The sole option for the cardiac health of your firefighters.

In 2014, Governor Hickenlooper signed a bill that created CRS 29-5-302, which requires that fire agencies provide firefighters with coverage for heart and circulatory malfunctions. The Colorado Firefighter Benefits Trust’s Heart Program enables Colorado’s fire departments to meet this requirement and safeguard their firefighters from the human and financial burdens created by cardiac incidents.

Fast Facts

• The Trust is the only program that goes beyond the requirements of CRS 29-5-302
• We provide financial certainty to thousands of the state’s full-time fire service professionals
• State funding in partnership with DOLA allows the Trust to provide this coverage at no cost to members
• Coverage for volunteer and part-time firefighters is also available, with state funding now available with DOLA while funding lasts*
• Our coverage offsets out of pocket costs during a health crisis
• We provide access to low-cost health screenings so that your firefighters can stay on top of their own health
• Trust benefits kick in before vacation or sick time are used
• We use more inclusive definition of stressful or strenuous work event 
• Benefit levels are based on diagnosis, with 100% of the eligible award granted at diagnosis with additional biweekly payments (less offsets)
• We process payments within ten days of receipt of all completed required forms
• Liability defense provision helps with challenges based on differing interpretations of the law
• We pay out the limit less offsets, while competitors cease payments upon return to work

*As a result of HB24-1219, coverage is mandatory for full-time, part-time, and volunteer firefighters.

Eligibility

In order for an employee to qualify for benefits, the following conditions must be met:

• The employee must be listed on the roster submitted to the Trust
• The department must have paid its coverage contribution
• Current full-time employees must have five (5) or more years of continuous fire service with any employer(s) in any of these roles:
  • Firefighters (including career, part-time, and volunteers)
  • Chiefs, captains, and training staff
  • Support staff (administration, outreach personnel, mechanics, etc.)
• Current part-time employees and volunteers must have five (5) or more years of continuous fire service with the current employer.

Restrictions and details apply. Contact us for additional information.

Benefits

The financial, physical, and mental stresses brought on by a cardiac incident can be tremendous. These issues can compound one another, and make things significantly worse. The Colorado Firefighter Trust’s Heart Program alleviates some of the financial strains on a firefighter’s family during that time. Depending on the severity, this can mean payments of thousands of dollars over a predetermined period for qualifying job-related cardiac incidents. The benefits don’t stop there. We offer additional coverage to help pay for heart screenings not covered by health insurance. Discovering heart conditions before they become an issue is more valuable than the coverage itself.

Cost

*While funding lasts

Firefighter defined as: An active employee of an employer who regularly works and whose duties are directly involved with the provision of fire protection services and who is not a volunteer firefighter.

The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) can reimburse your department for 100% of the cost for full-time, part-time, and volunteer firefighters for both Heart and Cancer Award Coverage. Please note that separate applications may need to be completed and submitted to DOLA to obtain reimbursements for each program, and DOLA may prioritize reimbursement for part-time and volunteer firefighters over full-time firefighter cost.

If your department is interested in obtaining coverage, send us a message via our contact us page.

Claims Information

Loss Stratification