DENVER — Colorado mental health centers are trying to adjust to a massive loss of funds following the expiration of American Rescue Act funds. The drop in Medicaid funding led to a stark decline in enrollment, leaving many Coloradans uninsured.
According to state data, 1.8 million people were enrolled in Medicaid during the pandemic. Following the re-evaluation of eligibility standards, the state believed that around 300,000 Coloradans would lose their enrollment. However, more than 600,000 Coloradans were purged from the system.
The change in eligibility standards leading to coverage loss has been called Medicaid “unwind.” The majority of those who lost their coverage exceeded the Medicaid income limit. The annual household income for a single person in Colorado to qualify for Medicaid must be below $20,030 and $41,496 for a family of four.
“We started hearing stories from people that we serve that were losing Medicaid and struggling to address their health care needs,” said Dr. Kiara Kuenzler, president of Jefferson Center, a mental health facility.