Health First Colorado is Colorado’s Medicaid. In 2027, the eligibility threshold for most adults is household income at 133% of the federal poverty level (FPL). With the 5-point income disregard, the actual cutoff is approximately 138% of FPL. However, all other populations, such as children, pregnant people, seniors, and persons with disabilities, have their own threshold.
The real news is what changes on January 1, 2027. A federal law called H.R. 1 brings work requirements and six-month renewals for some adult members. Below you’ll find who qualifies, the current income limits, and the new rules, laid out plainly. If you want to see how Colorado stacks up against other states, check this breakdown of Medicaid eligibility by state in 2027.
A note on 2027 income figures: HHS updates the federal poverty guidelines every year, then Colorado publishes a new income chart. The latest Colorado chart took effect April 1, 2026, and no 2027 chart existed when this article was written. So the numbers here come from the 2026 chart.
Who Qualifies for Colorado Medicaid?
4 factors determine eligibility: age, household size, income, and your circumstances. Health First Colorado will provide coverage to you up to 133% of FPL (138% with income disregard), up to 142% of FPL for households, and at a higher amount if you are pregnant.
Here’s how the main groups break down:
- Adults 19–64 with income at or below 133% FPL
- Parents and caretaker relatives at or below 68% FPL
- Children 18 and younger at or below 142% FPL
- Pregnant people at or below 195% FPL
- Seniors and people with disabilities, who go by separate income and asset rules
Earn too much for Medicaid? Children and pregnant people can often land in Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), Colorado’s version of CHIP.
Colorado Medicaid Income Limits
The state publishes an official chart with monthly maximum income by household size. The April 2026 version covers 133% FPL adults, 68% FPL parents, 142% FPL children, and 195% FPL pregnant women. Want to compare those thresholds with other states? Here’s a full list of Medicaid income limits by state.
| Household size | Parents/caretakers (68%) | Adults 19–64 (133%) | Children (142%) | Pregnant (195%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $905 | $1,769 | $1,889 | $2,594 |
| 2 | $1,227 | $2,399 | $2,561 | $3,517 |
| 3 | $1,549 | $3,028 | $3,233 | $4,440 |
| 4 | $1,870 | $3,658 | $3,905 | $5,363 |
Monthly figures from HCPF’s April 2026 MAGI Medicaid chart. The 5% disregard can add room above the listed amounts for the group with the highest limit.
How Colorado Counts Income
Most applicants are judged on Modified Adjusted Gross Income, or MAGI. It’s a tax-based number, so it won’t always match your gross paycheck. Household size follows tax-filing rules too, not just who sleeps under your roof. MAGI groups generally don’t face an asset test.
Seniors and People With Disabilities
Adults 65 and older, people who are blind or disabled, and people who need long-term care get evaluated differently. Asset limits apply here, and one third-party guide lists $2,000 for an individual applicant. Programs vary, so confirm your own numbers with your county or the state before you rely on any figure.
What’s Changing for Colorado Medicaid in 2027
Most members won’t feel these changes. They hit certain lawfully present immigrants, retroactive coverage, work requirements, and how often your eligibility gets checked. But the scale is big: the state expects about 378,500 members to be subject to work requirements before exemptions are counted.
Work Requirements
They start in 2027. Anyone who applies on or after January 1, 2027 is first in line, along with current members whose renewal comes due in or after January 2027.
The rule covers adults 19–64 in the expansion group. You meet it with any one of these:
- 80 hours of work, a work program, volunteering, or school, or a mix
- Income of at least $580 from paid work
- Proof that you’re exempt
New applicants show they met the requirement during the calendar month before they applied. Current members show it for at least one month since their last renewal deadline. So if you just lost a job, you can still qualify as long as you worked enough that earlier month.
Gig and seasonal workers get a different calculation. Colorado adds up your earnings over the previous six months and divides by six, and the average has to hit $580.
During 2027, you can self-attest certain details such as student status, volunteer work, and medical frailty, with no third-party paperwork. That flexibility is confirmed for the first year only.
Who Is Exempt From Work Requirements?
Plenty of people don’t have to meet the requirement. Parents and caregivers of a child 13 or younger are out, and so are caregivers of a person with a disability. Pregnant people and anyone pregnant in the past 12 months are exempt too. So are Medicare enrollees, SSI or SSDI recipients, American Indians and Alaska Natives, and people already following SNAP or TANF work rules.
Health conditions count when they stop you from completing 80 hours a month. If the state can’t confirm your exemption from its own records, it mails you a letter. Answer it fast.
Six-Month Renewals
Starting January 1, 2027, some adults 19–64 with income at or below 133% FPL renew every six months. Miss a renewal and you lose coverage.
Many people stay on 12-month renewals: children, adults 65 and older, pregnant members, Medicare enrollees, people in long-term care or buy-in programs, and people who qualify through blindness or disability.
Exempt from work requirements? You can still be on the six-month cycle. An adult with a child 13 or younger is a good example.
Shorter Retroactive Coverage
Retroactive coverage pays for some medical bills from before the month you applied. Expansion adults now get up to one month, and most other categories get up to two. Applicants used to get up to three.
