After notifying behavioral health providers that they must return previously received payments, Colorado's state Medicaid administrator reversed course Dec. 1, citing a technological error for the notice.
Counselors in eight Colorado counties received notices in November from Colorado Community Health Alliance saying that they owed thousands of dollars back to the state, prompting some providers to stop taking Medicaid patients because of the conflict, according to The Colorado Sun.
However, the Anthem subsidiary issued the notices because claims from previous years were missing a provider identification number. Colorado Community Health Alliance told the Sun that it is now attempting to obtain missing information without resubmitting relevant claims.
Despite the reversal, some providers are continuing to deny Medicaid patients. Carla D’Agostino-Vigil, one of the few counselors in Colorado to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder who accepted Medicaid, told the Sun the error compounded with claim disputes and rate cuts resulted in her not accepting future Medicaid patients.
For providers who already issued refunds, their payments will be returned, according to the Sun.