Colorado Medicaid Income Limits 2026: Health First Chart

Medicaid isn't a grant, and no one can charge you to apply. For how these numbers compare with other states, see our national Medicaid income limits guide.

Colorado Medicaid Income Limits by Household Size (April 2026)

$3,658 a month is the adult limit for a family of four, according to the HCPF April 2026 income data, and every column in the table below comes from that chart or the CHP+ chart issued with it. These are monthly gross income limits under MAGI rules (explained below).

Sources: HCPF MAGI Medicaid Monthly Maximum Income Guidelines and CHP+ Monthly Maximum Income Guidelines, both effective April 1, 2026. HCPF's charts stop at 10 people and don't list an "each additional person" amount. The CHP+ column shows the top of the 236-260% band; CHP+ starts at 143% ($1,890 for one person, $3,906 for four).

Yearly equivalents for the most common household sizes

Calculated by Grantsights as HCPF's April 2026 monthly limits times 12.

Older adults, people with disabilities and long-term care

Sources: Colorado's Non-MAGI and Long-Term Care Income and Resource Limits sheet (opens in a new tab) (version 8, figures effective January 2026); HCPF OM 26-025 (opens in a new tab) for Medicare Savings Programs (effective April 1, 2026; limits include the $20 unearned income disregard); HCPF OM 26-023 (opens in a new tab) for the working adults buy-in.

How Colorado Counts Your Income: MAGI, Non-MAGI and the 5% Disregard

2 sets of rules decide Colorado Medicaid, and which one applies to you matters as much as the dollar amount.

MAGI rules (adults, parents, children, pregnancy, CHP+). Income is your household's modified adjusted gross income, which starts with the adjusted gross income on a federal tax return and adds back untaxed foreign income, tax-exempt interest and non-taxable Social Security benefits. Your household generally follows your tax return: you, a spouse, and anyone you claim as a dependent. Non-filers are counted as the people who live together, with parents and children under 19 grouped together. There's no asset test.

The 5% disregard. Federal rules at 42 CFR 435.603 (opens in a new tab) subtract an amount equal to 5% of the poverty line when that's the only thing standing between you and eligibility. HCPF's chart prints the base percentages (133%, 142%, 195%), so the real adult cutoff is about 138% of poverty. Calculated from 138% of the 2026 HHS poverty guideline, that's about $1,835 a month for one person, $3,142 for three and $3,795 for four. Grantsights calculated those figures; they aren't on HCPF's chart.

A child's income. The chart's footnote gives 2026 tax filing thresholds for a tax dependent: $16,100 in earned income and $1,350 in unearned income. A teenager's job usually doesn't count toward the household until it passes those amounts.

Non-MAGI rules (older adults, blindness, disability, long-term care). These follow SSI-style counting: gross income, a $20 general disregard, and a separate rule for earnings. Resources count here too. The working adults buy-in memo, for example, subtracts $20 from unearned income and $65 from earnings, then counts about half of the earnings that remain.

To make it specific: for example, a family of three in Colorado earning $3,100 a month in wages is $72 over the adult chart line of $3,028. With the 5% disregard ($114 a month for three, calculated from the 2026 guideline), the parents' counted income drops to $2,986, under the limit, so both adults can qualify in the expansion group. Their child qualifies on Health First Colorado's children's limit of $3,233 without needing the disregard. At $4,000 a month, the adults would be over the line, but the child would move to CHP+, whose band for three runs from $3,234 to $5,920.

Resource Limits: $2,000 for One Person, $3,000 for a Couple

$2,000 in countable resources is the limit for one person in Colorado's aged, blind and disabled groups and for long-term care, and $3,000 for a couple, according to the state limits data published for eligibility workers (effective January 2026). Long-term care adds a few more figures:

Source: Colorado Non-MAGI and Long-Term Care Income and Resource Limits, figures effective January 2026 (minimum maintenance allowance effective July 2025).

People whose income is over $2,982 a month can still qualify for nursing home or waiver care in Colorado by putting the excess into an income trust. Jefferson County's long-term care page (opens in a new tab) notes that transfers of assets for less than fair market value in the 5 years before applying can delay coverage, and that applicants must receive long-term care services for 30 consecutive days before eligibility can be approved.

None of this applies to MAGI groups. A working parent with $15,000 in savings can still get Health First Colorado if income is under the line.

Expansion State vs Non-Expansion State: Why Colorado's Adult Limit Exists

133% of poverty for adults 19 to 64 exists because Colorado expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, according to the Medicaid.gov eligibility levels table (opens in a new tab) (which lists Colorado's expansion limit at 133% and its parent limit at 68%). In a state that didn't expand, such as Texas, most adults without children can't get Medicaid at any income, and parents face a much lower cutoff.

