Though I voted against the “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act, President Trump prevailed, and recently signed his signature bill into law. This sweeping budget proposal will have disastrous consequences for Coloradans, and my office has received thousands of phone calls, letters, and emails from people across our community who are terrified about what this legislation will mean for them and their families. Please know that we are here to help.
This page will serve as a resource on what to expect in the months and years ahead. While we do not have the answers to everything just yet, we will continue to update this page as we receive more information.
Changes to Health Care
Medicaid Changes
1. More Frequent Eligibility Reviews
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What’s changing: Starting December 31, 2026, eligibility for Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) must be reviewed every six months, instead of once per year.
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Why it matters: More frequent reviews dramatically increase the risk of eligible individuals losing coverage due to paperwork issues. It’s estimated that Colorado will spend $57 million a year on administrative costs alone. Rather than getting people the care they need, our state will be forced to fire frontline health care works to hire more bureaucrats.
2. New Work Requirements
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What’s changing: By December 31, 2026, adults ages 19–64 in the Medicaid expansion population (including those with dependents over age 14) must complete 80 hours/month of work, job training, community service, or education to stay covered.
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Why it matters: Colorado’s Medicaid expansion population includes people earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level (e.g., $21,597/year for an individual or $44,367 for a family of four). These are often part-time workers or caregivers. In Arkansas, similar requirements caused over 18,000 people to lose coverage, with most being wrongfully removed. This will impact people with disabilities and those who are struggling with addiction by implementing burdensome red tape and paperwork requirements, making it likely that they could lose the health care they need.
3. $35 Copays for Medicaid Expansion Enrollees
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What’s changing: By October 1, 2028, states must impose $35 copays for certain services for those in the Medicaid expansion group.
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Why it matters: For someone earning $21,000/year, a $35 copay is a significant financial burden that could force people to delay or skip needed care. It could be a choice between a doctor visit or putting food on the table.
4. Excluding Planned Parenthood from Medicaid
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What’s changing: Beginning July 4, 2025, states will be prohibited from reimbursing Planned Parenthood for Medicaid services. Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains already had to notify 15,000 patients that they can no longer receive care at clinics.
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Why it matters: This eliminates access to preventive and reproductive health care for thousands of patients, disproportionately affecting low-income individuals and rural residents.
5. Capping Provider Taxes
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What’s changing: Colorado uses a provider fee (a tax on hospitals) to draw down federal Medicaid dollars and redistribute funds to support rural hospitals and cover uncompensated care. Starting in October 2027, states must begin reducing provider taxes by 0.5% per year, reaching a 3.5% cap by 2031.
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Why it matters: Colorado currently charges a 6% provider fee. Reducing this cap could cost the state $675 million and force cuts to Medicaid services, with rural hospitals hit hardest. This could impact the Medicaid buy-in program which allows those with disabilities to “buy-in” to Medicaid coverage if private insurance want cover treatment but their income exceeds the usual limit.
ACA Marketplace Changes
1. Expiration of Enhanced Premium Tax Credits
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What’s changing: On December 31, 2025, the enhanced subsidies that lower premiums on Connect for Health Colorado will expire.
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What it means for you:
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80% of Coloradans who purchase health insurance through the ACA Marketplace receive these subsidies.
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Average monthly premiums in Colorado are expected to increase 104%.
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52,000 Coloradans may lose coverage due to affordability.
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Increases will be visible during Open Enrollment in November 2025 and affect budgets starting January 2026.
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Who is affected:
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Individuals who purchase health care coverage through Connect for Health Colorado and fall within 100-400% of the federal poverty line. You can see if you qualify HERE.
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Those not covered by an employer, Medicare, or Medicaid.
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County-specific premium estimates will be available to help you see the expected change.
SNAP (Food Assistance) Changes
1. Expanded Work Requirements
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What’s changing: Work requirements (80 hours/month) will now apply to adults ages 18–65, up from 18–54.
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Why it matters: 27,000 Coloradans are at risk of losing SNAP due to new paperwork requirements and bureaucratic red tape that will make it difficult for those in need to get food assistance.
2. Increased State Administrative Costs
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What’s changing: Starting October 1, 2027, Colorado will have to pay 75% of SNAP administrative costs, up from 50%.
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Why it matters: This could force Colorado to cut benefits or services unless additional funding is delivered.
Student Loans and Higher Education
Trump’s Big Bad Bill makes it harder for students and families to afford higher education. It does two major things:
1. New Limits on Student and Parent Loans (starting July 1, 2026)
The bill sets strict new caps on how much you can borrow from the federal government:
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Graduate students (non-professional degrees): $20,500 per year, with a $100,000 lifetime cap
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Graduate students (professional degrees like law or medicine): $50,000 per year, with a $200,000 lifetime cap
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Parents using Parent PLUS loans: $20,000 per year, with a $65,000 cap per child
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Overall lifetime borrowing limit (undergrad + grad): $257,000
This bill makes it so only the wealthiest people in our country are able to pursue graduate degrees like law school or medical school.
If you're already enrolled in school by June 30, 2026, these limits won’t apply to you right away — you’ll have a three-year grace period.
2. Replacing Existing Student Loan Repayment Plans
The bill eliminates all current income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. These are the plans that allow you to make payments based on your income and eventually qualify for forgiveness.
They’re being replaced with a single new plan that will mean higher monthly payments for most borrowers.
How to find out if you’re affected:
These changes will hit hardest for borrowers who rely most on federal aid — including low-income students, first-generation college-goers, and working parents. We’ll keep fighting to protect access to higher education.
What This Means for Colorado
This bill shifts financial responsibility from the federal government to Colorado – when our state already faces tight budget constraints. The changes will:
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Threaten health care access for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans
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Disrupt funding for rural hospitals
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Raise out-of-pocket costs for low-income families
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Increase premiums for ACA enrollees by over 100%
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Cut off access to providers like Planned Parenthood
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Create new burdens for food assistance and student loan borrowers
Need Help?
Our office is here to support you. Contact us with questions about how these changes may affect you or your family. We’ll continue advocating for affordable care and keeping you informed as implementation begins.
