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HCBS Public Comment Opportunities

The Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Public Comment Opportunities page allows stakeholders to provide input to the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) on proposed 1915(c) HCBS waiver changes. HCPF is required to provide at least a 30-day public notice period when making substantive changes and all open commenting opportunities with supporting documents are available. Closed commenting opportunities are also available for review.

HCBS Waiver Page    Approved Waiver Documents

Open HCBS Public Comment Opportunities


Nothing to review at this time

Closed HCBS Public Comment Opportunities

Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Amendment and Renewal Review

Public Comment Opportunity  

Review the HCBS Waiver DRAFT Amendments and Renewals  
30-day public comment period from February 6, 2025 through March 7, 2025  

Documents for Review:

Provide Comments to: 
Email: HCPF_LTSS.PublicComment@state.co.us
Mail: Dept. of Health Care Policy and Financing, 303 E. 17th Avenue, Suite 1100 Denver, CO 80203
Attention: HCBS Waiver Amendments 
Fax: 303-866-2786 Attention: HCBS Waiver Amendments
Phone: 303-866-3684   

Background Information:  

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) invites the public to comment on the proposed renewals for the 1915(c) waivers: Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) and Children with Life-Limiting Illness (CLLI) (the CLLI waiver is being merged with the Children’s Home and Community-Based Services (CHCBS) waiver and will be retitled as the Children with Complex Health Needs (CwCHN) waiver).  

HCPF invites the public to comment on the proposed amendments for the 1915(c) HCBS waivers: Brain Injury (BI), Children’s Extensive Supports (CES), Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP), Children’s Home and Community-Based Services (CHCBS), Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS), Developmental Disabilities (DD), Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD), and Supported Living Services (SLS).  

HCPF intends to submit the renewals and amendments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 14, 2025. HCPF will request an effective date of July 1, 2025, for the renewals and amendments.  

The proposed waiver renewals and amendments give HCPF the ability to include the following changes:

  • Addition of the Wellness Education Benefit (WEB) Vendor (BI, CES, CHRP, CLLI (now CwCHN), CIH, CMHS, DD, EBD, SLS)
  • Children with Complex Health Needs (CwCHN) Merged Waiver
  • Extraordinary Cleaning Service (CES, SLS)
  • Community Connector Service Limitation (CES)
  • Support Intensity Scale Decommission (DD, SLS)
  • Performance Measure Updates (All Waivers)
  • Respite Language Updates (BI, CES, CHRP, CLLI (now CwCHN), CIH, CMHS, EBD, SLS)
  • HCBS Settings Final Rule Updates (All Waivers)
  • Version 3.7 1915(c) Waiver Application Updates (All Waivers)
  • Cost Neutrality Demonstration Update (All Waivers)
  • Rate Changes (BI, CES, CHCBS, CIH, CMHS, EBD, SLS)
  • Miscellaneous Corrections (CIH, CLLI (now CwCHN)

The draft waiver renewals and amendments documents have been provided by CMS and are available online for public comment starting February 6, 2025, through March 7, 2025, allowing all HCBS consumers and service providers an opportunity to provide input.  

All comments will be reviewed and taken into consideration by HCPF.  

HCPF will create a Listening Log to record the comments and  HCPF’s responses. This Listening Log will be posted to the HCPF website after the public comment period ends.

If you would like to request information be mailed to you, including the full draft waiver, please email HCPF_LTSS.PublicComment@state.co.us, fax 303-866-2786 Attention: HCBS Waiver Renewals and Amendments, or call 303-866-3684. 

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Amendment Review

Public Comment Opportunity

Review the HCBS Waiver Draft Amendments
30-day public comment period from August 1 through August 30, 2024  

Documents for Review:

Provide Comments to: 
Email: HCPF_LTSS.PublicComment@state.co.us
Mail: Dept. of Health Care Policy and Financing, 303 E. 17th Avenue, Suite 1100, Denver, CO 80203
Attention: HCBS Waiver Amendments
Fax: 303-866-2786 Attention: HCBS Waiver Amendments
Phone: 303-866-3684

Background Information:

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) invites the public to comment on proposed amendments for the 1915(c) HCBS waivers: Persons with Brain Injury (BI), Children’s Extensive Supports (CES), Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP), Children with Life-Limiting Illness (CLLI), Children’s Home and Community-Based Services (CHCBS), Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS), Complementary and Integrative Services (CIH), Developmental Disabilities (DD), Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD), and Supported Living Services (SLS).  

