Frequently Asked Questions

Safety Net Connect (SNC) is making another State-approved eConsult platform to be available following the end of the Colorado Medicaid eConsult Platform on August 31, 2026.

We will share additional information over the coming weeks, including what providers can expect to access the new platform. Updates will be communicated through provider and practice emails and posted to this website as they become available. To receive future updates, please complete the Get In Touch form at the bottom of this page to join our email distribution list.

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, the provider who receives the eConsult from the PCMP, reviews the case, and responds with recommendations or guidance. This provider offers expertise to support the PCMP/treating practitioner/referring provider in managing the members’ 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.

Referring providers may be able to view information about a specialist (reviewer) prior to selecting them, depending on what the specialist has included in their profile. This could include their title, photo, and any other information they’ve chosen to share, such as a resume 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.

Yes, if your selected specialty is available for a pediatric member it will be displayed in the system. The system will not identify whether the Member is adult or pediatric. As certain pediatric specialties have specific age cutoffs, the referring provider will need to identify whether adult or pediatric care is most appropriate.

Referring providers will be presented with the option to select a specialty type of either adult or pediatrics. When selected, the platform will display a list of available adult and pediatric specialties.

Adult Specialties (20)

Pediatric Specialties (15)

*OB/GYN specialists can address eConsults for patients aged 14 and older.

The eConsult platform is designed specifically for referring providers seeking clinical guidance on non-urgent medical care, including medication management for behavioral health conditions, rather than on clinical interventions. The focus of the eConsult platform is on treatment consultation for prescribers (referring providers), not on therapeutic approaches.

Referring providers should outreach to their RAE and utilize existing resources and workflows to refer members to behavioral health providers when necessary.

The eConsult platform enables referring providers to submit eConsults to psychiatrists and addiction medicine specialists for medication management.

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 can select their preferred specialist (reviewer) if the reviewer has not reached their agreed upon capacity for pending eConsults.

If a specialist (reviewer) is at capacity, the eConsult will be sent to the next available reviewer.

If the specialist (reviewer) has responded to the eConsult and has not closed it, a referring provider can ask a follow-up question regarding the same case and continue the dialog. If the reviewer has closed the eConsult, a follow-up question is not possible. However, the referring provider can resubmit the eConsult with a follow-up question for the reviewer if they are seeking further clarification of the clinical guidance received.

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.

It is unlikely that a member requiring a referral for a face-to-face visit will be seen by the same specialist who conducted the eConsult. Referring providers can include the eConsult summary to a specialist as part of the referral package, communicating that another specialist’s treatment guidance included a face-to-face specialty care visit. We will share program updates as the program evolves, and more Colorado-based specialists participate.

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.

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.

FQHCs and RHCs receive reimbursement for member encounters as part of their PPS (Prospective Payment System) rates.

eConsult visits between referring providers and specialty providers do not meet the definition of an FQHC or RHC visit as defined in CCR 8.700. Costs associated with services provided through eConsult visits through an FQHC/RHC are considered allowable costs for the cost report and will be included in the calculation of the reimbursement rate for a patient visit at an FQHC/RHC.

Billing documentation requirements for CPT 99452 include a time-based component. Time spent and captured in the estimated time documentation includes preparation of consult, review of guidance, and communication with the member regarding next steps in care.

The eConsult platform includes an optional billing tracking tool where referring providers can document the estimated time spent on each eConsult. This information becomes part of the Print Office Copy of the eConsult and the billing report that can be accessed by the Organization Administrator within the organization.

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 may submit a support ticket through the Support Center within the platform, or they may submit a support ticket by email to coloradosupport@safetynetconnect.com to receive technical support.