Effective January 1, 2025, the Base Wage requirement remains at $17.00 per hour for all direct care workers in Colorado’s Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) settings. In addition, the base wage requirement was increased to $18.81 per hour in Denver.
Learn more about the rights and responsibilities in the direct care industry
Learn more about Colorado's labor standards and minimum wage
For more information, email HCPF_basewage@state.co.us
Reporting and Compliance
While there is no increase to the direct care worker base wage planned for 2025—aside from the January 1, 2025 increase in Denver's minimum wage—the attestation process will continue to capture compliance. HCBS providers that have not submitted the required attestation form by the due date will be publicly posted, and claim payments will be suspended. Providers who fail to meet reporting or base wage requirements may be subject to audits, corrective actions, claim payment suspensions, or recoupment.
Information about the 2025 attestation process and timelines will be released through Informational and Operational Memos beginning in May 2025. Messaging will also be shared in the Provider Bulletin and the OCL Long-Term Services and Supports newsletter as we approach the reporting date.
Base Wage Qualifying Services
Direct Care Workers are defined as non-administrative employees or independent contractors of a Provider Agency or Consumer Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS) employer who provides hands-on care, services, and support to older adults and individuals with disabilities across the long-term services and supports continuum within home and community-based settings. Services requiring Direct Care Workers to be paid at least the base wage include:
- Adult Day Services
- Alternative Care Facility (ACF)
- Community Connector
- Consumer Directed Attendant Support Services (CDASS)
- Foster Care Home (Children’s Habilitation Residential Program)
- Group Home Habilitation (CHRP)
- Group Residential Support Services (GRSS)
- Homemaker
- Homemaker Enhanced
- Host Home (CHRP)
- In-Home Support Services (IHSS)
- Individual Residential Support Services (IRSS)
- Job Coaching
- Job Development
- Mental Health Transitional Living Homes
- Mentorship
- Pediatric Personal Care
- Personal Care
- Prevocational Services
- Respite
- Specialized Habilitation
- Supported Community Connections
- Supported Living Program
In the event that a Direct Care Worker, based on state or local minimum wage laws, is eligible for a minimum wage that exceeds the base wage requirement, the Provider is required to compensate at the higher wage. If a Direct Care Worker is eligible for a per diem wage, the Provider must increase the Direct Care Worker’s per diem wage by the percentage of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) reimbursement rate increase. HCPF may add additional qualifying services that are applicable to this rule and not listed above.
Base Wage History
| 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | $15.00/hr | $15.75/hr | $17.00/hr | $17.00/hr |
| Denver | $15.87/hr | $17.29/hr | $18.29/hr | $18.81/hr |
On January 1, 2022, the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) approved a $15.00 per hour base wage requirement for all direct care workers. HCBS providers were required to notify their direct care workers of the wage increase. In 2023, the base wage increased and was expanded to include the Children’s Habilitation Residential Program (CHRP) Waiver, and the base wage was increased again in 2024.
In 2022, HCPF began requiring all Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) providers to submit a Wage Attestation form annually, confirming compliance with the base wage increase and per diem rate adjustments for Individual Residential Services and Supports (IRSS) direct care workers.
View the following HCPF memo communications, which outline this requirement and process:
- Informational Memo IM 24-022 - Claim Holds for HCBS Providers Who Haven’t Submitted the 2024 Base Wage Attestation Form - September 11, 2024
- Informational Memo IM 24-020 - HCBS 2024 Base Wage Compliance Reminder - August 7, 2024
- Operational Memo OM 24-033 - HCBS 2024 Direct Care Worker Base Wage Attestation - July 3, 2024
- Operational Memo OM 24-032 - HCBS Base Wage Rate Increase and Compliance Process 2024 - July 3, 2024
Letter from Gov. Polis: Notice of New Base Wage Requirement for Direct Care Workers - December 15, 2021