HCPF intends to submit the amendments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on September 6, 2024. HCPF will request an effective date of January 1, 2025, for the amendments.  The proposed waiver amendments give HCPF the ability to include the following changes:

  • Add the Wellness Education Benefit (WEB) service to waivers: BI, CES, CHRP, CIH, CLLI, CMHS, DD, EBD, and SLS. Amend the WEB service definition in the CHCBS waiver to align with current practices. (All)
  • Update Rates (All)
  • Remove Case Management (CM) from CHCBS (CHCBS) 
  • Increase Number of Participants Served (DD)
  • Increase the Number of Users for Community Connector and Homemaker (CES)
  • Update CES Overall Spending Limit (CES)
  • Critical Incident Reporting Updates (All)
  • CDASS Rate Methodology (BI, CIH, CMHS, EBD, SLS)
  • CHRP Medicaid Enrolled Provider Language Update (CHRP)
  • Therapeutic Adaptive Equine Activities (CES, CHRP, SLS) 
  • Home Modification Updates (BI, CES, CIH, CMHS, EBD, SLS)
  • CHRP Targeting Criteria (CHRP)

The draft waiver amendments are available online for public comment starting August 1 through August 30, 2024, allowing all HCBS consumers and service providers an opportunity to provide input.  All comments will be reviewed and taken into consideration by HCPF. HCPF will create a Listening Log to record the comments and HCPF’s responses. This Listening Log will be posted to the HCPF website after the public comment period ends.

If you would like to request information be mailed to you, including the full draft waiver, please email HCPF_LTSS.PublicComment@state.co.us, fax 303-866-2786 Attention: HCBS Waiver Amendments, or call 303-866-3684. 

Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Waiver Amendment and Renewal Review

Public Comment Opportunity

Review the HCBS Waiver Draft Amendments and Renewals
30-day public comment period from February 1, 2024 through March 1, 2024  

Documents for Review:

Provide Comments to: 
Email: HCPF_LTSS.PublicComment@state.co.us
Mail: Dept. of Health Care Policy and Financing, 303 E. 17th Avenue, Suite 1100 Denver, CO 80203
Attention: HCBS Waiver Amendments 
Fax: 303-866-2786 Attention: HCBS Waiver Amendments
Phone: 303-866-3684    

Background Information:  

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) invites the public to comment on proposed amendments for six 1915(c) Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) waivers: Persons with Brain Injury (BI), Children with Life-Limiting Illness (CLLI), Children’s Home and Community-Based Services (CHCBS), Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS), Complementary and Integrative Health Services (CIH), and Elderly, Blind, and Disabled (EBD). HCPF also invites the public to comment on the proposed renewals of four waivers: Children’s Extensive Supports (CES), Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP), Developmental Disabilities (DD) and Supported Living Services (SLS).  

HCPF intends to submit the amendments and renewals to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on March 8, 2024. HCPF will request an effective date of July 1, 2024, for the amendments and renewals.  The proposed waiver amendments and renewals give HCPF the ability to include the following changes:

  • Remote Supports Updates (BI, CIH, CMHS, DD, EBD, SLS)
  • Supported Employment Language Update (DD, SLS)  
  • Organized Health Care Delivery System (OHCDS) Update (BI, CES, DD, SLS, CHCBS, CIH, CMHS, EBD)  
  • Case Management Agency (CMA) Rural Exception and Case Management Redesign Updates (CHCBS)
  • Remove Hospice from Electronic Visit Verification Requirement (All waivers)  
  • Cost Containment (EBD, BI, CMHS, CIH, CLLI, SLS)
  • Rate Methodology Update for Minimum Wage Increases (All waivers)  
  • Non-Medical Transport Definitions (DD, SLS)
  • Final Rule Settings (CES, CHRP, DD, SLS)  
  • CMA Contracted Entity Language Update (All waivers)
  • Remove Outdated Practices (All waivers)  
  • Update Provision of Financial Management Services and Types of Entities (EBD, BI, CMHS, CIH, SLS)  
  • Update Pre-Vocational Service Language (DD, SLS)  
  • Update Cost Neutrality Demonstration (All waivers)  
  • Update to Ombudsman Language (All waivers)
  • Update to Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) Language (CIH)  
  • Miscellaneous Corrections (CES, CHRP, DD, SLS)

The draft waiver amendments and renewals are available online for public comment starting February 1, 2024, through March 1, 2024, allowing all HCBS consumers and service providers an opportunity to provide input.  All comments will be reviewed and taken into consideration by HCPF. HCPF will create a Listening Log to record the comments and the HCPF’s responses. This Listening Log will be posted to the HCPF website after the public comment period ends.

If you would like to request information be mailed to you, including the full draft waiver, please email HCPF_LTSS.PublicComment@state.co.us, fax 303-866-2786 Attention: HCBS Waiver Amendments or Renewals, or call 303-866-3684. 

To view archived HCBS Public Comment documents released for review prior to 2024, contact LTSS.PublicComment@state.co.us to make your request.