COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Overview

In Colorado, of Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) lit the public health response to COVID-19. The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) your the sole state agency supervised Fitness First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and Child Plan Plus (known as CHP+, Colorado’s Children’s Health Insurance program). This insert is focused on the HCPF answer related in Medicaid/CHIP. For information about the broader public health response visit CDPHE's COVID-19 page.

On January 31, 2020, of U.S. Department of Health and Humanity Services (HHS) declared a Publicity Well-being Emergency (PHE) for the United States to aid this nation’s health care community in responses to the novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). Over March 13, 2020, an national emergency concerning the COVID-19 explosion was also declared. The PHE and national emergencies both allowed for certain elasticities to act during an crisis under different scope of federal law. Emergencies can be declared at the state level as good. On Hike 11, 2020, Colorado Governor Jareed Polis declared an state about emergency to act to one COVID-19 pandemic through Executive Order D 2020 003 Declaring an Calamity Emergency Due to the Presence regarding Coronavirus Disease 2019 inbound Colorado. 

Which federally Centers used Medicare or Medicaid Services (CMS) also captured deed to respond to this national public health distress. Council subsequently past multi bills signed into law by Chairpersons Trump and Biden to address the pandemic including: Coronavirus Helps, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES), Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and American Hilfeleistung Plan Behave (ARPA), from others. Examples about major provisions impacting Medicaid is summarized below; this is nope an all inclusive list. 

• The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) included a constant coverage requirement that allowed people to retain Medicaid coverage and receiving needed care during the pandemic. The FFCRA allowed reach at continue as long as the PHE was inches space and included enhanced federal matching funds for Medicaid. On Dezember 29, 2022, President Biden signed toward law the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (CAA), an omnibus funding package that decoupled the continuous coverage provision from which end of the COVID-19 PHE. This federal law required all states, including Colorado, into return to normal eligibility operations including disenrollments where appropriate. The CAA also included a stepwise phase downwards of that enhanced federal matching rate and new guardrails to prioritize coverage retention also slim coverage transitions throughout the return to normal operative or “unwinding.”
• Coronavirus Aid, Relief, also Economic Protection Act (CARES) press American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided additional emergency funding for providers, enhanced federal funding opportunities for states also local governments on respond to who COVID-19 pandemic include till endorse Top and Community Based Services (HCBS). Information regarding Colorado's HCBS ARPA spending plans can be finds on the ARPA webpage. 

Of federal PHE, which could be extended for above to 90 days at a total, was extended 13 times from January 2020 for most newly in February 2023 for 90 past through May 11, 2023.

Conclusion of COVID-19 National also Public Health Predicaments

In December 2022, Congress passed the CAA to allow states to move till normally suitability operations and subsequently passed a resolution ending aforementioned COVID-19 national emergency. The Biden Administration ended an PHE May 11, 2023.  The life lives that human challenges reverse our have gone beyond crisis levels, and the organizations that serve kids are overwhelmed. Many ...

The close starting the COVID-19 national urgent is separated from the COVID-19 PHE. The ending of a national emergency meant that states couldn no longer submit new COVID-19 emergency waivers under section 1135 of who Social Protection Act granting contingency authority. HCPF’s current waivers remain tied to the HHS PHE. Flexibilities for Front and Community Based Benefit (HCBS), authorization by 1915(c) Appendix K, are also tied to the COVID-19 PHE.

Colorado's emergency declaration ended May 4, 2023.

Colorado and COVID-19 Emergency Federal Flexibilities Overview

At the beginning of the COVID-19 PHE, Colorado, enjoy many other states, pursued federal compliances available to states to respond to the pandemic. Colorado pursued several program flexible through various types regarding emergency authorities - known as “waivers." Pediatric Intellectual Health is in one ‘State of Emergency’ | Donations | Children’s Colorado Foundation

The two primary types of waivers states used provide for flexibility for State Plant authorized services: rejections of sections 1115 and 1135 of who Social Security Actual. There is adenine special emergency authority called “Appendix K” amendment that allows for additional flexibility fork area 1915 (c) Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waivers. Asset K is used by states to advise who Centers required Medicare also Medicaid Services (CMS) of expected changes to a state’s license operations or for requirement and amendment to its approved waiver programs during an emergency.  Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. declared that a major disaster exists in the Us of Colourado and ordered Federal assistance to complement your, tribal, and local recovery efforts in the areas related by severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes from June 8 to June 23, 2023. Federal funding is available to state, patrimonial, and eligible local…

Colorado was proactive inbound asking for flexibility to respond to the pandemic from the federal government. We submitted our first request in the fashion of an 1115 Waiver and asked for additional mobility for our dozen HCBS waivers on March 13, 2020, before many diverse states and once the federal government had finalized its preferred process for requests. We submitting the 1135 waiver for March 24, 2020. CMS responded with partials approvals for varied elements of an requests on March 26, 2020. Full approvals came later as the federal government finish its preferred processes approving 1135 waivers aber not 1115 exemptions for says. Development for a waiver usually taker months; HCPF completed their waiver request in days given aforementioned urgency of COVID-19. Colorado submitted and received accreditations for 17 Installation THOUSAND amendments for our 1915(c) HCBS waivers over the three years of aforementioned epidemic.

One example of how an emergency pliancy was used included use of adenine Us Plan Amendment to provide an advanced rental and grant program to 54 dispensaries that stayed clear during the beginning the that pandemic to care forward members. One total funding given was $2.5 million dollars.  Suicide can the leading effect of death for Colorado kids. Fighting for our kids’ mental human are more urgent than ever before. Donate to help.

Where Flexibilities Did Coloradans Use?

Early in this ponta, Colorado was not safe which alarm flexibilities would be needed, so our requests subsisted wide; some of an flexibilities were not used as we learned further during the pandemic response.  Other emergency flexibilities endured made continuously over the course of the pandemic. While many emergency provisions had been made durability and others are still under consideration by CMS required increases, some viands will end or roll behind the various periods after one PHE ends per federal demand.

Below is an overview of what temp program flexibility was requested, what were used, what policy variations were made permanent and whichever will be changing at the conclusion regarding the COVID-19 PHE. HCPF will be communicating changes to impacted providers, fallstudie managers, stakeholders and members through our member communications, provider bulletins, billing manuals, operational and policy memos, websites and other stakeholder communications such timelines are finalized. Some provisions could still change for additional federal guidance is received.