Colorado Association for Music Therapy (CAMT)

State Task Force

Colorado State Task Force

2021 Title Protection Bill Action Points

1) Earn CMTEs and learn how to schedule a meeting with your legislators

2) List your meeting information to get support from the task force (and kudos!)

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) is now seeking public comment on the already approved HCPF language that makes tele-health a permanent service delivery option for people receiving HCBS (home and community based services) through the various Medicaid waivers. This includes the CES, SLS, CLLI, and CHRP waivers - all of which include music therapy as a service option.)
Last Fall, HCPF sought feedback from stakeholders regarding the need for continuing tele-health services as a permanent option for consumers. There were numerous webinars and opportunities to voice our position and advocate. Your Colorado Music Therapy Legislative Task Force worked diligently to advocate for the continued need for tele-health as a permanent option for our consumers.

The task force, along with many of you, submitted numerous letters, calls and emails advocating for the continued need and legitimacy of providing services through tele-health during the pandemic, and beyond. We are happy to report that our advocacy efforts paid off and we were successful! HCPF heard loud and clear that music therapy is a vital medicaid waiver service, valued by our clients. We advocated that tele-health is a necessary and needed service delivery option that should be made permanent. We were successful in educating our HCPF colleagues that music therapy can meet our clients needs and goals through tele-health. HCPF approved tele-health as a permanent option for HCBS services.

Currently, HCPF is announcing the amended language changes that they approved last Fall. HCPF must make the amended language public (available for public comment) before providing their recommendations to The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS.)

In addition, last Fall your Colorado Legislative Task Force fought for and won pay-parity for tele-health sessions. Some of you may know that the Master’s level reimbursement rate for the medicaid waiver programs was going to potentially be cut. Again, CO MT-BCs led by your task force, responded with numerous emails, and letters from business owners and clinicians. We strongly advocated for pay parity, and justified to HCPF that our costs were the same or greater through tele-health. Again, members of the task force kept up with the discussion, voiced our position and justification for pay-parity in HCPF meetings seeking public comment. We were successful! Not all therapy providers were as successful. Due to our quick responses and grass-root efforts we secured pay-parity for the Master level rate for music therapy provided through the medicaid waivers.

Thank you to everyone who advocated, and continues to advocate for our profession, and recognition of our credential in Colorado.

Please reach out to your Colorado Music Therapy Legislative Task Force Chair Amanda Brigham with any questions, or for information on how you can help us advocate for our upcoming Title Protection bill this Spring.

In 2008, the Colorado State Task Force was established. It consists of dedicated music therapists who work closely with the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT) and the American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) to increase state recognition of the MT-BC credential.

The task force meets with legislators and state agencies to increase music therapy recognition, which will increase both funding for music therapy and access to services for Coloradans. Furthermore, the state task force partners with CAMT to establish a grassroots effort and rally Colorado music therapists together.

News

Currently the task force is in the process of meeting with the State Department of Education to address music therapy access issues for students in the public school system.

Redesign for music therapy under Colorado Medicaid Waivers has been postponed because other waivers will be expiring sooner. We have no update on when they will be revised. The new name for Colorado Medicaid is Colorado Health First.

Find out more on our news blog.