Sept. 17, 2021
Hello! Autumn is in the air! Whoa, did I get that right? Is it really September? It is indeed, and hospitals are in full swing completing their implementation plans for HTP. We are all laser-focused on supporting hospitals through the process and are excited about the plans that hospitals are putting into place. In addition to office hours offered by our team, CHA has also held multiple sessions to help support hospitals. We are very appreciative of the partnership with them in helping our hospitals get set up for success. Many thanks to CHA and all the organizations and stakeholders that are supporting the hospitals to plan their interventions in their communities.  

Thank you,

Matt Haynes
Special Finance Projects Manager
Implementation Plan Submission and Review Period 

The implementation Plan submission period began on Sept. 1. Hospitals participating in the HTP must submit an Implementation Plan detailing the strategies and steps they intend to take in implementing each of the intervention(s) outlined in their applications impacting the six program priority areas, as well as the quality measures across the five HTP Focus Areas.

The Implementation Plan Submission Period is from Sept. 1, 2021, through Sept. 30, 2021. All hospitals must have an approved Implementation Plan to proceed with HTP.
An updated FAQ document is posted on the HTP Website.

Once Implementation Plans are received there will be a comprehensive scoring and review period with the goal of getting every applicant to an approved Implementation Plan. The plan is to have all Implementation Plans approved by the end of the calendar year; at which time they will be made available to the public.
HTP Measures Specifications 

The quality measures specifications have been updated and posted on the HTP website. Recent updates are listed on the last page of the document.
HTP EFMAP and Rural Support Payments

On April 1, implementation of the HTP kicked-off with the beginning of the application period, which ran through April 30. Applications are now undergoing a process of review and feedback, and a final review by the Application Review Oversight Committee. Additional details about the application review process and the Application Review Oversight Committee were shared via a Department Memo on the HTP website. 
Rural Support Fund Update

CHASE supplemental payments are funded from two sources: fees and federal matching funds, calculated pursuant to the federal matching assistance percentage (FMAP). Historically, the FMAP for supplemental payments was 50%. For every supplemental payment dollar, 50 cents were fees and 50 cents were federal matching funds. Beginning in Federal Fiscal Year 2019-20, the Department utilized an enhanced FMAP (eFMAP) to make supplemental payments to hospitals. With the eFMAP, the Department can use less fee to make the same payment due to the federal share of the payment increasing. This effort was taken in support of the HTP.
 
For 2019-2020, the eFMAP resulted in a $127M net reimbursement increase to hospitals
For 2020-2021, the eFMAP resulted in a $140M net reimbursement increase to hospitals

With the approval of the State Plan Amendment the department was also able to begin distributing the first year of Rural Support Payments, totaling $12M to 23 different rural hospitals. These payments were made in August and September 2021.
HTP Office Hours

HTP office hours continue to take place on Fridays from 9:30 – 10:50 a.m. In an effort to facilitate robust discussion, we recommend question submission ahead of time to the HTP inbox. 
CHA Trainings

The Colorado Hospital Association (CHA) has been hosting a series of training opportunities related to HTP interventions and implementation and plan to offer support and technical assistance to hospitals throughout the Implementation Plan submission period. Please reach out to Sylvia Park for more information.
 
Community Advisory Council
Community Advisory Council meetings continue to take place monthly, with the next meeting taking place on  Monday,  Sept. 20. Agendas, materials and notes from previous meetings are on the Community Advisory Council website.  
Colorado Healthcare Affordability and Sustainability Enterprise (CHASE) Board meeting
The next Colorado Healthcare Affordability and Sustainability Enterprise (CHASE) Board meeting will take place via Zoom (passcode: 059559) on Tuesday, Oct. 26 at 3 p.m. Additional information about the board, as well as meeting materials, are on the CHASE Board website. 
Helpful Links & Program Contact
CHASE Board website