DENVER – December 27, 2010 – The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing announced today that Colorado Medicaid will receive $13,671,043 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. Colorado has qualified for a Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) of 2009 Performance Bonus for Federal Fiscal Year 2010. The bonus award is recognition of Colorado’s ongoing and strong efforts to identify and enroll eligible children in Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus – CHP+.In order to qualify for a Performance Bonus, states must, 1) have in place at least five Medicaid and CHIP program features known to promote enrollment and retention in health coverage for children; and 2) states must demonstrate a significant increase in Medicaid enrollment among children during the course of the fiscal year. Colorado achieved a 14 percent enrollment increase compared to baseline enrollment among children in Medicaid for FY 10.
Colorado met five of the eight required program features:
(1) The removal of the asset test for Medicaid eligibility;
(2) The elimination of in-person interview requirements;
(3) The use of one application for applying and renewing for Medicaid and CHP+;
(4) Presumptive Eligibility – the ability for applicants who appear to be eligible to receive health care services while waiting for final eligibility determination; and
(5) A premium assistance program, Health Insurance Buy-In, or HIBI, allowing families to receive subsidies for eligible Medicaid clients to purchase employer insurance.
“We are very proud of our efforts to increase the number of insured children in Colorado,” says Joan Henneberry, executive director. “This bonus is recognition of the work that has been done in conjunction with our community partners and arrives at an opportune time to fund future health care expansions.”
Colorado will need to continue to implement at least five of eight program features and may need to submit additional documentation to confirm that those features are in place.
About the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing: The department administers the Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus programs as well as a variety of other programs for Colorado’s low-income, elderly and people with disabilities. The mission of the department is to improve access to cost-effective, quality health care services for Coloradans. For more information about the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, please visit Colorado.gov/hcpf.
