How Trump's bill impacts Medicaid in Colorado
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The far-reaching impacts on Medicaid from President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" are coming into focus in Colorado, and health care advocates are calling the looming changes life-threatening.
Why it matters: All 1.1 million people — from seniors to children — enrolled in the state's Medicaid program, known as Health First Colorado, will experience additional barriers to receiving health care, including red tape and coverage losses.
State of play: The changes mandated by H.R. 1 started to take effect July 4, the day the bill was signed, with the on-again, off-again ban on Medicaid patients seeking care at Planned Parenthood.
- The ban applies to roughly 14,000 people on Medicaid in Colorado.
- Starting in October 2026, 7,000 immigrants with lawful status will lose their Medicaid coverage, according to state figures.
By the numbers: The bulk of the impact takes effect in January 2027 when new work requirements and six-month eligibility checks come into play.
- The state estimates that 377,000 people will lose Medicaid benefits as a result.
- And those changes are estimated to cost the state about $57 million to implement, according to state officials.
Threat level: Without coverage, people will take on medical debt, delay care, lose access to medications and miss preventive screenings, making these changes life-threatening, health care advocates contend.
- Medicaid is often referred to as a safety net program because its recipients are often low-income, people with disabilities and children.
- The maximum monthly income for an individual on Medicaid is $1,735, or $3,564 for a family of four.
- The loss of coverage will trickle down to hospitals and health care centers because patients won't be able to pay their bills.
- The drop in revenue will then hit local economies, advocates contend.
What they're saying: "We're in the midst of a health care disaster," Jack Teeter, vice president of government affairs for Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, told Democratic state lawmakers at a hearing Thursday.
- "Ultimately, we anticipate that H.R. 1 will impact our financial stability and sustainability, which risks our ability to provide care to our community," added Gabriela Walters from the Tepeyac Community Health Center in Denver.
The other side: Republican lawmakers in Colorado who supported Trump's bill, such as U.S. Rep. Gabe Evans, contend the changes will ensure those who need Medicaid will receive it by eliminating coverage for those who don't deserve it.
Go deeper: Who gets Medicaid insurance in Colorado