Frequently Asked Questions

The Colorado Medicaid eConsult Platform ended on August 31, 2026. HCPF will continue to reimburse for eConsults submitted through department-approved platforms. See the HCPF Telemedicine Billing Manual for more information https://hcpf.colorado.gov/telemedicine-manual#econsults.

For questions related to the former Colorado Medicaid eConsult platform, including support related to prior eConsult activity, please contact HCPF at hcpf_econsult@state.co.us.

Safety Net Connect (SNC) launched a new eConsult platform for Colorado Medicaid providers on September 14, 2026.

Please complete the Get In Touch form at the bottom of this page if you would like additional information and would like to participate.

eConsults allow referring providers to communicate asynchronously (store and forward) with a specialist (reviewer). The eConsult platform will facilitate the exchange of non-urgent medical guidance to determine the optimal treatment for members.

Referring providers will send an electronic medical question to a specialist (reviewer) for review. The reviewer assists the treating practitioner with diagnosis and management of the member’s health care needs or refers the member for a face-to-face visit when appropriate.

Yes, sufficient Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) security controls, privacy settings and business agreements have been built into the platform.

Yes, PCMP, Treating Practitioner, and Referring Provider are used interchangeably. These terms all refer to the provider who initiates the eConsult for specialist review. This provider is responsible for the members’ ongoing care and for incorporating the specialist’s recommendations into the treatment plan.

Yes, Specialist, Consulting Provider/Practitioner, and Reviewer all refer to the same role. This is the provider who receives and reviews an eConsult from the Referring Provider and provides recommendations or clinical guidance to support the treating provider in managing the patient’s care.

As part of the onboarding process, SNC offers different types of training sessions that include the following:

• Live interactive web-based training sessions
• On demand video training sessions
• Written user guides for all user roles

Yes, training is essential and will be required for all participating users.

Live refresher training sessions will be available from SNC upon request. Self-paced training videos and User Guides are also accessible within the User Guides and Info Section within the eConsult platform at any time for enrolled users.

No, eConsults are permissible only between health care providers and cannot be initiated directly by members.

eConsult provides access to a panel of Specialists, termed Reviewers, to address health inquiries that may not be available locally or where there are barriers to specialty access for members. Reviewers respond to eConsults within three business days.

Yes. Referring Providers may be able to view profile information for a Specialist who responds to an eConsult. The information available will depend on what the Specialist has chosen to include in their profile and may include details such as their title, photo, professional background, or CV.

No, eConsults are not required. eConsult may be incorporated into the healthcare organization’s workflow as the standard first step to a referral for routine, non-urgent outpatient requests.

If a member’s need is urgent or the referring provider feels the member’s need can only be resolved with a face-to-face (F2F) specialty visit, referring providers always have the option to use their established referral pathways to initiate an in-person specialty visit.

Pediatric specialties may be available depending on the eConsult program and participating specialist network. Specialty availability may vary based on the specialists in the network.

Specialty availability varies by eConsult program and specialist participation. Referring Providers should refer to their eConsult platform for the specialties available to them.

Yes, Safety Net Connect (SNC) can explore Single-Sign On capabilities between your EHR and the eConsult platform.

The platform is designed to integrate within capable EHRs, providing a direct link to access eConsults. The platform also supports the acceptance of inbound Single-Sign-On (SSO) requests from systems.

• SSO allows users to access multiple applications with one set of credentials
• The credentials are typically a username and password
• SSO streamlines the login process by connecting access services without having to re-enter credentials each time

Yes, any provider can participate in eConsult as a referring provider. Referring providers will send and receive eConsults using the web-based eConsult platform. After the eConsult is complete, the summary may be printed to include in the member’s paper chart.

Referring Providers select the appropriate specialty when submitting an eConsult. The eConsult is then routed to an available Specialist (Reviewer) within that specialty for review and response.

Yes. If additional clarification is needed after the eConsult has been closed, the Referring Provider can resubmit the eConsult with a follow-up question related to the same eConsult.

If a Specialist requests additional information before providing a response, the eConsult may remain open while the requested information is provided.

Referring providers should include any clinically relevant information from the member’s record that assists the reviewer in addressing the clinical question. This documentation may include medical history, lab or test results, and images.

Referring providers cannot fax directly to the eConsult platform, however, if a fax is saved as a .pdf, it can be uploaded to the platform as supporting documentation to accompany the eConsult when it is sent to the specialist (reviewer).

Staff users, such as MAs, RNs, or referral coordinators, can support providers in the eConsult process in two ways, designated by their organization’s administrator.

Staff Draft Only: Staff with this user role can initiate eConsults and add supporting documentation based on direction given by a provider. The Referring Provider will ask the clinical question, submit the eConsult, review and sign-off on the specialist’s (Reviewer’s) guidance and recommendation.

Staff Submitter: Staff with this user role can draft eConsults and submit them based on direction given by a provider. The Referring Provider will review and sign-off on the specialist’s (Reviewer’s) guidance and recommendation.

A “Print Office Copy” of the eConsult summary is available for download as a .pdf in the eConsult Detail section of the platform. This document can be printed or uploaded into the member’s record in the referring provider’s EHR. If there is data integration with your EHR, the summary can be electronically sent.

While eConsults demonstrate a significant percentage of resolution that averts the need for a face-to-face specialist visit, the member’s need (while not urgent/emergent) may still require a specialty appointment. The referral request will be submitted according to the referring provider organization’s standard referral process.

The Specialist’s role is to review the eConsult and provide clinical guidance to the Referring Provider. The Specialist who responds to the eConsult may not be the provider who sees the patient if an in-person specialty visit is needed. If an in-person visit is recommended, the Referring Provider should follow their usual referral process and may include the eConsult summary to provide relevant clinical guidance and context.

Prior authorizations and referrals will continue to follow the referring provider’s standard referral process for members.

The referring provider makes the final treatment decision and has the right to request a second opinion. The referring provider does not have any increased liability for using eConsults as they may also refer the member for a face-to-face visit if the reviewer’s eConsult advice cannot address the member’s needs.

Specialists (reviewers) do not have increased liability when participating in eConsults as they are not providing direct patient care.

Yes, an Organizational Administrator (Org Admin) can reassign an eConsult to another referring provider within the same organization, ensuring patient care is not stalled.

Patient eligibility may vary by eConsult program and participating payer. Referring Providers should follow the eligibility requirements established for the eConsult program in which the Referring Provider participates.

No. Health First Colorado does not require providers to use a specific eConsult platform for reimbursement. Providers should refer to the HCPF Telemedicine and eConsult Billing Manual for requirements related to eConsult reimbursement and approved platforms.

Yes. Providers may use multiple eConsult platforms based on their organization’s needs, patient populations, available specialties, and payer requirements. Specialty availability and other services may vary by platform.

Organizations with multiple practice sites may choose which locations they would like to enroll in an eConsult program.

Yes. Billing and reimbursement for eConsult services may differ for FQHCs and RHCs based on their reimbursement structure and payer requirements. FQHCs and RHCs should refer to the applicable payer’s current billing guidance to determine whether eConsult services and related CPT codes are separately reimbursable.

Yes, an Organizational Administrator (Org Admin) within a practice will have access to a variety of standard reports for utilization and billing purposes in the eConsult platform.

Users can request technical assistance through the Support Center available within their eConsult platform.