hearing on the proposed rule is set for Friday, January 13, 2012 at 09:00 am at The Capitol Center, 225 E. 16th Ave., 6th floor, Denver CO 80203. For more information about the proposed rule, you can contact Judi Carey, MSB Coordinator at 303-866-4416 at the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

If you want to provide feedback on the proposed rule or amendment to help us make that determination, please email opr@dora.state.co.us before Tuesday, December 20, 2011.

Announcing Medicaid.gov

The Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) has launched http://medicaid.gov, the first Federal government website devoted to the policies and the people of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This website is the culmination of efforts at the Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services to revitalize and reorient the information the Federal government makes available about these programs. Medicaid.gov brings to the forefront the items that States, the health policy community and other stakeholders have said they care about most, including: Federal policy guidance; lists of pending and approved waivers; highlights of our Affordable Care Act implementation efforts; State-specific program information and data; and improved search capabilities.

OHAC! is now OHCO

OHAC! has evolved into Oral Health Colorado (OHCO). Visit their new website for more information.

Healthy Communities Update: Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Through its Behavioral Health Initiative, the Department of Health Care Policy and Finance is working to advance the diagnosis and treatment of depression for clients on Medicaid and CHP+. Medicaid now covers depression screening for adolescents aged 11-20, using a screening tool (questionnaire) at the child’s periodic well child visits. This screening gives health professionals an indication of a possible problem and a reason to do further evaluation either by the primary care provider or a mental health specialist. More than one million teens in the U.S. suffer from depression, yet less than one-third of those teens receive help. If you would like more information, please contact Lisa Waugh, lisa.waugh@state.co.us.

Health Information Technology and Quality Webinar

"Tips for Overcoming the Gray Areas of Meaningful Use Stage 1 for Safety Net Providers"

Tuesday December 13, 2011, 2pm EST

This webinar provides tips and guidance of how safety net providers, such as health centers, critical access hospitals, and rural health clinics can overcome common gray areas of meeting Meaningful Use Stage 1 objectives. Gray areas are objectives within the final rule that are still not clear to providers.  Presenters from the Regional Extension Centers (REC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will review these problem areas based on previous comments and questions directed to HRSA, CMS, and ONC staff from safety net providers. These areas include: dealing with vendors and other EHR issues; attesting data to CMS and State Medicaid programs; troubleshooting quality measures; and other Meaningful Use Stage 1 problems that safety net providers have encountered.  In addition, this webinar will include a presentation by CMS Staff on "Adopt, Implement, and Upgrade" (AIU) of electronic health records. Presenters include staff from both the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Regional Extension Centers.

Questions to presenters are welcome ahead of the event and may be emailed to healthit@hrsa.gov To register:  http://webcast.streamlogics.com/audience/index.asp?eventid=84138124

 
Email questions or comments to HRSA's Health IT mailbox at: healthit@hrsa.gov<mailto:healthit@hrsa.gov>
 
Previous HRSA Health and Quality Webinars are available at: http://www.hrsa.gov/healthit

Eligibility & Enrollment Quarterly Work Group Meeting

December 15, 2011; 10:30am-12:00pm

The Colorado Eligibility and Enrollment Medical Assistance Program Quarterly Work Group Meeting will be held at the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, 225 East 16th Avenue, Denver CO, 80203 in the First Floor Conference Room.

• Call in Number: 877-820-7831
• Passcode: 439283#

Agenda Items:

1. Interfaces - IEVS and Auto Re-Enrollment
2. Pre-HMO
3. Cost Sharing
4. Manual Enrollment Update
5. Open Discussion

Questions Can Be Sent To: Workgroup_COEEMAP@maximus.com
Early Questions Are Encouraged

BHH Learning Collaborative Webinar: Changing the way we deliver and pay for health care in Colorado

Date: Friday, December 16, 2011
Time: 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM MST
Presenter: Edie Sonn, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC)

Americans pay about twice as much for their health care as citizens of most other industrialized countries, yet our health ranks lower than many of these nations. A large part of the problem is that our health system compensates providers for volume of services provided, rather than making people well. CIVHC, in collaboration with a diverse group of stakeholders, is working to change this. This webinar will focus on CIVHC’s initiatives to improve outcomes and control costs through payment reform.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/304715561
After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

The Health Care Innovation Challenge

On November 14, 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services released a funding opportunity announcement for the Health Care Innovation Challenge. Under this Challenge, up to $1 billion dollars will be awarded to innovative projects across the country that test creative ways to deliver high-quality health care services and lower costs to people enrolled in Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP, particularly those with the highest health care needs. 

The Health Care Innovation Challenge will support public and private organizations including clinicians, health systems, private and public payers, faith-based institutions, community-based organizations and local governments. Innovative approaches from these organizations that can begin within six months of award and demonstrate a model for sustainability post-award will also be given priority. 

ClinicNET Affiliate Survey!

ClinicNET is honored to serve Colorado’s community-funded safety net clinics! This affiliate clinic survey will help us understand our impact, your needs and how we can improve our work. We greatly appreciate your feedback by Friday, December 16^th.

Dec. 8th Conf. Call on the Affordable Care Act and Behavioral Health

Hosted By the HHS Center for Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships
Conference Call on the Affordable Care Act and Behavioral Health (Mental Health and Substance Abuse)

Thursday, December 8 at 12:30pm EST

PowerPoint slides will be available on Wednesday by clicking here.

Please submit any questions you have advance of the call to ACA101@hhs.gov.

Updates from HCPF

Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing's November At a Glance

Webinar: Introduction to PEAK for County and Community Partner Staff

The PEAK Outreach Team is offering 1.5hr Introduction to Peak webinars that explains why PEAK was created, what functionality is available in it, ways it can be used to assist clients, and what resources are available to you.

These webinars are open to any staff. Webinars will occur from 9:00 - 10:30AM on the first Wednesday of every month.

• To join the Introduction to PEAK webinar on December 7, 2011, please click HERE and then enter the password: peak
• To hear the audio portion of the presentation, call (712) 432-0220 and enter the access code: 5642211#

Additional Introduction to PEAK webinars will be offered on the following dates from 9:00 - 10:30AM:
Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
Wednesday, February 1st, 2012
Wednesday, March 7th, 2012

Check on the PEAK Training Calendar for details on how to log into these additional webinars.

December 8 Webinar on 2011 Colorado Health Access Survey

Register now for a free webinar on the 2011 Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS), hosted by The Colorado Trust and the Colorado Health Institute, on Thursday, December 8, 2011 from 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. The CHAS is the most extensive survey in Colorado of health care coverage, access and utilization. A follow-up to the 2008-2009 Colorado Household Survey, this survey is administered every other year via a random sample telephone survey of more than 10,000 households across the state. Click here for more information and to register for the webinar.