Alpine Homecare Blog

Activ8 Health has replaced LLH under MSA - No changes to services

8/26/2026

As of July 1, 2026 Activ8 Health has officially replaced LLH under the Master Services Agreement to provide certain Health Management Services to Alpine. With this assignment, there is no change to any commercial terms, offered services, rights or obligations other than the substitution of LLH as provider by Activ8 Health.

Please find the updated Member Packet (English & Spanish), as well as FAQs attached below. Additional info about the program can be found here:

https://www.alpinehomecare.com/supplemental-insurance-by-activ8health.html

If you have further questions, feel free to contact the Active8 Health support team at (888) 308-8085 or email [email protected].

activ8_memberpacket_4tier_05.2026.pdf
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activ8_health_member_packet_4tier_spanish_8.1.24.pdf
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activ8_health_member_packet_faq.pdf
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Exemption Process for Caregivers exceeding the weekly cap limit

8/18/2026

Background:
On 7/1/2026 weekly caregiver soft caps were introduced in Colorado as follows:
Caregiver Weekly Hours Soft Cap: Starting 7/1/2026, caregivers are limited to a maximum of 84 hours per week per Medicaid member. This cap reduces to 70 hours per week on 1/1/2027 and to 56 hours per week per Medicaid member on 7/1/2027. There is an exemption process for caregivers whose client requires more hours due to special circumstances. The exception process has to be initiated by the client's provider agency, reviewed / confirmed by the case manager and approved by HCPF.

Exception Process:
There are only Four Allowable Exception Categories:
1) Extraordinary Clinical Acuity: The member has a highly complex diagnosis or intense medical fragility. Requirement: There must be a documented health or safety risk to the member that cannot be reasonably reduced by alternative measures (like using Personal Protective Equipment).
2) Workforce Access Barriers: The member lives in a designated rural or frontier location where there are no local caregivers, or requires specialized skills/languages that are hard to find. Requirement: The provider must show documented proof of failed recruitment attempts to hire additional staff.
3) Transitional or Stabilization Periods: The member is navigating a short-term crisis or major life change. Requirement: This applies to recent hospital discharges, post-crisis stabilization windows, or active recruiting windows right after suddenly losing an established caregiver.
4) End-of-Life Circumstances: The member is nearing the end of life. Requirement: Documentation must show that maintaining continuity with their primary, long-term caregiver is clinically appropriate for palliative or hospice-level care.

Core Requirements for a Successful Submission:
Even if you meet one of the categories above, general statements about staffing shortages are not enough. The state requires provider agencies to submit a thorough packet that proves the following:
Risk of Splitting Care: Clear proof detailing the exact clinical, behavioral, or safety risks the member would face if their care was split among multiple different caregivers.
Exhausted Alternatives: A log of what other options were considered and exactly why they failed or didn't work.
Compliance Plan: A detailed, time-limited plan outlining how the agency or employer intends to eventually find additional caregivers and come back into compliance with the standard limit.
Backup Staffing Plan: An active emergency preparedness and backup staffing strategy that has already been utilized before asking for the exception.

Timeline: Once the provider agency officially submits the request, a final determination typically takes 14 to 21 calendar days.
Step 1: Case Management Agency Review (Up to 7 Days) — HCPF instantly forwards the submitted request to your case manager. The CMA must review the details and submit a formal attestation back to the state within 7 calendar days.
Step 2: State Evaluation (Up to 14 Days) — Once the case manager's attestation is in, HCPF begins its review. The state has 14 calendar days to issue an approval, partial approval, or denial.
Potential Extension: Request for Information (Adds 7–14 Days) — If the state finds that the submission is missing medical logs or proof of failed hiring attempts, they will issue a Request for Information (RFI). The provider agency has then 7 days to submit the missing paperwork, and HCPF will take up to another 7 days to issue a final verdict.

What happens while the approval is pending?
Clients do not need to worry about losing care during this review window. The state operates under a safe harbor rule, meaning that the caregiver can legally continue working and billing for hours above the cap while the exception request is sitting in "pending" status. Care will not be disrupted while waiting for the final determination.

Exemption Process for Clients Exceeding the Annual Service Cap Limits:

8/18/2026

Background:
Effective April 1, 2026 soft caps on home care services were introduced in Colorado, limiting the amount of Personal Care, Homemaker, and Health Maintenance Activities (HMA) services that a Medicaid client can receive annually. These caps were designed to help manage Medicaid spending. The specific limits are:
Health Maintenance Activities (HMA): Up to 19,000 units per year (about 13 hours per day), Personal Care: Up to 10,000 units per year (about 6.8 hours per day) and Homemaker: Up to 4,500 units per year (about 3 hours per day)

Exception Process: High-acuity Medicaid members whose documented medical needs surpass the annual soft caps for Personal Care, Homemaker, or Health Maintenance Activities (HMA) can have their assigned case manager request an exception from the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF).

Specifically, individuals enrolled in Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) who demonstrate a clinical need exceeding standard annual limits (such as 10,000 units for Personal Care or 19,000 units for HMA) or clients with a documented need, i.e. members requiring extra support due to complex medical conditions, specialized care requirements, or intense daily functional dependencies.

How the Exception Process Works: Initiated by Case Management! The member or their representative cannot apply directly; instead, they must work through their designated case manager (from their local Case Management Agency, e.g. RMHS or Developmental Pathways). Review and Submission: The case manager reviews the client's medical necessity, assesses the Prior Authorization Request (PAR), and submits the formal request for additional service units up the chain to state authorities. Timeline: The process is expected to take 30-60 days from submission to determination.

Alpine announces Employee of the Month Winners for July 2026!

8/12/2026

For outstanding service to our clients, Alpine Homecare is pleased to announce the following Employee of the Month winners for July 2026!