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Uninsured Resources

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Health Coverage Resources

Are you uninsured, looking for health coverage and wondering about your options?

There are many programs designed to help you cover the costs of your health care. You can click on the following links to find programs that suit you best, or just scroll through all of them. You can also always visit your county’s department of Human Services. 

I’m pregnant.

I have dependent children.

I am a young adult (18-25) or looking for insurance for my young adult children.

I am an adult without dependents.

I am a documented immigrant.

My children were born in the US.

I have a disability/ my child has a disability.

I have a preexisting health condition.

I am 65 or older.

I'm pregnant:

  • If you are pregnant and currently uninsured, you may qualify for Medicaid or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+). Both programs provide medical insurance for people with little financial resources and who meet certain criteria. When covered by Medicaid and CHP+, you do not pay insurance premiums but you may have to pay small fees for some medical services.
    • Take a look at the income requirements for Medicaid and CHP+.

  • You can apply for Medicaid and CHP+ in the same application. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) will use your application to determine which program you qualify for, which will depend on your income and family size.
  • Pregnant women and children who qualify for Medicaid or CHP+ receive temporary medical coverage during the process of verifying eligibility for Medicaid and CHP+. You can visit a Presumptive Eligibility (PE) Site in order to apply for this temporary coverage. You will need to submit an application for Medicaid/CHP+, declare your income at or below 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and provide documentation of legal immigration status or citizenship. Once granted PE, all medical services provided under Medicaid/CHP+ will be provided for clients for the time the application is being processed (up to 45 days). Click here to find an eligibility site or call 1.800.221.3493 (outside of Denver area) or 1.300.866.3513 (inside Denver-Metro area) for more information.

I have dependent children:

  • If you have dependent children and are currently uninsured, you, your child/children, and a spouse may all qualify for Medicaid or Child Health Plus (CHP+). Both programs provide medical insurance for people with little financial resources and who meet certain criteria. When covered by Medicaid and CHP+, you do not pay insurance premiums, but you may have to pay small fees, or copayments, for some medical services.
  • Take a look at the income requirements for Medicaid and CHP+:

  • You can apply for both Medicaid and CHP+ for you and your family all in one application. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) will use your application to determine which program each member of your family qualifies for, which will depend on your income, family size and whether you are the parent or child.
  • Pregnant women and children who qualify for Medicaid or CHP+ receive temporary medical coverage during the process of verifying eligibility for Medicaid and CHP+. You can visit a Presumptive Eligibility (PE) Site in order to apply for this temporary coverage. You will need to submit an application for Medicaid/CHP+, declare your income at or below 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and provide documentation of legal immigration status or citizenship. Once granted PE, all medical services provided under Medicaid/CHP+ will be provided for clients for the time the application is being processed (up to 45 days).
    • Click here to find an eligibility site or call 1.800.221.3493 (outside of Denver area) or 1.300.866.3513 (inside Denver-Metro area) for more information.

I am a young adult (18-25) or looking for insurance for my young adult children:

  • Young adults between 18 and 26 years of age can to stay on their parents’ health insurance as long as their insurance plans cover children. Click here to read more about this program under health care reform.
     
  • Uninsured, low-income young adults who do not have the option of coverage under their parents’ plans are most likely eligible for another program: the Colorado Indigent Care Program (CICP). CICP is not traditional health insurance, but it assists with the costs of health care to an extent dependent on your income.
    • In order to get discounted care under the CICP program, you need to visit participating providers. Call participating providers and ask to apply for the CICP program. They will help you set up a financial assessment, which will determine your eligibility and amount of financial assistance in the program. After that, they will help you set up medical appointments. Click here for more information and for a list of CICP providers.
       
  • Low-income, young adults will also be eligible for subsidies to buy individual insurance in 2014. Click here to learn more about Colorado's Health Benefit Exchange. 
     

I am an adult without dependents:

  • Traditionally Medicaid only covers children and adults with children under 18. However, Medicaid is under the process of expanding to include adults without dependents as part of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. By 2014, all adults without dependents making up to 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), or about $15,000 annually for a single person, will be eligible for Medicaid. Enabling the state to begin the work early, Colorado passed legislation in 2009 to begin enrolling low-income adults under 100% FPL into Medicaid (or a single person earning up to $11,000 a year).  Due to budget issues, the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing determined it could only begin by enrolling 10,000 adults without dependent children under 10% FPL (roughly $90/monthly for one person). The application process will begin on April 1. The 10,000 slots will be chosen at random, starting in mid-May, and once all 10,000 slots are filled, all remaining who would otherwise qualify for the program will be put onto a wait list. Those on the wait list will have an opportunity to be selected in monthly random selections once slots open up on the program. This group will not be eligible for retroactive coverage. Once the state has the opportunity, the enrollment cap and/or the income cap will be raised.

