School Health Services Program News | |
Our newsletter is a Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) publication that provides information on the School Health Services (SHS) Program. The Colorado SHS Program is administered by HCPF in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). Providers participating in the program may receive federal matching funds for amounts spent in providing health services through the public schools to students who are receiving Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) benefits. | |
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2023 Annual Training Recap
Thank you to everyone who attended the annual training this year. We wanted to take a moment to highlight the connections made during the in-person training sessions for each of the breakout groups and activities. Also, whether you joined in person or virtually, we hope that this has further enhanced your understanding and knowledge of the program. We encourage you to continue making these connections and use those additional program contacts. For those of you who were not able to attend parts of training, the presentations and recorded webinars are on HCPF's website.
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Annual Training Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Does the new Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Guidance impact Specialized Transportation?
A: Yes. Due to the new CMS Guidance issued in May of 2023, HCPF will be evaluating changes to the State Plan Amendment (SPA) in the upcoming fiscal years. One of the mandatory changes that is currently being evaluated is the bus aide exception that qualifies specialized transportation on a general education vehicle. However, at this time, all transportation requirements according to the SHS Program Manual will remain the same until further notice.
Q: Can our district report mileage for staff that travel from building to building to provide direct services?
A: Yes, mileage reimbursement for travel between district buildings to perform direct services can be claimed on the annual cost report and should be reported on the ‘Direct Medical Services Other Costs’ page under the corresponding job category.
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Program Compliance FAQs
Q: Can I only access the Program Compliance Trainings (PCTs) if selected for a Comprehensive Review?
A: No, PCTs are available to all coordinators all year long under the ‘Resources’ section of the homepage of the Public Consulting Group (PCG) Claiming System and serve as a valuable resource on the different SHS Program areas.
Q: Who do I reach out to regarding a Corrective Action Plan (CAP) if my district is issued one at the end of the Comprehensive Review?
A: Your district should reach out to HCPF with any questions regarding creating your CAP and the requirements needed in the CAP.
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Quarterly FAQs
Q: Can I include stipends paid to my staff pool individuals within their quarterly pay?
A: Yes, pay related to an individual's primary job role or duties can be included in costs that you report every quarter.
Q: What type of ‘Other Costs’ can I report on the quarterly cost report?
A: Any costs your district pays for/reimburses to send an individual on your staff pool list (SPL) to attend a training can be included within the ‘Other Costs’ section in the quarter that they were paid. For these trainings to be included they should be tied to enhancement of the program or used in the application of services. Attendance at the National Alliance for Medicaid in Education (NAME) conference is a good example of allowable costs in this category.
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Random Moment Time Study (RMTS) FAQs
Q: How are districts determining what free care providers to put on the SPL?
A: If a district has qualified staff providing direct services to students with prescriptions on standalone ‘Other Medical Plans of Care’ they should include them on their SPL.
Q: Do I have to vacate someone who is on my SPL in the wrong job category?
A: In most circumstances it is best practice to vacate someone from the wrong job category immediately (especially in the direct service cost pool). If a provider in the direct service cost pool is underqualified for their job category, they should be vacated immediately but if they are overqualified, they can remain in that position until the end of the quarter when the appropriate updates can be made.
Q: How can I add new participants to my (SPL) after the quarter has started?
A: New positions cannot be added once the moment generation has occurred which is typically two weeks prior to the start of each quarter. If your district has new hires, they can be added as direct replacements at any time or they must wait until the next quarter opens to be added as new positions.
Q: What activities should school counselors be conducting to be included on the SPL?
A: Allowable administrative activities can be referenced in the Time Study Implementation Guide (TSIG) which is in the appendix of the SHS Program Manual. The staff under consideration to be added should perform any combination of the allowable activities on a routine basis.
Q: How can I see how my participants responded to the survey? These would be helpful to see so that my district can provide better training for staff.
A: Due to time study program compliance requirements, PCG has never and will not share specific participant survey responses with any school district/Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). This is a concern as districts could use the information to ‘coach’ their participants into developing reimbursable responses and is not allowed per HCPF and CMS guidelines.
Q: Can I directly replace payroll staff participants with contracted staff?
A: Yes, payroll and contracted staff are interchangeable as long as the job categories are identical, and they possess the appropriate licensure (for direct service).
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The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Guidance on School Based Services
As you read the new CMS guidance, we encourage you to reach out to us directly with any questions, comments or concerns. Email [email protected], call Olga Gintchin directly at 303-866-4234, or submit your questions anonymously via this google survey. High-level information was shared during annual training regarding mandatory and potential program changes. The SHS program will operate according to current rules and regulations in the program manual until CMS approves changes. We will continue to communicate timelines for any upcoming changes to participating school districts and BOCES.
