Health Insurance For Low-Income
Colorado Medicaid and CHIP coverage are handled through Health First Colorado, which expanded as part of the Affordable Care Act. As a result, the state of Colorado has successfully reduced its uninsured population by 50%. If you were denied Medicaid coverage in Colorado previous to this expansion, you may now qualify.
Colorado Medicaid Plan Options
Colorado offers several different Medicaid Programs:
Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+)
An affordable alternative program for children and pregnant women that earn too much to qualify for Health First Colorado. This is the traditional CHIP program.
Health First Colorado
Public health assistance program for children, pregnant women, disabled persons, and low-income adults. (Colorado’s Medicaid program). There are several different services / programs that fall under Health First Colorado, including:
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Accountable Care Collaborative - Available for Health First Colorado enrollees. It allows the patient to choose a primary care provider and assigns the patient to a collaborative care group that helps to ensure that the doctor and caretakers are working together.
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Behavioral Health Organization - Available for Health First Colorado enrollees and provides mental health and substance abuse care.
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Family Support Services Program (FSSP) - Provides support for families with children that have developmental delays with extensive costs associated.
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Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) - Provides preventive health care services for children.
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Health First Colorado Buy-In Program - Provides families whose income is too high to buy into Colorado’s Medicaid program. The premium is determined by the family income.
Waiver Programs
Waiver programs provide various options for helping the financial burden of a family member that needs long-term or facility care. There are various programs covered through Medicaid.
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Children with Autism Waiver - Provides community-based or home alternative for children with severe Autism.
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Children with Life-Limiting Illness Waiver - Provides community-based or home alternative for children with a life limiting illness.
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Children’s Home and Community-Based Services Waiver - Provides community-based or home alternative to children who need SNF assistance.
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Children’s Extensive Support Waiver - Provider services to children with disabilities that require 24/7 care.
Pregnancy Coverage
In addition to CHP+, Colorado Medicaid has various other programs to support pregnant women who may need additional coverage.
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Prenatal Plus program - Provides case management, nutritional counseling, and social services to at-risk pregnant women.
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Special Connections - Specifically developed for pregnant women receiving benefits from Health First Colorado that have alcohol or drug abuse problems. Provides case management, counseling, and education during pregnancy and the entire next year after birth.
Other Medicaid Programs
While expanding Medicaid, various other programs that would assist with population health issues in the state have also been developed to increase the levels of access to care.
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Breast and Cervical Cancer Program (BCCP) - Provides coverage for uninsured or underinsured women diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer.
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Colorado Choice Transitions (CCT) - Provides support for individuals transitioning from nursing homes into home and community-based settings.
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Program for All-Inclusive Care for The Elderly (PACE) - Medicare / Medicaid program for elderly patients that would like to live independently but need some community assistance.
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Colorado Indigent Care Program - Provides health care services at a discounted rate for low-income families.
Colorado Medicaid FAQs
- What is Medicaid?
Medicaid is a state funded insurance that that provides coverage to low income families, pregnant women, newborns, and children that may not be able to afford to purchase their own care.
- Who is eligible for Medicaid?
The following groups are eligible for Colorado Medicaid:
- Children 0 - 18 with a household income less than 142% of the Federal Poverty Limit (FPL);
- Pregnant women with a household income less than 195% of the FPL;
- Adults with a household income less than 138% of the FPL
- How do I find out if I am eligible for Medicaid?
To find out if you are eligible for Medicaid, you must fill out an application for Medicaid or CHIP. You may fill out an application at any time of the year. See more on Medicaid.
- Will Medicaid cover my children?
Your household income level will determine if your child or children can be covered by Medicaid.
- What is CHIP?
CHIP is a program that supports children in families that cannot afford private health insurance, but whose household income is too high to qualify for Medicaid.
- Does Medicaid satisfy the health insurance requirement?
Yes, Medicaid will satisfy the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) health insurance requirement for the covered individuals.
- What information and documents should I have when I'm signing up for Medicaid?
Depending on the Medicaid program being applied for, you will need the following: Identity, Social Security, proof you live in Colorado, proof of income, proof of medical costs, and bank account information.
- How does Obamacare work with Medicaid?
Because of Colorado's Medicaid eligibility requirements, Obamacare does not impact people who qualify for Medicaid and vice versa. As such tax credits are only available for people who are not eligible for other plans.
- What is Health First Colorado?
Health First Colorado is the Medicaid option for pregnant women, newborns, children, and adults offered through the state of Colorado. This is the program that provides the majority of the coverage for those that live in Colorado that qualify for Medicaid.
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