Decision enables Colorado’s largest PACE provider to resume enrolling new members into its PACE program service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 23, 2023
Media Contacts
Marc Williams
720-626-0801 (cell)
Denver, CO - Effective today, the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (the Department) is lifting its enrollment moratorium for InnovAge Colorado’s Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) services. This means that qualifying Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) members in the greater Denver service area, Larimer, Weld and Pueblo counties have the opportunity to enroll in InnovAge, should they choose that option. The moratorium was put in place in December 2021 following extensive and concerning audit findings surrounding quality-of-care concerns.
PACE providers offer all inclusive services to individuals eligible and enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid who are age 55 and older. InnovAge Colorado is the state’s largest PACE provider. Over the past 13 months, InnovAge Colorado has been operating under a corrective action plan with the Department and the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which had placed its own new enrollment moratorium on InnovAge Colorado. Today’s announcement to lift the moratorium on new enrollments was made collaboratively between the Department and CMS after determining separately and together, that InnovAge Colorado’s sanction-related deficiencies have been sufficiently corrected. However, the Department will continue to monitor InnovAge Colorado’s operations to ensure the continued health, safety and welfare of Health First Colorado members. These activities will include reviews of regular data submissions, periodic site reviews, and a full audit in 2024. See the Department’s formal letter of release.
The lifting of the InnovAge new member enrollment sanction in place for more than a year reflects a quality-of-care turnaround to the betterment of Coloradans in their care,” said Kim Bimestefer, executive director for the Department. “InnovAge has made meaningful improvements in leadership, quality of care focus, staffing, procedures, operational controls and outcomes. We appreciate the collaborative approach pursued by InnovAge’s new leadership to address the audit concerns identified, and we will continue to carefully monitor InnovAge’s performance and operations going forward to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals in their care.”
The lifting of the new member enrollment moratorium applies to programs and services for Health First Colorado members provided at all InnovAge Colorado centers:
- Aurora PACE Center – 3551 N. Chambers Aurora, CO 80011
- Denver PACE Center – 1265 South Broadway Denver, CO 80210
- Lakewood PACE Center – 8405 W. Alameda Ave. Lakewood, CO 80226
- Northern Colorado PACE Center – 1303 E. 11th St. Loveland, CO 80537
- Pueblo PACE Center – 401 W. Northern Ave. Pueblo, CO 81004
- Thornton PACE Center – 445 E. 124th Ave. Thornton, CO 80241
In addition, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment conducted thorough inspections and determined that InnovAge is currently in compliance with licensure regulations. See a listing of all CDPHE inspections.
Health First Colorado members who have been unable to enroll due to the new enrollment sanctions should contact their Case Management Agency.
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About the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing: The Department administers Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program), Child Health Plan Plus, and other programs for Coloradans who qualify. These health care programs now cover about one in four Coloradans. For more information about the Department, please visit hcpf.colorado.gov.