Survey Finds One in Five Juggling Medical Bills

A recent survey from the Center for Studying Health System Change and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that one in five Americans reported trouble paying medical bills in 2010. The medical debt averaged around $6,500, and more than 17 percent of people with medical debt said it would take longer than five years to pay off. Click here to read more.

News from CORHIO

The CORHIO Connect newsletter features information on upcoming HIT events, the Health Information Exchange, and facilities that are leading the way in HIT expansion.

» January Newsletter

Essential Health Benefits Stakeholder Meeting - January 18

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued a bulletin which outlines the proposed regulatory approach to establish the essential health benefits package (EHBP) which will be required for health benefit plans offered in the individual and small group markets. The purpose of the bulletin is to allow stakeholders to review and comment. Comments on the proposed process are due to HHS by January 31, 2012.

The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) and the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange (COHBE) have partnered to host a stakeholder meeting on January 18th to collect public comment.

This meeting is the first of many steps to address the development of an EHBP for Colorado, and it will not be the only opportunity for stakeholder input. This meeting will focus exclusively on the question of the process of creating a Colorado EHBP, and will not discuss the content of the EHBP, including individual benefits, benefit levels, and cost-sharing structures.

Individuals and organizations wishing to share input with the DOI and COHBE regarding the bulletin are encouraged to do so in writing any time before close of business on January 19, 2012. Stakeholder input may be sent to jo.donlin@dora.state.co.us. Please limit your input to questions related to developing Colorado's
EHBP and exclude considerations regarding EHBP content.

Meeting Logistics

• Date: January 18, 2012
• Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm MDT
• Location: COPIC, Mile High Room, 7351 E. Lowry Blvd., Denver, 80230
• Call-In: 1-888-330-9939 PIN# 632148#

All updates and information will be posted at www.colorado.gov/healthreform, www.dora.state.co.us/insurance, and www.getcoveredco.org. The original bulletin may be found at http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/files/Files2/12162011/essential_health_benefits_bulletin.pdf.

HCPF's Budget proposal to Joint Budget Committee

The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing presented its budget proposal for FY12-13 to the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) on January 4th . Click below for a slideshow with more information:

» Slideshow (PDF)

Webinar: PEAK Application Walk-through

Feeling uneasy about assisting a client with an application you've never seen before? Are you curious what the client sees when they complete an application? Join in this 1.5 hour session to walk through the PEAK screener and a portion of the application. These sessions will provide plenty of time to ask questions and discuss how best to utilize PEAK to assist clients.

Application Walk-throughs occur from 1:00 - 2:30PM on the second Monday of each month. Check on the PEAK Training Calendar for details on how to register for future webinars.

Open enrollment for child-only Colorado Health Insurance plans began Jan.1

Open enrollment for child-only Colorado health insurance plans began Jan. 1, 2011 and lasts until the end of the month. Get them insured, no matter what their preexisting condition.This is only one of two yearly opportunities. The open enrollment period from Jan. 1-31 will see most policy coverage begins March 1.

A child-only health policy means there is no adult on the individual policy. There can be many scenarios for this type of policy: the parents may be insured through an employer-sponsored plan which does not offer dependent coverage; or the family may not be able to afford coverage for all members, and is seeking coverage for the children only.

Children who lose coverage due to a qualifying event can obtain child-only coverage by applying within 30 days of the event. Qualifying events include birth, adoption, marriage, dissolution of marriage, loss of employer-sponsored coverage, loss of Medicaid or Children’s Basic Health Plan coverage, or entry of a court or administrative order mandating coverage. Outside of a qualifying event, a child-only policy can be applied for only during an open enrollment period.

Below is a list of companies that are participating in the program. By clicking on the company name you will be taken to their standard information entry form. Enter your individual information to find out more about each companies child-only plans.

Kaiser
Cigna
Humana
Rocky Mountain Health Plans
Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
Golden Rule

Updates from HCPF

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