What's New

Behavioral Health Secure Transport – There are opportunities for new providers of this transport service to enroll with Health First Colorado. Frequently asked questions and answers, along with additional resources, are on HCPF’s Secure Transport webpage. 

Tracker for Provider Issues – Please use the Provider Issues Form for Reporting MCE Concerns and Complaints to help streamline resolution of provider concerns regarding managed care entity (MCE) interactions or policies. This allows providers a consistent way to detail any issues they may have regarding an interaction, guidance received, or billing and/or coverage. Submissions will be routed to the MCE, the Accountable Care Collaborative team and any other HCPF staff needed to help resolve issues. 

Take Note

Health First Colorado covers the cost of testing for xylazine. Use of a xylazine test strip can be covered under CPT 80305. 

The Opioid Abatement Council and the Colorado Office of the Attorney General are offering two funding opportunities that have fast-approaching June deadlines:  

Information for the Infrastructure Share 2nd round of funding

Information for the Opioid Innovation Challenge and application

Debunking Myths & Misinformation About Health First Colorado

Did you know… Health First Colorado covers the cost of SUD treatment for members with court-ordered SUD treatment? Treatment is covered as long as the service is evaluated using ASAM criteria and the level of care provided is medically indicated.   

Other Things Happening in the SUD Space

The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) and SAMHSA have announced a temporary rule, effective May 11, 2023, extending telemedicine flexibilities for the prescribing of controlled medications beyond the end to the COVID-19 public health emergency. It notes that “For any practitioner-patient telemedicine relationships that have been or will be established up to November 11, 2023, the full set of telemedicine flexibilities regarding prescription of controlled medications established during the COVID-19 PHE will be extended for one year – through November 11, 2024.” Public comments are also being considered by the federal agencies. See the full DEA announcement for more information.  

The New England Journal of Medicine recently published Racial Inequality in Receipt of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder, a paper reviewing insurance claims data from 2016 to 2019 investigating racially driven differences in how treatment is being delivered. One notable observation was that “Racial segregation of health care, discrepant incarceration rates, disproportionate enrollment in Medicaid, and increases in fentanyl use in urban areas, which tend to have larger Black and Hispanic populations are among the factors contributing to the racial disparity in access to addiction care.” Read the full article for more insights about how delivery of care differs across populations.