Beginning in 2014 many of the provisions for expanding Medicaid went into effect to provide health care for lower income Americans including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors and individuals with disabilities. Financial eligibility varies by state; for Colorado it is 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). The FPL, which is indexed up each year, is $24,250 for a family of four for 2016 meaning that if the earned income for a family in Colorado is below $33,465 they might be financially eligible for Medicaid.
This coverage can be a temporary help to young people and young families as they struggle to get started in their careers, make a career change or take a break from work to further their education.
Also available for children in lower income families is the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The income levels for this program are slightly higher, usually meaning that the family does not qualify for Medicaid but the children often will qualify for this coverage.
For more information on both of these programs go to: www.medicaid.gov