Transferring Medicaid from New Mexico to Colorado
Medicaid is not portable. The New Mexico program stops covering you when you move, and Health First Colorado starts only after you apply and qualify under Colorado's rules. Apply in your first week; ask about retroactive coverage if you had medical bills during the gap.
Both states cover adults under expansion rules at 138% of the federal poverty level, so if you qualified on income in New Mexico, you will likely qualify in Colorado too.
Official Colorado Medicaid agency: Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing ↗ (application page)
Your step-by-step checklist
Before you move
- 1
Gather your documents before the move
You will reapply from scratch: proof of identity, income (pay stubs or award letters), your new address, and immigration documents if applicable.
- 2
Tell New Mexico Health Care Authority you are leaving
Report your move and ask for your case to be closed effective the end of the month you leave. Medicaid cannot cover you in two states at once.
New Mexico Health Care Authority ↗
Moving week
- 3
Time the closure to the end of your move month
Keep coverage through the month you travel. Your old state's coverage generally ends the month you stop being a resident.
After you arrive
- 4
Apply with Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing as soon as you arrive
There is no waiting period based on how long you have lived there — apply immediately. Processing: up to 45 days (90 if a disability decision is needed). From January 1, 2027 (earlier in some states), most adults in the expansion group must also show 80 hours a month of work, school, job training, or community service, or an exemption, possibly for 1 to 3 months preceding the application.
Online application ↗ - 5
Ask about retroactive coverage
Most states can pay eligible medical bills from as early as the third month before the month you apply, so ask when you apply if you had care during the gap. For applications filed on or after January 1, 2027, federal law (Public Law 119-21) shortens this to the month before the month you apply for adults in the expansion group and the second month before the month you apply for everyone else.
New Mexico vs Colorado: the numbers that decide it
| New Mexico (old state) | Colorado (new state) | |
|---|---|---|
| Program name | Turquoise Care | Health First Colorado |
| Agency | New Mexico Health Care Authority | Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing |
| ACA Medicaid expansion | Yes — adults covered on income | Yes — adults covered on income |
| Adult income limit | 138% of the federal poverty level | 138% of the federal poverty level |
Monthly income limits by household size: New Mexico vs Colorado
| Household size | New Mexico | Colorado |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $1,836 | $1,836 |
| 2 people | $2,489 | $2,489 |
| 3 people | $3,142 | $3,142 |
| 4 people | $3,795 | $3,795 |
| 5 people | $4,449 | $4,449 |
| 6 people | $5,102 | $5,102 |
Limits for adults, computed from each state's published % of the 2026 HHS poverty guidelines and rounded up to the dollar. Children, pregnancy, and 65+/disability rules differ; each state's own chart controls and may still show 2025 figures. Full tables: New Mexico · Colorado · 2026 poverty guidelines.
Moving with more than one benefit?
The checklist generator merges Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, unemployment, and TANF into one ordered to-do list for this exact move.
Build the full New Mexico → Colorado checklistCommon questions
Can I use my New Mexico Medicaid in Colorado while I wait?
Generally no. New Mexico Medicaid only pays providers for New Mexico residents, and out-of-state care is limited to emergencies. Once you live in Colorado, you need Colorado coverage — apply immediately and ask about retroactive coverage for bills in the gap.
Is there a waiting period for Medicaid in Colorado?
No. States cannot impose a minimum-residency waiting period. You qualify (or not) on Colorado's income and category rules from the day you become a resident. The application itself takes up to 45 days (90 if a disability decision is needed).
Can I have Medicaid in two states at once?
No. You can only receive Medicaid from the state where you live. Keeping an old case open while opening a new one can create repayment problems — close the New Mexico case effective your move month.
Where do I actually apply in Colorado?
Through Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (online application linked above). Official Medicaid pages for both states are cited at the bottom of this page.
Related guides
- Moving back: Colorado to New Mexico Medicaid
- Medicaid in New Mexico: leaving or arriving
- Medicaid in Colorado: leaving or arriving
- Moving with Medicaid: every state
- New Mexico to Illinois Medicaid
- New Mexico to Florida Medicaid
- New Mexico to Alaska Medicaid
- New Mexico to New Hampshire Medicaid
Other benefits on the same move
- SNAP: New Mexico to Colorado
- WIC: New Mexico to Colorado
- Unemployment: New Mexico to Colorado
- TANF: New Mexico to Colorado
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 .
- NM Health Care Authority — Turquoise Care overview — accessed 2026-08-08
- YesNM benefits portal — accessed 2026-08-08
- Health First Colorado — Apply Now — accessed 2026-08-08
- Colorado Department of Health Care Policy & Financing — accessed 2026-08-08