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National Provider Identifier (NPI) Ordering, Prescribing, and Referring (OPR)
The NPI OPR Guide was included in the annual training presentation and emailed to all SHS program coordinators on Aug. 21, 2023. The guide is also on HCPF’s School Health Services Website. The online version will be updated with FAQs and other helpful information as needed. High level information is also on the HCPF OPR Claim Identifier Project website.
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Stakeholder Updates
FY 2023-24 stakeholders are ready to support districts and BOCES in their assigned regions. The Stakeholder Forum website has been updated with current stakeholder contact information. The Stakeholder Areas of Knowledge grid is available if you need support in a specific program area and aren’t sure who to reach out to. Stakeholders will contact you directly prior to our first stakeholder meeting in October and look forward to your input. Thank you to all our stakeholders for your program support.
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Medicaid Eligibility Redeterminations Begin Again
Colorado is resuming regular eligibility reviews for people with Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) after a 2+ year pause during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).
Not all members have the same annual renewal date. When it is time to renew, some members may be renewed automatically based on information on file for them. Everyone else is sent a renewal packet that must be completed, signed, and returned right away. Members who fail to return necessary information may lose their benefits.
How can you help?
Please help us spread the word to Health First Colorado and CHP+ members to get ready for renewals by using our partner toolkits: Update Your Address and Take Action on Your Renewal. A new joint webpage, KeepCOCovered.com, also includes partner resources and information for those who may need to transition to other coverage.
A few specific ways you can help:
Where to Find More Information
Partners can find more Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the end of the continuous coverage requirement and return to regular renewal processes in the PHE Planning Resource Center.
Members with questions about the renewal process can be referred to the Health First Colorado’s renewal webpage available in English and Spanish.
How to Stay Informed
The Public Health Emergency (PHE) Planning Resource Center will be updated as new information about the end of COVID-19 public health emergency and other COVID-19 policy evolves. To stay informed about the latest updates, please sign up for the COVID-19 public health emergency updates monthly newsletter.
HCPF will be hosting quarterly webinars on the PHE Unwinding. These webinars are geared toward community partners such as advocacy organizations, providers, and community organizations who may provide other assistance to Health First Colorado or CHP+ members (housing, social services, etc.). The presentation and recording from the July 26, 2023, PHE Unwinding webinar are posted in the PHE Resource Center.
Next Webinar Information
When: Oct. 25, 2023, 1 - 2:30 p.m. Mountain Time
Register in advance for this webinar.
Thank you for your collaboration to Keep Coloradans Covered!
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HCPF response to House Bill 22-1260
HB 22-1260 is now in effect. Although Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) services are specifically mentioned in the HCPF response, this applies to all SHS providers including Private Duty Nurses (PDNs). This communication was originally emailed to participating SHS school districts/BOCES on July 14, 2022.
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SHS Office Hours
Monthly office hours are held on the first Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. and are open to all school district/BOCES staff who support the SHS program. Zoom registration is required in advance of each monthly meeting. A link to register is included in the google calendar invite. Bring any program-related questions with you to the office hours or submit them via the anonymous survey link included in the google calendar invite. We look forward to seeing you.
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National Alliance for Medicaid in Education (NAME) | |
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Register now for the 21st Annual NAME Conference in Dallas, TX, Oct. 23-26! Act quickly to take advantage of the Early Bird registration rate of $650 before October 1. Hotel rooms at the conference site are filling up quickly, so be sure to make your reservations
soon.
The Program Committee has selected this year's Social Activity, so we hope you'll join us at Sidecar Social for a fun evening of food, games, and fun! The cost for the Social Activity is $50/person, and includes a selection of shareable appetizers, non-alcoholic drinks and complimentary access to all games and activities in the 20,000 sq. ft. venue! Visit the website to register.
Every year, NAME holds a silent auction fundraiser to support a local charity doing critical work for children. All proceeds from the 2023 Silent Auction will benefit Gill Children's Services; this amazing organization has helped to address the unmet needs of 68,000 children in Tarrant County for over 44 years by providing a safety net for kids without any other options. Attendees are encouraged to bring donation items, which will be grouped into state-themed packages for all conference attendees to bid on! Colorado always brings the heat with awesome items, including local coffee and spirits, CO-themed hats and apparel, cutting boards, chocolate, and more! Please bring any item you would like to donate to the registration desk; keep in mind that winners of these packages must travel with or ship their items home so consider non-breakable items or ones with protective packaging.
Already a NAME member, but want to get more involved?
