Health Benefits for Children and Pregnant Persons

Register for the Cover All Coloradans: Health Services Initiative Stakeholder Meeting on Monday, May 15 from noon to 2 p.m. Or, register to attend the evening session planned for Tuesday, May 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.

HB22-1289, known as Health Benefits for Children and Pregnant Persons or the Cover All Coloradans bill, expands health coverage to children and pregnant persons regardless of immigration status. The legislation is to improve health equity for pregnant persons and children in Colorado by making coverage more affordable, more broadly available, and investing in perinatal and postpartum care. The legislation also makes improvements to existing Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) benefits for children and pregnant persons.

The following benefits went into effect on July 1, 2022:

  • An enhanced lactation benefit that provides electric breast pumps and related supplies. Lactation support services are under development at the Department. 
  • Postpartum coverage is available for a full 12 months after a pregnancy ends as long as members tell Health First Colorado (Colorado's Medicaid program) or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) they are pregnant. 
  • There is no longer a CHP+ enrollment fee for families participating in the program. This gets rid of financial barriers to enrollment and retention in CHP+ after the public health emergency ends. (Enrollment fees have been suspended during the public health emergency. The end date of the public health emergency is still unknown and will be decided by the federal government.)

Coverage expansions for children and pregnant persons eligible for Health First Colorado and CHP+ regardless of their immigration status begins January 1, 2025.

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Cover All Coloradans: Health Service Initiative Stakeholder Meetings

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March 6, 2023

November 29, 2022

Lactation Benefit

Enhanced lactation equipment and supplies are provided to current Health First Colorado and CHP+ members, and will be given to lactating persons who qualify under the new coverage expansions beginning in January 2025.

The expanded benefit includes electric breast pumps and related supplies. For certain situations like premature births, loaned hospital-grade breast pumps and supplies will be available. The enhanced lactation support benefit allows for Medicaid and CHP+ to reimburse lactation consultants without requiring supervision from another provider like a doctor or nurse.

Federal Funding

HB22-1289 requires the Department to maximize federal funding opportunities, and to work with stakeholders in creating a prioritized list of how funding should be used to advance perinatal and postpartum care support. Stakeholder engagement on the use of the Federal Health Services Initiative funding will begin in early 2023. Early 2024 is the deadline for presenting the prioritized list of ideas to the legislature.

Coverage Expansions

HB22-1289 expands Health First Colorado and CHP+ benefits to children and pregnant persons regardless of their immigration status. Stakeholder engagement on coverage expansions will be ongoing in 2023 through 2024.

Community Outreach

HB22-1289 requires the Department to work with stakeholders and community members to develop an outreach strategy to educate and help enroll children and pregnant persons when the new coverage opportunities become available. Stakeholder engagement on outreach strategies will begin in early 2024.

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