Medicaid in Colorado is known as Health First Colorado. Health First Colorado is public health insurance for Coloradans who qualify. Medicaid is funded jointly by the federal government and Colorado state government, and is administered by the Department of Health Care Policy & Financing. Each state manages its own Medicaid program differently.
Every member of Health First Colorado has a primary care provider and belongs to a regional organization that helps connect you with the health care you need. Your primary care provider is your first contact for your health and wellness services. Health First Colorado will assign you to a primary care provider. You and your primary care provider belong to a regional organization that helps you make sure you get the health care and services you need.
Most Medicaid programs have no monthly premium but some programs allow people with higher incomes to buy into the Medicaid program if they meet certain criteria such as being a working adult with chronic medical conditions. This type of Medicaid is called Working Adults with Disabilities (WAWD). This program changed its rules 7/1/2022 and is now an option for people over 65. Medicaid programs have very low copays when care is received. Click here for income guidelines of some of the free Health First CO programs.
Click here for the income guidelines for the Working Adults with Disabilities program. This program only counts about half of earned income so when looking at the chart remember to count only half your wages but all of your other income.
For local help with enrollment into Health First Colorado please click here.
**Since March 2020 most Health First CO members have been guaranteed to stay on Medicaid even if they no longer qualify because of the COVID Public Health Emergency. Every 3 months the government extends the state of emergency by another 3 months. Eventually the emergency will be declared over and Medicaid will review the 1.5+ million people on Medicaid and begin ending coverage for those who don't qualify. The #1 thing you can do is make sure Medicaid has a good address on file for you so you will receive your mail about your Medicaid possibly ending after the public health emergency is over. As of July 2022, the Public Health Emergency is still in place. The next renewal will be announced in October 2022.
Every member of Health First Colorado has a primary care provider and belongs to a regional organization that helps connect you with the health care you need. Your primary care provider is your first contact for your health and wellness services. Health First Colorado will assign you to a primary care provider. You and your primary care provider belong to a regional organization that helps you make sure you get the health care and services you need.
Most Medicaid programs have no monthly premium but some programs allow people with higher incomes to buy into the Medicaid program if they meet certain criteria such as being a working adult with chronic medical conditions. This type of Medicaid is called Working Adults with Disabilities (WAWD). This program changed its rules 7/1/2022 and is now an option for people over 65. Medicaid programs have very low copays when care is received. Click here for income guidelines of some of the free Health First CO programs.
Click here for the income guidelines for the Working Adults with Disabilities program. This program only counts about half of earned income so when looking at the chart remember to count only half your wages but all of your other income.
For local help with enrollment into Health First Colorado please click here.
**Since March 2020 most Health First CO members have been guaranteed to stay on Medicaid even if they no longer qualify because of the COVID Public Health Emergency. Every 3 months the government extends the state of emergency by another 3 months. Eventually the emergency will be declared over and Medicaid will review the 1.5+ million people on Medicaid and begin ending coverage for those who don't qualify. The #1 thing you can do is make sure Medicaid has a good address on file for you so you will receive your mail about your Medicaid possibly ending after the public health emergency is over. As of July 2022, the Public Health Emergency is still in place. The next renewal will be announced in October 2022.