That's why the 68% parent column rarely decides anything in Colorado: a parent who's over $1,549 a month for three just gets evaluated in the adult group instead. The parent group still matters for two things. Parents at or under 68% keep a 12-month renewal cycle when 6-month renewals start, and parents caring for a child 13 or younger are exempt from the new work requirement.

What changes in 2027. Under the 2025 federal budget law (Public Law 119-21) and CMS's interim final rule published June 3, 2026 (opens in a new tab), Health First Colorado will start work requirements on January 1, 2027, according to its work requirements FAQ (opens in a new tab). HCPF's H.R. 1 partner FAQ (opens in a new tab) (updated September 21, 2026) says expansion adults will need 80 hours a month of work, school, volunteering or a work program, or at least $580 in monthly earnings, unless exempt. Exemptions include pregnancy and the 12 months after, disability, Medicare, SSI or SSDI, caring for a child 13 or younger, and American Indian or Alaska Native status. Starting the same date, some adults 19 to 64 at or under 133% will renew every 6 months instead of 12. Income limits themselves don't change.

What HCPF's Income Chart Doesn't Tell You

Grantsights found 6 things the official chart leaves out or makes easy to misread:

1. It shows 133%, not 138%. The chart prints the base percentage. The 5% disregard adds about $67 a month for one person and $138 for four (calculated from the 2026 guideline). If you're within that amount of the line, apply anyway.
2. The files still say "Draft." Both April 2026 charts are posted as "Draft" PDFs, but OM 26-007 tells eligibility sites to use them as of April 1, 2026, and the numbers match the public Health First Colorado page.
3. The adult column says "Ages 19-65." The adult group is 19 to 64. At 65, you move to Medicare and the aged rules, with a $2,000 resource limit and much lower income standards.
4. County pages lag. Jefferson County's long-term care page still listed the 2025 limit of $2,901 a month when Grantsights checked it; the 2026 figure is $2,982. The state's own limits sheet also still lists Medicare Savings Program amounts from April 2025, while OM 26-025 has the higher April 2026 amounts.
5. CHP+ isn't free of costs. Enrolling is free and prenatal and preventive care have no copays, but other services can have copays, capped at 5% of yearly household income.
6. Children's 0-3 continuous coverage won't happen. HCPF says that after a July 2025 letter from CMS ending those waiver approvals, it won't move forward with continuous coverage for children 0 to 3. Children 18 and under still get 12 months of continuous coverage once approved.

Grantsights analysis of HCPF's April 2026 Medicaid and CHP+ charts found that a family of four can earn up to $7,150 a month and still have its children covered through CHP+. That's 1.95 times the $3,658 adult limit for the same family, which means many Colorado households have children who qualify while the parents don't.

Common Mistakes and Red Flags

These 6 errors cost Coloradans coverage they could have had:

• Common mistake: using take-home pay. MAGI uses gross income adjusted on your tax return, so pre-tax 401(k) and health premiums come out, but taxes withheld don't.
• Counting the wrong household. A grandparent raising a grandchild who doesn't claim the child on taxes may have a different household than they think. Answer the tax filing questions carefully on the application.
• Assuming savings disqualify you. There's no asset test for adults, children, parents or pregnancy. If you're close to the line, applying is worth it: the eligibility worker, not a chart, makes the call.
• Applying for the parent without the child. Even if you're over the adult limit, your children may qualify for Health First Colorado or CHP+. Apply for everyone.
• People underestimate pregnancy limits. At 195% of poverty on Health First Colorado and up to 260% on CHP+, many working households qualify during pregnancy who wouldn't otherwise. Report the pregnancy right away.
• Red flag: anyone charging to apply. Applications are free. A website or person asking for a fee, a gift card or your PEAK password to "speed up" approval isn't part of the program.

How to Apply for Health First Colorado and CHP+

4 ways to apply, all free, according to Health First Colorado's apply page (opens in a new tab):

• Online: Colorado PEAK (opens in a new tab), which Health First Colorado calls the fastest way. Most people find out right away if they qualify, and you can check status online. You can also apply through Connect for Health Colorado, the state marketplace.
• By phone: 1-800-221-3943 (State Relay: 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• By mail: download and print a paper application.
• In person: your county human services office or a local application assistance site.

Long-term care applications go through your county, not PEAK. Some counties, including Jefferson County, ask you not to use PEAK for those.

How long it takes. Federal rules at 42 CFR 435.912 (opens in a new tab) give states up to 45 days to decide most applications and 90 days when eligibility depends on a disability. Children and pregnant people who need care now can get up to 60 days of temporary coverage through presumptive eligibility at a qualified site, according to HCPF's CHP+ page (opens in a new tab).

What to Do If You're Denied

60 days from the date on your Notice of Action is your deadline to ask for a state fair hearing, according to Health First Colorado's appeals page (opens in a new tab). You can:

• Ask for an informal meeting with your county or eligibility site within the same 60 days.
• File for a state fair hearing with the Office of Administrative Courts (1525 Sherman St., 4th floor, Denver, CO 80203; phone 303-866-2000; email oac-gs@state.co.us).
• Do both at the same time, and send any missing documents while the appeal is pending.