Immigrant Eligibility Changes
Since October 1, 2026, refugees, asylees, people granted humanitarian parole, and people granted withholding of removal no longer qualify for full Medicaid. Certain domestic violence and trafficking survivors with pending or approved applications are affected as well, along with people who only have a pending green card application.
Still eligible: U.S. citizens and nationals, green card holders who meet the five-year rule or an exemption, and COFA migrants. Lawfully present children 18 and younger and pregnant people can keep coverage too.
These changes are already happening. By late October 2026, the state’s Medicaid director said about 5,900 people had lost coverage, mostly refugees and people seeking asylum.
Cover All Coloradans continues to cover pregnant people and children 18 and younger who lack legal immigration status.
Illustrative Examples
These examples are for explanation only. They are not official determinations.
Example 1: A single adult who works part-time. Maria is 34, lives alone, and earns $1,500 a month. That’s under the $1,769 monthly adult limit for one person. If she brings in at least $580 a month, her income satisfies the work requirement, and she renews every six months.
Example 2: A parent of a young child. James is 29 and has a 7-year-old. As the parent of a child 13 or younger, he may be exempt from the work requirement. How often he renews depends on his income level and category.
How to Apply for Health First Colorado
Pick whichever route is easiest for you:
- Online: Colorado PEAK
- By phone: Call the Member Contact Center at 1-800-221-3943 (State Relay: 711)
- By app: The Health First Colorado mobile app
- By mail or in person: The paper application, through your county or an eligibility site
Applicants 19–64 also fill out Worksheet J, which collects the work requirement details. The official Health First Colorado website lists what to bring.
Providers have their own side of this story. For how Medicaid pays for care, see Medicaid reimbursement rates by state.
How to Protect Your Coverage in 2027
- Update your contact information in PEAK or the app so letters actually reach you
- Open every piece of mail from Health First Colorado. Deadlines are real
- Save your records: work hours, pay stubs, school enrollment, volunteer hours
- Answer renewal requests on time if you’re on the six-month cycle
- Appeal if you disagree. Work requirement decisions can be appealed using the instructions in your notice, and the state’s appeals page walks you through it
For policy detail, HCPF’s H.R. 1 FAQ page and the official income chart are the best places to look.
FAQs About Colorado Medicaid Eligibility 2027
What is the Colorado Medicaid income limit for 2027?
Colorado hasn’t published a 2027 chart yet. Under the April 2026 chart, the adult limit is 133% FPL, or $1,769 a month for one person, and the 5% disregard pushes the effective cutoff to about 138%. Expect an update once HHS releases new poverty guidelines.
Who has to meet work requirements in Colorado?
Adults 19–64 in the Medicaid expansion group with income up to 133% FPL. Exemptions cover pregnant people, parents of children 13 or younger, caregivers of people with disabilities, and people with qualifying health conditions. Your renewal letter tells you which side you’re on.
How many hours do I need to work to keep Medicaid?
80 hours a month of work, volunteering, school, or a work program, or at least $580 in monthly earnings. Current members only have to prove it for one month since their last renewal.
Will I have to renew my Medicaid every six months?
If you’re an adult 19–64 with income at or below 133% FPL, yes, starting January 1, 2027. Children, adults 65 and older, pregnant members, Medicare enrollees, and people in long-term care or buy-in programs stay on 12-month renewals.
Can I still get Medicaid in Colorado if I’m unemployed?
Yes, if you worked 80 hours or earned $580 in the calendar month before you applied, or if you qualify for an exemption such as caring for a young child.
Do Colorado Medicaid changes affect children?
Not the work rules. Children 18 and younger are exempt from work requirements and keep 12-month renewals. Retroactive coverage for most children is up to two months. Lawfully present children, including those with asylum status, can still qualify, and children without legal status can look at Cover All Coloradans.
What happens if I miss a Medicaid renewal in Colorado?
You lose coverage. Contact your county or the Member Contact Center right away to ask about reinstating or reapplying.
Does Colorado Medicaid cover immigrants?
Citizens, green card holders who meet the rules, COFA migrants, and a few other groups qualify. Refugees, asylees, and some other groups lost full coverage on October 1, 2026, though pregnant people and children can have other options.
Official Resources
Check Your Eligibility Now — Health First Colorado
Apply Online in Minutes — Colorado PEAK
See the Latest Income Limits — Colorado HCPF
Verify the 2027 Work Rules — Colorado HCPF
Conclusion
The rules are changing, but nothing here is hard to handle if you get ahead of it. Most people who lose Medicaid in a year like this lose it over a letter they never opened. Make sure the state has your current address, keep your pay stubs somewhere you can find them, and pick up the phone the moment something looks off.
Disclaimer: Just general information. Not legal, medical, or financial advice. We can’t promise you’ll qualify. There are changes all the time and some guidelines still don’t have federal guidance. Confirm for yourself with your local county or the Health First Colorado professional. And always have a licensed professional be involved.
About Naseer
Naseer has 10+ years of experience creating informative content and researching medicare topics. He focuses on simplifying Medicaid and benefits details to support readers find clear, reliable, and easy-to-understand guidance.