Archivos: FAQs

A medically frail person has significant health needs, such as a disability, serious mental health condition, substance use disorder, or other complex medical condition that limits daily functioning or requires ongoing medical care.

No, the work requirements passed in H.R. 1 do not apply to people with the Medicaid Buy-In Program for Working Adults and Children with Disabilities.

Buy-In members must continue to complete the program’s other requirements for income and employment, which have not changed.

No, adults ages 65 or older do not need to meet the work requirements.

No, parents or caregivers of children 13 or younger or caregivers of people with disabilities of any age do not need to meet the new work requirements.

People who meet any of the following criteria should not have to meet the work requirement. 

• 18 years old or younger
• 65 years or older
• Parent or caregiver of a child age 13 or younger
• Parent or caregiver of people with disabilities
• Veterans with a total disability rating
• Enrolled in Medicare Part A or Part B
• Enrolled in a Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) program. For example, in a nursing home or enrolled in one of the following programs:
  • Brain Injury Waiver (BI)
  • Community Mental Health Supports Waiver (CMHS)
  • Complementary and Integrative Health Waiver (CIH)
  • Developmental Disabilities Waiver (DD)
  • Elderly, Blind and Disabled Waiver (EBD)
  • Supported Living Services Waiver (SLS)
  • Programs for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
• Enrolled in Medicaid Buy-In Programs (Working Adults & Children’s)
• Have a confirmed disability demonstrated by:
  • Receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and/or Social Security Administration (SSA) income, such as Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Social Security Retirement (SSR) 
  • The State Disability Determination vendor
• Foster youth or former foster youth age 0 to 26
• Current qualified Health First Colorado or CHP+ members who are pregnant or were pregnant within the last 12 months
• American Indian or Alaskan Native
• Medically frail 
• Enrolled in a treatment program for a mental health or substance use disorder 
• People who are incarcerated or people who have been released from incarceration in last 90 days
• Already meeting work requirements for TANF or SNAP

If Health First Colorado needs more information to decide if you must meet work requirements, we will send you a letter.  Open and respond to letters from Health First Colorado right away.

If you are a low-income adult age 19–64 and not enrolled in a long-term care services or buy-in program and you do not show that you qualify for an exemption, then you must meet work requirements.

Example: If you apply for health coverage in February 2027, you will need to show proof that you worked, participated in a work program, volunteered or went to school at least 80 hours per month (or a mix of these) in January 2027.

Health First Colorado will implement H.R. 1’s new work requirements by Jan. 1, 2027.

These requirements will apply to: 

• Low-income adults ages 19–64 who are not enrolled in certain programs (such as long-term services and supports [LTSS] or buy-in programs) 
• Who do not show that they meet any exemptions

Existing members need to show at renewal that they met the work requirement by earning at least $580 or working, participating in a work program, volunteering or going to school (or a mix of these) at least 80 hours for at least 1 of the months within their 6-month renewal period.

New applicants will need to show that they met the work requirements by earning at least $580 or working, participating in a work program, volunteering or going to school at least 80 hours (or a mix of these) in the month before they submit their application.

Renewals for this group of adults will change to every 6 months, instead of once a year.

As of January 2027, some low-income adults ages 19–64 who are not enrolled in certain programs (such as long-term services and supports [LTSS] or buy-in programs) must show they meet new work requirements, or that they are exempt.

Not all Health First Colorado members subject to the new work requirements will need to show proof right away. 

• Current members will need to show at renewal that they met the requirement in at least one of the previous six months. Ways to meet the requirement include: 
  • Completing 80 hours of approved activities: working, participating in a work program, volunteering or going to school (or a mix of these)
  • Earning at least $580 from paid work
  • Showing documentation that they meet an exemption and do not need to meet the requirement 
• New applicants will need to complete paperwork to show they met the work requirement in the month before they submit their application for Health First Colorado. Ways to meet the requirement include:
  • Completing 80 hours of approved activities: working, participating in a work program, volunteering or going to school (or a mix of these)
  • Earning at least $580 from paid work
  • Showing documentation that they meet an exemption and do not need to meet the requirement

Example: If your renewal is due March 2027, you will need to show proof that you have earned $580 or worked, participated in a work program, volunteered or went to school  (or a mix of these) at least 80 hours during one of the months within your 6-month renewal period. (September through February).