Colorado Medicaid Behavioral Health Provider Network
COMBINE advocates for a diverse, competent, and sustainable behavioral healthcare workforce.
Counselors - Peers - Marriage and Family Therapists - Addiction Counselors - Psychologists - Social Workers - Pre-licensure Professionals - Interns
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- About COMBINE
- What We've Done
We've been advocating for the needs of a diverse, competent, and sustainable behavioral healthcare workforce. Below you can see what we've done and how we've grown in 2021 and 2022.
- We helped draft the bipartisan Medicaid Rate Report (HB22-1268), introduced by Reps. Amabile (D) and Rep. Holtorf (R), and "The Medicaid Mental Health Care Prior Authorization and Recoupment Regulation" bill (SB22-156) sponsored by Senate President Fenberg, Senator Kolker, Rep. Amabile, and Rep. Young. SB22-156 provides protection for providers from recoupment of paid claims, and limits prior authorization for outpatient care.
- Advocated for dual enrolled Medicaid/Medicare patients to receive care from LPCs, who cannot participate in Medicare. Approved January 2022.
- Clarified with OBH, CDPHE, HCPF, BHA, and the RAEs which mental healthcare clinics have to apply for expensive Behavioral Health Entity licensing in 2022.
- Automatic denials of F64 (gender dysphoria and associated codes) rescinded as of July 2022.
- CCHA stopped prior authorization for outpatient counseling, required from March 2021 to September 2021.
- Rocky Mountain Health Plans stopped its preauthorization requirements.
- CCHA dropped November 2021 recoupment in December 2021.
- Colorado Access allows for supervision billing.
- On January 20, 2022, 10 members of COMBINE testified in front of the Joint Budget Committee (JBC).
- HCPF now meets with COMBINE.
- CCHA has amended their clawback period to 1 year from time of payment.
- In February of 2022 members of COMBINE met with Gainwell regarding HCPF "validation" timelines, after requesting a meeting from Veritas hedge fund CEO (the owner of Gainwell). We've received assurance of a 5 day time frame and an end to the back-and-forth practice of fixing one thing at a time.
- As of February 2022, we have established twice-a-month executive level meetings with CCHA and Colorado Access.
- HCPF put recoupment limits into RAE contracts (limits to 365 days).
- Worked with Colorado Access to establish an 'endorsement' so clinics may employ pre-licensure counselors.
- Increased press coverage on the state of mental health in Colorado.
- We passed 100 members in February 2022.
- Colorado Academy of Physician Assistants (COPA) requested COMBINE endorsement of their legislation, HB22-1268.