Get help from your state paying your Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and Part B (Medical Insurance) premiums through a Medicare Savings Program. If you qualify, Medicare Savings Programs might also pay your Part A and Part B deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments.

You’ll apply for Medicare Savings Programs through your state. When you apply, your state determines which program(s) you qualify for. Even if you don’t think you qualify, you should still apply.

HOW TO QUALIFY FOR THE 4 MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAMS

In many cases, to qualify for a Medicare Savings Program, you must have income and resources below a certain limit, as described below. These limits go up each year.

You may still qualify for these programs in your state even if your income or resources are higher than the federal limits listed. Some states don’t count certain types or specific amounts of income or resources when deciding who qualifies.

1. QUALIFIED MEDICARE BENEFICIARY (QMB) PROGRAM

Helps pay for: Part A premiums; Part B premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and copayments (for services and items Medicare covers).

Monthly income and resource limits for 2024:

Health First Colorado is Colorado’s Medicaid Program, providing health care coverage to the public. This public health insurance is available to those who qualify.

If qualified, you will be able to access 3 kinds of basic benefits:

1. Physical health benefits

2. Dental benefits

3. Behavioral health (mental health and substance use benefits)

Some benefits may require a co-pay. A co-pay is a fixed amount for a covered service, paid by a patient to the provider.

BENEFITS

HEALTH CARE PROVIDER VISITS

• Primary Care Medical Provider Visit
• Specialist Visits
• Home Health
• Telemedicine
• Vision Care

DENTAL SERVICES

• Cleanings
• Fillings
• Root Canals
• Crowns
• Partial Dentures

HOSPITALIZATION, EMERGENCY SERVICES, TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER SERVICES

• Emergency Room
• Ambulance Services
• Non-Emergent Medical Transportation
• Urgent care centers/facilities
• Outpatient surgery at an Ambulatory Surgery Center
• Outpatient Hospital Services
• Inpatient Medical/Surgical Care
• Organ and Transplants
• Anesthesia
• Breast reconstruction
• Hospice
• Private Duty Nursing
• Radiation therapy and Chemotherapy services

MATERNITY AND NEWBORN CARE

• Prenatal and postpartum care
• Delivery and inpatient maternity services
• Newborn child coverage
• Breast Pumps
• Specialty Programs – Nurse Home Visitor Program, Prenatal Plus, Special Connections

MENTAL HEALTH, SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER, OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES

• Alcohol and/or drug assessment
• Physical assessment of detoxification progression including vital signs monitoring
• Behavioral health counseling and therapy, individual
• Alcohol and/or drug services – Group counseling by a clinician, Targeted case management
• Safety assessment including suicide ideation and other behavioral issues
• Level of motivation assessment for treatment evaluation
• Drug screening and monitoring
• Medication-assisted treatment
• Inpatient Hospital
• Outpatient Psychotherapy
• Group Psychotherapy
• Family Psychotherapy
• Mental Health Assessment
• Pharmacologic Management
• Outpatient Day Treatment, non-residential
• Emergency/Crisis Services
• Clinic Services, Case Management
• Biologically-based mental illnesses and disorders
• Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder – Outpatient hospital and physician, Inpatient hospital
• Substance Use Disorder – Residential Treatment, Withdrawal Management
• School-based mental health services

PHARMACY AND DURABLE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT BENEFITS

• Prescription Drugs
• Durable Medical Equipment

PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL OR SPEECH THERAPY

• Home Health Therapies (Physical therapy/ Occupational therapy/ Speech therapy) – Acute, Long Term
• Outpatient Speech Therapy
• Inpatient Speech Therapy
• Outpatient Physical therapy/ Occupational therapy
• Inpatient Physical therapy/ Occupational therapy

LABORATORY SERVICES

• Lab and Radiology

PREVENTIVE AND WELLNESS SERVICES

• Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
• Immunizations
• Colorectal cancer screening
• Screening mammography
• Audiology
• Allergy testing and injections
• Screening Pap tests
• Gynecological exam
• Prostate cancer screening
• Routine foot care

FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES

• Office Visits and Counseling
• Surgical Sterilization
• Contraceptives
• Long Acting Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs)
• Emergency Contraceptives
• Fertility Assessments

ELIGIBILITY

You may qualify for Health First Colorado if you meet the income guidelines:

Approximate Monthly Income To Qualify for Health First Colorado

WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY

• Social security numbers for applicants who have them
• Immigration document numbers for non-citizens
• The name, address, contact info, and birth date for applicants
• Employer and income information for everyone in your household. Examples include pay stubs or W2 forms.
• Other income information including Social Security Administration (SSA) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments and mentions
• Information and policy numbers for health insurance plans covering members of your household, including Medicare

Health First Colorado Application English

Health First Colorado Application Spanish

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income households in Colorado purchase food. It provides a monthly benefit that helps families and individuals buy the food they need for good health.

