Are you having problems getting Medicaid or CHP+?
Become an advocate for your family! In September 2004, Colorado changed to a new computer system for public benefits. If you applied for Medicaid or CHP+ and have not heard about your benefits, it may be because of this new system. Here are some things you can do to help your application. 1. Make sure that your application is complete. Talk to your eligibility technician (the person who is processing your application at the county, Denver Health, or CHP+) to make sure that you filled out your application right and sent in the necessary documentation. 2. Wait 45 days. Counties, Denver Health, and CHP+ have 45 days to process a complete application. If you haven’t heard about your application within 45 days, 3. Call your eligibility technician to check on the status of your application. If your eligibility technician can’t help you or does not return your calls, 4. Call the State’s CBMS Emergency Hotline at 1-800-536-5298. If your case qualifies as an emergency, the State should process your application in 5 business days. If the Emergency Hotline can’t help you or does not call you back in 5 business days, 5. Call the Colorado Center on Law and Policy’s CBMS Issues Line at 303-573-5669 x308 or 1-866-480-2267 to report the problem. CCLP may be able to help you get your benefits if the State’s CBMS Emergency Hotline has not helped you within 5 business days. AND 6. Call your elected officials. It is very important that you tell your elected officials what is happening to you. This includes State Senators, State Representatives, County Commissioners, and the Governor. You can find out how to contact your elected officials in the blue pages of the phone book. You can also call your county’s administrative offices to find out how to contact your County Commissioners (also in the blue pages of the phone book). Online, go to www.vote-smart.org to look up your State Senators and Representatives by your zip code. You can go to your county’s website to look up your County Commissioners. You can contact Governor Bill Owens at 303-866-2471 or 136 State Capitol, Denver, CO 80203-1792. Important notes to remember Keep trying and don’t get discouraged. Many families give up because their eligibility technician does not help them. Remember, the squeaky wheel gets fixed! If you do not know who your eligibility technician is, you can find out by going back to the place where you applied for Medicaid or CHP+. If you applied at your county, call or visit your county to find out who is working on your case. If you sent an application directly to CHP+, call 1-800-359-1991. If you got help with your application from a health center, school, health department, or other agency, ask them for help to find your eligibility technician. It may take time for your application to get processed. The new system made thousands of applications slow. You may have to wait for your eligibility technician to get to your case. If it takes more than 45 days, go through the steps above. Document all of the calls that you make on your application. It is very helpful to have all of your actions documented, because it helps make your concerns more serious. Your elected officials are here to help you. Your taxes pay for their salaries. Don’t be afraid to ask for their help!