Application
Question: Is there a Spanish version of the application available?
Answer: No, the Department will not release a Spanish version of the application, but providers are allowed to translate the application if they wish.
Question: Do applicants need to physically sign the application?
Answer: Signatures on applications can be collected in a few different ways, including a physical signature. Applicants do not need to be present at the facility to sign the application, it can be mailed or emailed to them for them to sign and return. Additionally, alternative signatures can be collected by a return email stating they agree to the rating, or by phone call if the applicant has limited access to email or whose preferred method of contact is by phone call. In the case of a phone call signature, the eligibility technician should record the date and time of the phone call and who in the household was spoken to.
Backdating
Question: Are we allowed to backdate more than 181 days?
Answer: Yes, providers have the ability to extend the backdate past the 181 days if the provider feels that the applicant's situation warrants a longer backdate.
Question: Should the backdating period be reflected in the effective dates on the CICP card?
Answer: Yes, the Uniform Application is coded to set the effective date to the earlier of the application date or the date of service the applicant is looking to have discounted under CICP. The card should be effective for 365 days from the earliest date (application date or date of service).
Question: If we are screening an applicant for covering a prior date of service only, what should the effective dates be on the card?
Answer: If the applicant only needs the prior date covered, the card should only reflect the dates of service that the applicant needs covered. Providers would not need to give the client a copy of the card since it is only valid for the date(s) of service, but clients are allowed to request a copy of the card for their records.
Copayment Cap
Question: If the applicant has no income and their FPL rating is 0, is their copayment cap $0?
Answer: Yes, for applicants who are not homeless and have FPL ratings between 0 and 40, their copayment cap is 10% of their income or $120, whichever is lower. For a patient whose income is $0, 10% of their income ($0 x 10% = $0) is less than $120, so their cap is set at $0.
Eligibility
Question: Can CICP be used to cover visits/services that Health First Colorado will not cover?
Answer: No, if the applicant is eligible for Health First Colorado, then they cannot be on CICP, even for visits/services that Health First Colorado will not cover. However, the applicant is allowed to apply for CICP to cover visits that fall in between or prior to their Health First Colorado eligibility.
Homeless
Question: If an applicant claims they are homeless but also claims an income source, does the homeless status trump the income?
Answer: Homeless applicants are exempt from the verification aspect of their income, meaning that they do not need to produce documentation of their income, they can verbally state what their income is. As long as the homeless applicant's income is less than 40% FPL, they qualify for the homeless rate (i.e. the $0 copays). If their income is higher than 40% FPL, they would be responsible for copays at the income level they fall into.
Medicare and Health First Colorado
Question: Can CICP be used to cover services that Health First Colorado won't cover?
Answer: If the applicant has prior services that are not covered by Health First Colorado those services can be discounted under CICP. If the applicant is currently a Health First Colorado member, CICP cannot be used to cover visits that Health First Colorado does not cover during the applicant's Health First Colorado membership.
Question: Does a senior (65+) have to have or apply for Medicare prior to being put on CICP?
Answer: CICP does not mandate that a senior must have or apply for Medicare prior to being put on CICP. However, we encourage seniors to apply for Medicare as soon as possible since penalties for waiting compound the longer the senior waits. Additionally, if the applicant is potentially eligible for Health First Colorado coverage they may end up not being able to have their Health First Colorado eligibility determined until they apply for Medicare, which may cause them to be unable to be covered by Health First Colorado, Medicare, and CICP until the next open enrollment period for Medicare. We do not want any of our seniors to fall into this situation, so please encourage them to apply as soon as possible.
Any questions that cannot be answered by your CICP Eligibility Manager and not answered in the provider manual should be directed to CICPCorrespondence.