Colorado Medicaid Program Overview
Enrollment, funding, and managed care facts for Colorado Medicaid.
Get Colorado's Medicaid Fee Schedule →Enrollment
Colorado Medicaid covered approximately 1.19-1.20M people. Two independent sources give close but different-period figures for total Colorado Medicaid/CHIP enrollment: KFF's state indicator (1,188,091, May 2026) and CMS's 2024 Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment and Program Characteristics report (1,197,490 total Medicaid enrollees, July 1, 2024). Consistent with a modest post-pandemic 'unwinding' enrollment decline between mid-2024 and mid-2026, not a data error. Reported as a range rather than a single false-precision number.
Funding & federal match
Colorado has adopted ACA Medicaid expansion, effective 2014-01-01.
For FFY2026 (Oct 1, 2025 - Sep 30, 2026), Colorado's Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) is 50%.
Delivery system & managed care
A large share of Colorado Medicaid is delivered through managed care organizations (MCOs) rather than fee-for-service — estimates range from 0.3-0.4% of Medicaid enrollees.
Waivers
Colorado operates Medicaid managed care under the Colorado Substance Use Disorder (SUD) / Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Section 1115 Demonstration, a Section 1115 demonstration waiver. Demonstration Project No. 11-W-00336/8, originally approved effective January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025 to expand the substance use disorder continuum of care. Amended in 2024-25 to add Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) coverage (housing and nutrition supports) for eligible Health First Colorado and CHP+ members.
Has Colorado expanded Medicaid under the ACA?
Yes. Colorado has adopted ACA Medicaid expansion. Effective 2014-01-01.
How many people are enrolled in Colorado Medicaid?
Approximately 1.19-1.20M people.
What percentage of the federal Medicaid match does Colorado receive?
50% for FFY2026 (Oct 1, 2025 - Sep 30, 2026) — meaning the federal government pays roughly 50 cents of every Colorado Medicaid dollar, and the state pays the rest.
Is most of Colorado Medicaid delivered through managed care?
Estimates range from 0.3-0.4% of Medicaid enrollees in managed care.
What Medicaid waivers does Colorado operate under?
Colorado Substance Use Disorder (SUD) / Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) Section 1115 Demonstration, a Section 1115 demonstration waiver. Demonstration Project No. 11-W-00336/8, originally approved effective January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2025 to expand the substance use disorder continuum of care. Amended in 2024-25 to add Health-Related Social Needs (HRSN) coverage (housing and nutrition supports) for eligible Health First Colorado and CHP+ members.
Get Colorado's Free Medicaid Fee Schedule
Request actual Colorado Medicaid reimbursement rates by billing code — free, delivered as a CSV.
Sources
- KFF State Health Facts - Total Monthly Medicaid & CHIP Enrollment
- CMS - Medicaid Managed Care Enrollment and Program Characteristics, 2024
- MACPAC - MACStats Medicaid and CHIP Data Book, Exhibit 6 (FMAPs and E-FMAPs by State, FYs 2023-2026)
- Congressional Research Service - Medicaid's Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP), R43847, Table A-1
- KFF - Status of State Action on the Medicaid Expansion Decision
- healthinsurance.org - Medicaid eligibility and enrollment in Colorado
- MACPAC - MACStats Medicaid and CHIP Data Book, Exhibit 29 (Percentage of Medicaid Enrollees in Managed Care by State, July 1, 2022)
- Colorado HCPF - Section 1115 SUD Waiver Amendment Overview
- Medicaid.gov - Colorado Demonstration No. 11-W-00336/8 Amendment Request (HRSN)
Data last verified 2026-09-17. Also see our free Medicaid Fee Schedule tool.