Colorado Medicaid Billing

Colorado Health First Colorado Behavioral Health Billing: Manuals, Codes and Payers

Colorado Medicaid is called Health First Colorado. Behavioral health is paid through Regional Accountable Entities, and the state publishes billing manuals for standard behavioral health services. This page lists the manuals and the payers. Checked against state sources on 9/30/26.

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In this guide

  • ✓ HCPF billing manuals and fee schedules
  • ✓ The four Regional Accountable Entities
  • ✓ Behavioral health administrative service organizations
  • ✓ The 2025 Phase III change
Colorado medicaid billing: Michael Williams, founder of MCM South, with a team member at a laptop
At a glance

Colorado Medicaid Billing at a glance

This page covers colorado medicaid billing for behavioral health claims: where the state provider manuals and code lists live, and which HCPCS codes apply to psychotherapists and psychiatrists. Rules vary by state and by payer, so confirm current requirements with the state Medicaid agency before you bill.

Use this Colorado Medicaid Billing guide as a starting point. Colorado Medicaid Billing rules differ by plan, so check whether a claim goes to the state fee-for-service program or to a managed care plan. Keep a copy of the current Colorado Medicaid Billing manual your practice follows, and review your Colorado Medicaid Billing process whenever the state issues an update.

Overview

Colorado Medicaid at a glance

The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) runs Health First Colorado. Members are attributed to one of four Regional Accountable Entities (RAEs) under the Accountable Care Collaborative Phase III, which started 7/1/2025. Behavioral health administrative service organizations (BHASOs) serve people outside Medicaid coverage.
Psychotherapists and psychiatrists both bill these programs. Prescribers add evaluation and management (E/M) codes on top of the codes listed here. Read the payer's own manual too, because plan rules can be stricter than the state's.
Manuals

State manuals and fee schedules

Colorado manuals
DocumentWhat it covers
Colorado HCPFThe state Medicaid agency.
HCPF billing manualsIndex of all billing manuals.
Standard Behavioral Health Services (SBHS) billing manualThe behavioral health billing manual; HCPF lists an August 2026 edition.
Provider rates and fee scheduleCurrent rates.
Accountable Care Collaborative Phase IIIThe RAE program and region map.
Payers

Managed care plans and payer sites

Under Phase III there are four RAEs, one per region. Older pages that list seven regions are out of date.

Colorado payer sites
PayerProvider site
Region 1: Rocky Mountain Health Plansrmhp.org
Region 2: Northeast Health PartnersProvider site
Region 3: Colorado Community Health AllianceProvider site
Region 4: Colorado AccessProviders
Behavioral health administrative service organizations (Behavioral Health Administration)BHA BHASO page

The BHASO for Region 1 is Rocky Mountain Health Plans and for Regions 2 to 4 is Signal Behavioral Health Network, per the Behavioral Health Administration.

Time-sensitive

What is changing

  • Accountable Care Collaborative Phase III started 7/1/2025 with four RAEs. The map is a known moving target, so reconfirm it.
  • The BHASO system launched 7/1/2025.

Current as of 9/30/2026. Reconfirm before you bill.

Common questions

Colorado Medicaid billing: frequently asked questions

What is a Regional Accountable Entity?

A RAE is the organization that coordinates care and pays for behavioral health for Health First Colorado members in its region. Colorado has four under Phase III.

Where is Colorado's behavioral health billing manual?

HCPF publishes the Standard Behavioral Health Services billing manual. Start from its billing manuals index.

Which Colorado regions are there now?

Four, starting 7/1/2025: Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Northeast Health Partners, Colorado Community Health Alliance and Colorado Access.

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