Our History

CKF Started

Colorado Community Health Network (CCHN), receives a grant through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Covering Kids and Families initiative to start the Colorado Covering Kids and Families (CKF) project in partnership with Colorado Children’s Campaign and Catholic Charities.

CKF Coalition Built

CKF builds a coalition of 200 community-based organizations, agencies, and individuals. The coalition influences policy to improve public health care programs and eliminate barriers for children and families.

CKF Receives Local Support

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ends their Covering Kids and Families initiative, however the CKF project remains at CCHN with continued support from local foundations.

CKF Proposed Solutions to Reduce Barriers

CKF works to ensure that the citizenship and identity requirements introduced by the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA), do not create unnecessary barriers to eligible families. Electronic identity checks, one solution which CKF advocates for, is implemented in 2011.

CKF Advocates for the Children’s Health Insurance Program

CKF joins the SCHIP Reauthorization Coalition. President Obama signs the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA), extending CHIP through September 2013.

CKF Publishes First Maze Report and Quarterly Enrollment Analysis

CKF publishes The Maze and our first Quarterly Enrollment Analysis.

CKF Influences the Creation of the PEAK Application

CKF participates in the PEAK Steering Committee to provide feedback on the new electronic application which launches in 2011.

CKF Influences Colorado’s Implementation of the ACA

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) is signed into law on March 23, 2010. The law extends CHIP until September 2015, creates insurance exchanges, offers states the option to expand Medicaid, and extends many consumer protections. CKF attends state-level stakeholder discussions to ensure that implementation does not create new barriers to coverage.

CKF Supports Assisters and Monitors Implementation

Several pieces of state legislation remove barriers to coverage. CKF educates assisters about the changes and monitors implementation.

• Removal of the Medicaid and CHP+ eligibility stairstep
• Enhanced coverage for pregnant women with Medicaid
• Removal of bar for state employees to enroll in CHP+
• Removal of 3-month waiting period for CHP+

CKF Trains Assisters

CKF staff work with the PEAK Outreach Initiative and HCPF to design and provide ACA trainings to community-based assisters across Colorado.

CKF Monitors 12-Month Continuous Eligibility

After 12-month continuous eligibility for children with Medicaid and CHP+ was passed in the state legislature, CKF works with HCPF to monitor implementation.

CKF Expands Mission

After Colorado expands Medicaid to adults without dependent children and launches a health insurance marketplace, CKF expands our focus to include adults and marketplace programs. CKF’s coalition membership increases to 400+ community-based organizations, agencies, and individuals.

CKF Advocates for System Fixes

CKF works with HCPF to understand and address CHP+ caseload fluctuations, ultimately resulting is a system change which keeps more eligible kids enrolled in CHP+.

CKF Advocates for the Children’s Health Insurance Program

With All Kids Covered, CKF advocates for CHIP reauthorization. In May, CHIP is reauthorized until September 2017 through MACRA.

CKF Advocates for System Fixes

The removal of the five-year bar to enroll in Medicaid or CHP+ for lawfully present children and pregnant women is implemented in June. CKF coalition members identify a system error, and staff advocate for a fix that is implemented in 2016.

CKF Advocates for Coloradans with Seasonal Income

CKF advocates for solutions to reduce churn for people with seasonal income, including annualized income methodology. HCPF implements the annualized income methodology in 2016.

CKF Supports Outreach to Community Corrections

After HCPF makes Medicaid available for people in community corrections, CKF convenes several meetings to discuss outreach to people in community corrections facilities.

CKF Hosts Building Better Health

CKF takes over the administration for the Building Better Health Conference through a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation. The 2017 conference is held on September 25 and 26.

CKF Advocates for the Children’s Health Insurance Program

CKF works with All Kids Covered to ensure that Colorado’s congressional delegation understands the value of reauthorizing CHIP for Colorado’s kids and pregnant women. Funding for CHIP through 2027 is passed in February 2018.

CKF Publishes Annual Report and Launches New Logo

CKF publishes its first annual report, and launches a new logo.

CKF Hosts Building Better Health

CKF organizes and convenes the the 2018 Building Better Health conference on October 15 and 16.