CHP+ eligibility appeals follow the steps in your CHP+ letter; questions go to CHP+ Customer Service at 800-359-1991. If a service you already had is being cut, ask for benefits to continue while the appeal is pending, and act before the date in your notice. Ask for an expedited hearing if waiting would put your health at risk.

If You're Over the Limit: Medicare, CHP+ and the Marketplace

3 main routes cover most people who earn too much for Health First Colorado:

• CHP+ for children and pregnancy, up to 260% of poverty ($7,150 a month for four).
• Connect for Health Colorado, the state's marketplace, where adults over the Medicaid line can shop for plans and may qualify for premium tax credits. If you apply through PEAK and don't qualify, Health First Colorado says it'll point you to other options.
• Medicare help for people 65 and older or on disability Medicare. Medicare Savings Programs pay Medicare premiums for people up to $1,816 a month (QI-1, individual), and Extra Help with drug costs goes up to $2,015 a month for one person (150% FPL), according to the HCPF Medicare Savings Program data in OM 26-025, effective April 1, 2026. Our help for seniors guide and SSI income limits guide cover the related programs.

Working adults with disabilities can also look at the Buy-In program, which goes up to 450% of poverty ($5,985 a month for one person) with a premium.

If you're checking Medicaid, it's worth checking food and other help at the same time. Our Colorado food stamps guide has SNAP limits for the state, our WIC income limits guide covers pregnant women and children under 5, and our federal poverty guidelines guide explains the numbers behind all of these programs. Families paying for child care can check our child care assistance guide.

Grantsights' free eligibility checker can point you to official programs for health coverage, food and rent. It doesn't decide Medicaid eligibility and doesn't file anything for you; only Health First Colorado and your county can do that.

FAQ: Colorado Medicaid Income Limits

What is the income limit for Health First Colorado in 2026?

For adults 19 to 64, $1,769 a month for one person and $3,658 for four (133% of poverty), effective April 1, 2026. With the 5% disregard, the real cutoff is near 138%, about $1,835 for one person.

What is the CHP+ income limit in Colorado?

Under 260% of poverty: $3,458 a month for one person and $7,150 for four, effective April 1, 2026.

Does Colorado Medicaid have an asset limit?

Only for the aged, blind and disabled groups and long-term care: $2,000 for one person and $3,000 for a couple.

What is the income limit for nursing home Medicaid in Colorado?

$2,982 a month in 2026. Above that, you'll need an income trust.

When do Colorado Medicaid work requirements start?

January 1, 2027, for some expansion adults 19 to 64 who aren't exempt.

When do the limits change?

The MAGI and CHP+ charts change each April 1; SSI-based limits change each January.

Sources

1. HCPF: April 2026 Medicaid Income Chart (MAGI Medicaid Monthly Maximum Income Guidelines) (opens in a new tab), effective April 1, 2026
2. HCPF: April 2026 CHP+ Income Chart (opens in a new tab), effective April 1, 2026
3. HCPF Operational Memo OM 26-007: 2026 Federal Poverty Level Guidelines (opens in a new tab), issued February 10, 2026
4. HCPF Operational Memo OM 26-025: 2026 Medicare Savings Programs and Low-Income Subsidy limits (opens in a new tab), effective April 1, 2026
5. HCPF Operational Memo OM 26-023: Buy-In for Working Adults with Disabilities 2026 Income Chart (opens in a new tab), effective April 1, 2026
6. Colorado Non-MAGI and Long-Term Care Income and Resource Limits, version 8 (opens in a new tab), figures effective January 2026
7. Health First Colorado: Do You Qualify? (opens in a new tab) and Apply Now (opens in a new tab)
8. HCPF: Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) (opens in a new tab)
9. Health First Colorado: Appeals (opens in a new tab)
10. HCPF: H.R. 1 Medicaid Partner FAQ (opens in a new tab), updated September 21, 2026, and Health First Colorado: When do the work requirements start? (opens in a new tab)
11. Federal Register: Medicaid Program; Community Engagement Requirement for Certain Individuals (opens in a new tab), June 3, 2026
12. Medicaid.gov: Medicaid, CHIP and BHP Eligibility Levels (opens in a new tab)
13. HHS ASPE: 2026 Poverty Guidelines (opens in a new tab): $15,960 for one, $27,320 for three, $33,000 for four, plus $5,680 per extra person
14. SSA POMS SI 02001.020: SSI Federal Benefit Rate Chart (opens in a new tab): $994 individual and $1,491 couple for 2026
15. eCFR: 42 CFR 435.603, MAGI methodology (opens in a new tab) and 42 CFR 435.912, timeliness standards (opens in a new tab)
16. Jefferson County Human Services: Long Term Care (opens in a new tab)