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Medicaid Guidelines in Colorado

Medicaid is a state program that provides heath insurance and care to low-income people and families. The program is administered by individual states, including Colorado, but receives some funding from the federal government. Medicaid is income qualified. This means that if you make more than a certain amount of money, you may not qualify for Medicaid. However, in some cases, income in excess of pre-set levels can be placed in a trust for future use.

  1. Who is Covered

    • Medicaid covers low-income people under 64 years old who may or may not have been defined by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Medicaid is available for low-income families, children, women who are pregnant and people who are blind or disabled, but not deemed disabled by the SSA, and for the elderly.

    Family Medicaid

    • Family Medicaid in Colorado is for children 18 years old or younger and for parents with dependent children. Parents whose income is at or below the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) may qualify for family Medicaid. Children whose family income is at or below the FPL may also qualify. Children under 6 years old and women who are pregnant may qualify if family income is below 133 percent of FPL. Applications for family Medicaid can take between 45 and 60 days to process. However, people with immediate needs can be granted interim care through the Presumptive Eligibility Program.

    Long Term Care

    • Medicaid provides for long term care for disabled people who are considered disabled by the SSA. To qualify in Colorado, a person must be eligible for Social Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Income (SSDI). According to the state government website, a state contractor can determine disability "if an individual has not been determined disabled by the Social Security Administration." The income limit for people applying for Medicaid through this program is $2,022 per month. People who are not hospitalized may deposit certain funds in excess of this amount in a trust. Aside from income, there are resource limits that vary, depending on whether a person is single or part of a couple.

    Medicaid for People Over 65

    • Although people over 65 are often eligible for Medicare, in some cases Medicaid eligibility can be established. People over 65 who are eligible for SSI, Old Age Pension (OAP) state supplemental payments or both may be eligible for Medicaid in Colorado. The income limit is $699 per month and personal assets may not exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a couple.

    People Under 64

    • People under the age of 64 who do not have dependent children and who are considered by the SSA to be blind or disabled may qualify for Medicaid. People eligible for SSI will automatically receive Medicaid. Medicaid under these circumstances requires applying for SSI, and the SSI application will automatically trigger an application for Medicaid.

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