The Colorado Benefits Management System (CBMS) is Colorado’s statewide database system through which eligibility is determined for medical, food, cash and other assistance programs. In concert with the Program Eligibility & Application Kit (PEAK), where Coloradans screen and apply for assistance online, more than two million individual cases have been worked through CBMS, signifying the vast impact of the system in the state of Colorado.
Colorado Benefits Management System (CBMS)
The statewide database system through which all food, cash and medical assistance applications and eligibility determinations are processed.
Program Eligibility & Application Kit (PEAK)
The online service for all Coloradans to screen and apply for medical, food and cash assistance programs. The fast and easy way to access benefit information - anytime and anywhere.
Each month, the system helps provide Coloradans with more than $60 million monthly in benefits and allows approximately 4,800 end users from the Department of Human Services, Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, county departments of human services, Connect for Health Colorado, medical assistance sites, and presumptive eligibility sites to enter or view data.
CBMS was originally developed by Electronic Data Systems and is now developed and managed by the state of Colorado in conjunction with Deloitte.
Colorado PEAK®
When Coloradans explore important benefit programs for which they might be eligible—whether it’s food, cash, medical, child care, or other assistance—they can either head to their local county office or use PEAK, the online self-service portal. Launched in 2011, PEAK has grown from an alternative application method to an ever-expanding ecosystem of resources that help deliver a better customer experience and bring cost savings to the state through new efficiencies and emerging technologies such as Chatbots.
Approximately 192,000 of those customers access their PEAK account within a given month to apply for new benefits, update their information, make payments, and more. Maintaining a system that adapts to their needs, is available 24/7, and provides extensive customer service ensures that thousands of our fellow neighbors continue to receive the support they need.
Since its launch, PEAK continues to evolve to meet customer needs and the team behind it is always searching for the next evolution. In 2014, the PEAKHealth® app launched to offer a simple way to manage medical assistance benefits, and in 2018, the MyCOBenefits app launched to help Coloradans securely manage food and cash assistance benefits.
One of the most exciting developments in PEAK’s brief history, PEAK Chatbot, was introduced in August 2019. Instead of waiting for a call center agent or needing to find time during normal business hours, when most are working, the Chatbot allows customers to get the answers they need, when they need them. Compared with the previous year’s average, Chatbot helped serve 335% more customers. And just as exciting, the Chatbot continues to learn and improve through each conversation.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the assistance programs for which Coloradans can apply through PEAK:
- Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP)
- Colorado Child Care Assistance Program (CCCAP)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Health First Colorado (Colorado Medicaid)
- RTD LiVE
Key Milestones
September 2004: The Colorado Benefits Management System (CBMS) launches.
October 2009: The first PEAK (Program Eligibility Application Kit) modules are added.
May 2011: PEAK becomes the online service for Coloradans to screen and apply for medical, food, and cash assistance programs.
June 2012: CBMS submits its first HB12-1339 report to the Joint Budget Committee (JBC). Every quarter, reporting improved as processes were refined and details were captured. The focus was on the 93 priorities identified in the original request.
September 2013: CBMS experiences its most significant build with the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT), Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), and the Department of Human Services (CDHS), with contractors, implement the ACA and requirements for Connect For Health Colorado, including real-time eligibility technology.
November 2013: Colorado's first open enrollment period commences.
June 2014: All CBMS sub-projects needed to meet the 93 priorities presented to the JBC in 2012 are completed.
November 2014: CBMS/PEAK institutes a shared eligibility system with Connect for Health Colorado to provide a dynamic application for end-users.
December 2014: The PEAKHealth app launches, offering Coloradans a simple and secure way to manage medical assistance benefits.
March 2015: Phase II of the shared eligibility system enhancements is completed. Six additional Race to the Top universal application functions and early childhood-focused programs are added to PEAK.
June 2015: The PEAK website is redesigned as part of Phase III of the shared eligibility system enhancements.
December 2016: A three-year approval is granted for CBMS to connect with the Federal Data Services Hub.
January 2017: Planning begins on CBMS Transformation, a modernization project aimed at improving the state’s ability to efficiently process and deliver benefits to Coloradans.
June 2018: CDHS launches the MyCOBenefits app, offering Coloradans the ability to securely manage food and cash assistance benefits via mobile devices.
September 2018: As part of Transformation, CBMS is the first integrated eligibility and enrollment system in the nation to move from state data centers to Amazon Web Services.
August 2019: The final major phase of the Transformation project is completed when the remaining 470 screens within CBMS are moved onto the Salesforce platform. In addition, a chatbot feature is added to PEAK that helps Coloradans find the answers they need and reduces the workload for CBMS end users.