Colorado Medicaid Eligibility Requirements

Low-income families and pregnant women in Colorado, as well as elderly and disabled individuals, may qualify for help with medical expenses from one of the Medicaid programs available. Medicaid pays for hospitalizations, doctor appointments, medical supplies and prescriptions. You must meet Colorado's specific requirements to receive help through Medicaid.

Citizenship and Residency

• Colorado Medicaid is available to permanent residents of Colorado. In addition, federal law requires applicants to be U.S. citizens or legal immigrants. There is a 5-year waiting period before immigrants can receive Medicaid but Colorado waives this for refugees and those seeking asylum in the United States.

Income

• Colorado counts all forms of income when determining eligibility for Medicaid. This includes earned income from a job as well as unearned income such as Social Security and unemployment benefits, pensions and child support payments. Although the income limits vary depending on the program you are applying for, the general threshold is 133% of the federal poverty level. For a family of three, this equals $2,030 per month as of August 2010.

Documents

• Colorado requires documentation for all members of the household who are applying for Medicaid benefits. You will need to provide birth certificates, social security numbers or immigration documents to prove citizenship and identity. You will also need to give the Medicaid office copies of lease agreements or house deeds as well as utility bills to prove residency. Verify your income by providing pay stubs or statements from your employer and statements from any unearned income sources.