The benefit is provided based on income, resources and the number of individuals in the household. Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards are used to receive the benefit and can be used similar to debit cards at participating food stores. The benefit can be doubled in value by shopping at participating markets and food stores that support the Double Up Food Bucks program.

SNAP is part of a federal nutrition program to help low-income households purchase food. County human services departments are responsible for determining eligibility and authorizing SNAP.

ELIGIBILITY

Those who qualify for SNAP include persons who may meet one of the following options:

• Work for low wages
• Are unemployed or work part-time
• Receive TANF, SSI or other assistance payments
• Are elderly or disabled and live on a small income
• Are children
• Adults ages 18 to 52 who have no children in their home (known as ABAWDs, able-bodied adults without dependents)

Individuals, couples and families may qualify if their income is less than 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). See the table below for gross monthly income limits, based on household size. Note: The values below have been updated to reflect SNAP increases on Oct. 1, 2023.

TO APPLY:

SNAP English Application

SNAP Spanish Application

SNAP Large Print Application 

DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO APPLY

Proof of income

• 30 days of earned income (pay stubs, employer statement that includes pay per hour and hours per week, etc.)
• Self-employment bookkeeping records (if self-employed)
• Agency letter showing unearned income (Social Security Retirement or Disability income, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Veterans Affairs (VA) pension or disability benefits, Unemployment, child support, alimony, private retirement, pension, etc.)

Proof of identity (any of the items below)

• Driver’s license or state-issued identification card
• Birth certificate or Social Security card
• Work or school identification card
• Voter registration card

Proof of medical expenses (ONLY if over 60 or disabled)

• Billing statements or repayment agreements
• Medicare card, indicating Part B
• Mileage or transportation costs to/from medical appointments
• Itemized receipts for medical expenses (prescription drugs, medical supplies, etc.)

Other possible documents

• Immigration or naturalization papers (ONLY if these documents apply to you. For example, NOT required if you are only applying for your children who were born in the United States)
• Child care expenses (if appropriate)

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I APPLY?

Once you have submitted an application for SNAP benefits:

• In most cases, the county human services office has 30 days to determine your eligibility.
• If you have less than $100 in cash and less than $150 in monthly earnings, or if your housing expenses exceed your monthly income or if you are a migrant or seasonal farm worker, you may be eligible for expedited SNAP benefits within 7 days.

You may need an interview over the phone. If you prefer, you can request an interview in person.

If an interview is needed, the county human services office may:

• If you included a phone number on your application, a worker may attempt to call you at the phone number you provided when your application is received.
• If the worker cannot reach you when attempting to call, you will receive a notice of the date and time of a scheduled interview.
• Follow the instructions on the interview notice for how to:
  • Attend your interview at the scheduled date and time
  • Reschedule your interview if the scheduled date and time is not convenient for you

You may need to provide documents verifying your situation and you can provide them in the following ways:

• Upload them to your PEAK account on colorado.gov/PEAK
• Upload them to your MyCOBenefits application on your mobile device
• Provide them to your county human services office location
• Mail them to the mailing address on your county’s letterhead or website

You will be provided an EBT card by mail or in-person so you can access your SNAP benefits.

For more information, please visit the SNAP website

ABOUT LEAP

The Colorado Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP) is a federally funded program that helps eligible hard-working Colorado families, seniors and individuals pay a portion of their winter home heating costs. Its goal is to help bring warmth, comfort and safety to your home and family by assisting with heating costs.

The LEAP program works to keep our communities warm during the winter (November through April) by providing assistance with heating costs, equipment repair and/or replacement of inoperable heating tools. While the program is not intended to pay the entire cost of home heating, we aim to help alleviate some of the burdens that come with Colorado’s colder months.

In most cases, the energy assistance benefit is paid directly to the household energy supplier. In most cases, if you are approved for LEAP, payments are made directly to your primary heating fuel vendor and a notice will be sent to you informing you of the benefit amount. Other benefits provided by LEAP include repair or replacement of a home’s primary heating system, such as a furnace or wood-burning stove. The program does not provide financial assistance for any type of temporary or portable heating.

ELIGIBILITY 

You may qualify for LEAP benefits if you:

• Pay home heating costs, either directly to a utility company or to a landlord as part of rent.
• Earn a maximum family household income that does not exceed 60% of the state median income level.
• Provide proof of lawful presence in the U.S., for you and household members born outside of the U.S. Valid forms of identification include:
  • Naturalization Certificate, or
  • Born Abroad Certificate, or
  • U.S. Passport
  • Permanent Resident Card, or
  • Documentation of Refugee or Asylee status

Use the table below to determine your monthly gross income according to your household size. Household refers to all people living with you and for whom you are financially responsible. The table below will displays updated income guidelines for the 2023-2024 season that begins November 1, 2023 and ends April 30, 2024.

HOW TO APPLY

To apply for LEAP, you can submit an application several ways starting Nov 1st through April 30th:

LEAP English Application and Information Sheet

LEAP Spanish Application and Information Sheet

For more information please visit the LEAP website