Email [email protected] to explore all the volunteer opportunities within NAME's active committees. Bring your gifts and talents to the table to help NAME champion collaboration, integrity, and growth for school-based Medicaid!
If you don't have the ability to participate on a committee, but still want to help NAME, please consider sending in a brief impact story about how school-based Medicaid reimbursement has helped a child in your district or consider sharing a best practice that you think could help other school-Medicaid champions across the country. Simply email [email protected] with your student spotlight or best practice and keep an eye out for your piece to be featured in an upcoming edition of NAME's members-only newsletter, Jenny's Journal!
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Colorado Department of Education Updates | |
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Website Updates
The CDE School Health Services (SHS) website will receive its annual update on Oct. 2, 2023. This next update includes fixes for various documents, revision to due dates, and new additions to the CDE SHS guidelines. Major updates to the site will include access information for the soon to be released CDE SHS Learning Tool and additional support documents like the Reimbursement Spending Report Narrative Support document. Program participants will be notified of the update release via email.
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Reimbursement Spending Report (RSR)
The Reimbursement Spending Report to CDE will open soon on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023, and will remain open until Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024. An email notification will be sent to program participants with access instructions. This report will cover expenditure from FY 2022-23. This report received many minor formatting edits to improve user experience. Users of the form will also notice updated support in the question-specific help boxes, as well as additional links to relevant helpful support items. Major edits include requiring narratives in the Administrative and Health Service sections of the report, including an assurances page, and changing the review of these reports to a rolling basis.
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Parental Consents
Keep in mind that CDE reviews parental consent forms on file for the sample of students a district/BOCES receives during a comprehensive review. This document concerns the disclosure of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and is not a consent to bill Medicaid. Additionally, confirmation that annual notifications required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) have been sent out are requested for all districts/BOCES when submitting an RSR.
Information on the proposed rule (Document #2023-10542) amending the IDEA Part B regulations to remove the requirement for public agencies to obtain parental consent prior to accessing for the first time a child's public benefits or insurance (e.g., Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP)) to provide or pay for required IDEA Part B services was presented at annual training. Please keep in mind that this rule is still being reviewed and is not currently final. It is important to also remember that written consent is still required for the disclosure of PII under the Federal Education Rights Privacy Act (FERPA). For more information on this proposed rule, review the proposed rule here.
Once this rule is finalized, CDE will review the final rule and notify program participants on any changes to the CDE portion of the program. If you have any questions on the proposed rule or our review process for these documents, please email Omar Estrada. If you have questions on your district/BOCES specific one-time consent forms or annual notification practices, speak to your legal team.
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Local Services Plan (LSP)
If your district/BOCES LSP expires on June 30, 2024, a new five-year plan is due by the initial review deadline on Monday, June 17, 2024. A final submission will be due two-weeks later on Monday, July 1, 2024. The initial review deadline allows enough time to review the draft and make any necessary edits to the LSP before final submission on July 1. Remember that districts/BOCES have the option to submit their draft early. Please contact Omar Estrada for any questions, LSP draft review requests, or if you would like further support creating an LSP. It is recommended to start working on your new LSP 10 months before the submission deadline.
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Need to meet?
If you would like 1:1 support on reimbursement spending, the Local Services Plan (LSP) or the reimbursement spending report, feel free to schedule a help session or email Omar Estrada.
All CDE School Health Services Program support documents, as well as links to LSP documents and reimbursement spending report, are on the CDE School Health Services website.
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FY 2022-2023 Stakeholder Dates | |
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Oct. 12, 2023
Jan. 11, 2024
April 11, 2024
All meetings will be via Zoom & In-Person
In person location:
303 E. 17th Ave, 11AB
Denver, CO 80203
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
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Random Moment Time Study
Nov. 1, 2023
Jan. – March 2024 (JM24) SPL and calendars open.
Nov. 30, 2023
JM24 certification is due.
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Quarterly Cost Report
Oct. 2, 2023
July – Sept. 2023 (JS23) cost report opens for district reporting.
Oct. 27, 2023
JS23 cost report certification is due.
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Aug. 1, 2023
FY 2022-23 Annual cost report opened for district reporting.
Oct. 30, 2023
FY 2022-23 Annual cost report is due.
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2023 NAME Conference
Oct. 23-26, 2023
Dallas, TX
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The School Health Services Program is a joint effort between the Colorado Department of Education and the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing.
If you have any suggestions for the newsletter, please email the School Health Services Administrator Olga Gintchin, SHS Program Assistant Tracy Gonzales or Public Consulting Group (PCG).
Additional SHS Program Contacts:
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