Colorado Medicaid: 2026 Income Limits and Moving In or Out
Moving TO Colorado
Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) does not accept transferred cases from other states: every new Colorado resident applies fresh through Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing. There is no waiting period tied to how recently you arrived — eligibility is decided on Colorado's own income and household rules from the day you become a resident.
Leaving Colorado
Leaving Colorado ends your Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) case — no state will take it over. Close the case with Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing effective your move month, then apply in your destination state immediately after arriving.
Official agency: Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing ↗ (application page)
Colorado Medicaid at a glance
| Program name | Health First Colorado |
|---|---|
| ACA Medicaid expansion | Yes — adults covered on income |
| Adult income limit | 138% of the federal poverty level |
| Processing | Federal 45-day standard; official apply page notes most PEAK applicants 'find out right away if they qualify' (90 days if a disability decision is needed) |
Colorado Medicaid income limits for adults (2026)
Colorado expanded Medicaid under the ACA, so adults with income up to 138% of the federal poverty level can qualify without fitting a category such as disability or pregnancy. Federal law (Public Law 119-21) adds a work condition for most of these adults from January 1, 2027 (earlier in some states, and later only in a state granted an extension, which cannot run past 2028): they must show 80 hours a month of work, school, job training, or community service, unless they are exempt (for example, parents of a child 13 or under, pregnant people, and people with a disability). New applicants may have to show it for 1 to 3 consecutive months immediately preceding the month they apply.
| Household size | Monthly income limit | Yearly income limit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $1,836 | $22,025 |
| 2 people | $2,489 | $29,864 |
| 3 people | $3,142 | $37,702 |
| 4 people | $3,795 | $45,540 |
| 5 people | $4,449 | $53,379 |
| 6 people | $5,102 | $61,217 |
| 7 people | $5,755 | $69,056 |
| 8 people | $6,408 | $76,894 |
| Each additional person | +$654 | +$7,839 |
- Computed as 138% of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines (48 contiguous states and DC), rounded up to the dollar. Colorado's own chart controls, and states often switch to the new year's guidelines partway through the year — so the agency's chart may still show lower 2025 figures.
- The adult limit counts income under MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) rules. Children and pregnant people usually have higher limits; people 65+ or with a disability are assessed under different, non-MAGI rules that often include an asset test — ask the agency below.
Federal source: HHS 2026 Poverty Guidelines (91 FR 1797) (published 2026-01-15)
How to apply for Medicaid in Colorado
Apply with Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing online at co.gov, which runs the program as Health First Colorado. Go to the official application page ↗
Processing time: Federal 45-day standard; official apply page notes most PEAK applicants 'find out right away if they qualify' (90 days if a disability decision is needed).
Common questions
What is the Medicaid income limit in Colorado for 2026?
For adults, 138% of the federal poverty level: about $1,836 a month for one person and $3,795 a month for a family of four in 2026. Children, pregnant people, and people 65+ or with a disability have separate limits.
Can I keep Colorado Medicaid if I move to another state?
No. Medicaid covers residents only, so Colorado coverage ends once you live elsewhere. Report the move to Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing and apply in your new state right away; eligibility there is decided on that state's own rules.
How do I apply for Medicaid in Colorado?
Apply with Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing online at co.gov, which runs the program as Health First Colorado. Processing time: federal 45-day standard; official apply page notes most PEAK applicants 'find out right away if they qualify' (90 days if a disability decision is needed).
Who runs Medicaid in Colorado?
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing, which runs the program as Health First Colorado. The official page and application link are cited below — always act through them.
Does Colorado make new residents wait for Medicaid?
No state may impose a residency waiting period for Medicaid. You apply as soon as you live in Colorado; eligibility is decided on Colorado's own rules.
Where do I report that I'm leaving Colorado?
Contact Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (official link below) to report the move and close your case effective your move month.
Every move involving Colorado
From Colorado to…
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
To Colorado from…
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Other benefits in Colorado
- SNAP in Colorado
- WIC in Colorado
- Unemployment in Colorado
- TANF in Colorado
- Medicaid in every state
- State benefits statistics
Terms on this page: Federal poverty level (FPL) · Medicaid expansion · Retroactive Medicaid coverage
Official sources
Every fact above was checked against these official pages. Last verified .
- Health First Colorado — Apply Now — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing — accessed 2026-08-08