At the Colorado Health Foundation, we know what kind of Colorado we want to live in:
- One where every child starts the day with a full stomach
- Where families don’t have to choose between rent or food
- Where aging Coloradans receive the health care they need
- Where good health and well-being are within reach for everyone, no matter their income, race, zip code or background
This future is possible, and it starts with policies that invest equitably in the health and well-being of communities.
Yet, federal legislation recently signed into law includes many harmful provisions, including more than $1 trillion in cuts to critical health investments through programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). These cuts disproportionately impact people living on low incomes, are deeply short-sighted and will have lasting consequences for Colorado families.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act is expected to strip health care coverage from 11 million Americans and cut access to vital food assistance for 3 million people. Eliminating health coverage and support for people experiencing hunger punishes children, older adults and working families, while also putting the nation’s health and well-being at risk.
In Colorado alone, more than 1.3 million residents—22% of our state’s population—receive health coverage through Health First Colorado (Medicaid), the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) and other programs impacted by this new law. These policy changes could leave an additional 150,000 Coloradans uninsured by 2034, directly threatening their health and placing further strain on an already stressed health care system.
Medicaid is not just health coverage — it’s a lifeline. It funds care for children, seniors, veterans, people with disabilities and those facing serious health conditions. It supports 61% of Coloradans in nursing homes, 39% of children and 44% of all births in our state.
Meanwhile, SNAP remains one of the most effective anti-hunger programs in the U.S., helping over 584,000 Coloradans afford groceries and lifting 75,000 people above the poverty line in Colorado each year, including 33,000 children. For a family of four in Colorado, the maximum monthly SNAP allotment is $975, still not enough to keep pace with our state’s rising cost of living. Cuts to SNAP will directly harm the health, education and economic well-being of families and communities across Colorado.
Our 2025 Pulse Poll reveals that affordability is top of mind for many in our state:
- 29% worry they won’t be able to afford enough food in the next year — a number that jumps to 69% among households earning under $30,000.
- 75% of respondents consider health care cost a serious problem, and more than one-third are concerned about someone in their household losing health coverage in the coming year.
These are not abstract numbers; they represent Coloradans struggling to feed their families and stay healthy in the face of rising costs. At the same time, this legislation is projected to add more than $3 trillion to the national debt by creating tax advantages for the wealthiest Americans and powerful industries while penalizing people living on low-incomes.
Health equity must be the north star for the policymakers who serve our communities. We will continue to speak out against policies that harm Coloradans, and we call on Colorado’s leaders to do the same. While many components of these policy changes will not take effect immediately, now is the time for the leaders of our state to act boldly alongside communities to continue to chart a more equitable future for Colorado.
Together, we must redouble our efforts to ensure that everyone has what they need to live full and healthy lives.