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  • Even if you cannot get onto this Medicaid program, you are most likely eligible for another program: the Colorado Indigent Care Program (CICP). CICP is not traditional health insurance, but it assists with the costs of health care to an extent dependent on your income.
    • In order to get discounted care under the CICP program, you need to visit participating providers. Call participating providers and ask to apply for the CICP program. They will help you set up a financial assessment, which will determine your eligibility and amount of financial assistance in the program. After that, they will help you set up medical appointments
    • Click here for more information and for a list of CICP providers.
  • Low-income adults will also be eligible for subsidies to buy individual insurance at a discounted rate in 2014. Click here to learn more about Colorado's Health Benefit Exchange. 
  • Kaiser Permanente, a non-profit insurance company, also offers an insurance program for individuals and families with low-incomes.
    • You can only enroll in this plan once in your lifetime.
    • Your premiums and copays depend on your income.
    • Click here for more information or call 303-338-3490 or 1-800-659-2656

I am a documented immigrant:

  • If you immigrated to the United States, have documentation and are an adult with children, or are pregnant, then you, your child and a spouse may qualify for Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+). Both programs provide medical insurance for people with little financial resources and who meet certain criteria. When covered by Medicaid and CHP+, you do not pay insurance premiums, but you may have to pay small fees for some medical services.
    • Pregnant women and children are eligible to apply for Medicaid and CHP+ immediately upon arriving to the United States. There is a 5 year waiting period for non-pregnant adults.
    • You can apply for both Medicaid and CHP+ for you and your family in one application. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) will use your application to determine which program you qualify for, which will depend on your income, family size and whether you are the parent or child.
    • Pregnant women and children who qualify for Medicaid or CHP+ receive temporary medical coverage during the process of verifying eligibility for Medicaid and CHP+. You can visit a Presumptive Eligibility (PE) Site in order to apply for this temporary coverage.
      • You will need to submit an application for Medicaid/CHP+, declare your income at or below 133% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) and provide documentation of legal immigration status or citizenship.
      • Once granted PE, all medical services provided under Medicaid/CHP+ will be provided for clients for the time the application is being processed (up to 45 days).
      • Click here to find an eligibility site or call 1.800.221.3493 (outside of Denver area) or 1.300.866.3513 (inside Denver-Metro area) for more information.

My children were born in the US:

All people living in the United States regardless of their documentation status are eligible for Emergency Medicaid. Emergency Medicaid only covers emergency medical conditions. Applicants must apply at the hospital at the time of the event. 

I have a disability/ my child has a disability:

  • If you have a child or children born in the United States, they are most likely eligible for Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), depending on your income.   Both programs provide medical insurance for people with little financial resources and who meet certain criteria. When covered by Medicaid and CHP+, you do not pay insurance premiums, but you may have to pay small fees for some medical services.

My child has a disability:

  • If you have a child under age 3, you might be eligible for Early Intervention (EI) Colorado. EI is a program that provides a system of support and services for families who have children, birth to up to the third birthday, who have significant delays in development, or who have been diagnosed with a physical or mental condition associated with significant delays in development.
    • For more information on EI Colorado, call 1-888-777-4041 or click here.
       
  • Your child may qualify for a Medicaid Home and Community Based Services waiver. Waiver programs provide additional Medicaid benefits to specific populations who meet certain eligibility criteria.
  • Later in 2012, you may be eligible to buy-in to Medicaid for your child with a disability. The Medicaid Buy-In Program for Children with Disabilities allows children whose families make too much to qualify for Medicaid or CHP+ to receive Medicaid by paying a monthly premium based on their family’s income.  

 

I am an adult with a disability:

  • If you have been determined blind or disabled by the Social Security Administration (SSA) Standards, you may be eligible for Medicaid.
  • You may be eligible for Long-Term Care Medicaid or a Home and Community Based Services waiver if you meet the eligibility criteria including financial eligibility requirements. Waiver programs provide additional Medicaid benefits to populations who meet certain eligibility criteria.
  • If you have been receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or RRB benefits for 24 months, you are eligible for Medicare. Medicare is the federal medical insurance program designated for people over the age of 65 and for certain people with disabilities. Click here for more information and to enroll.
    • Starting in March 2012, you may be eligible to buy-in to Medicaid. The Medicaid Buy-In Program for Working Adults with Disabilities allows adults who earn too much income to qualify for Regular Medicaid to receive Medicaid by paying a monthly premium based on their income.
      • ‘Buy-In’ refers to the participant’s payment of a monthly premium for the benefit. 
      • In order to be eligible, you must be between the ages of 16 and 64, have a qualifying disability as determined using Social Security Administration medical criteria, be working and have income that does not exceed 450% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL).  About half of your earned income is disregarded in determining your FPL for this program.
      • Check out the proposed premium structure below, however this is subject to change based on federal approval.
      • This program launches in March 2012.

I have a preexisting health condition:

  • Starting in 2014, insurance providers will not be able to deny or drop people with health conditions.
  • In the meantime, there are two governmental programs to ensure that people with medical conditions still receive insurance coverage. These programs are not low-cost insurance plans, but they should not cost more than private insurance plans.
    • CoverColorado is Colorado’s high-risk insurance pool program. If you have been denied coverage or your coverage has been dropped due to your health status, you may be eligible to buy CoverColorado insurance. If you have had a lapse in coverage for over 90 days, however, you must wait 6 months to apply for CoverColorado. Click here for more information. 
    • Getting Us Covered is the federal high-risk pool insurance program. You can apply for this program if you are a resident of Colorado, have been uninsured for at least 6 months, and have a pre-existing health condition. Click here for more information.

I am 65 or older:

  • If you are 65 or older and a citizen of the United States, you are eligible for Medicare. Medicare is federal health insurance. It has different parts: Part A provides premium-free Hospital Insurance. Part B provides medical insurance for a premium and Part D provides Prescription Drug Coverage for an additional premium. There are also options called Medicare Advantage Plans that offer a range of different insurance plans. Click here to learn more about Medicare and to apply or call 1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227).
     
  • You may also be eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare if you meet income requirements. Medicaid will help lower the costs associated with Medicare and also covers long-term care. Call the Medicare helpline at 1-800-Medicare (1-800-633-4227) and ask about Medicare Savings Programs.

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