This section is meant to help guide you through the various resources to access affordable health insurance and/or sliding scale medical services. These services are for low-income individuals and families and eligibility is based on current household income.

Medicaid/Children’s Health Plan Plus (CHP+): Medicaid (known as Health First Colorado in Colorado) and CHP+ are federal programs that provide medical coverage to low-income individuals and families who meet the income and eligibility requirements for the program. Please see the Health First Colorado website for more information on the eligibility requirements or to apply for assistance. You can also apply for medical assistance AND other programs simultaneously on the Colorado PEAK website. 

Long Term Care Medicaid: Within the Medicaid program is an additional program known as Long Term Care. This program is designed to provide assistance to individuals with disabilities who need assistance with day-to-day self-care activities and have low income and limited resources. Services may include home health care or nursing/assisted living care. You can apply for this program on the Health First website or PEAK, but the process does take some time and we recommend that you contact the Economic Assistance department at (970) 920-5244 to learn more. 

Individuals Who Are Not Lawfully Present: For individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States, access to Medicaid coverage is very limited. There are two exceptions: women who are pregnant and anyone whose doctor will verify was treated for a life or limb threatening injury or illness. The standard income limits do apply. For more information, please contact the Economic Assistance department at (970) 920-5244.

Connect For Health Colorado: Connect for Health Colorado is the official marketplace for health insurance where the premiums can be offset by tax credits for income eligible individuals and families. Please visit their website to learn more. Please know that you will need to apply for Medicaid and be denied due to excess income to qualify for a tax credit towards you premium. 

Mountain Family Health Centers: Mountain Family Health Centers (MFHC) provides integrated health services (medical, dental, and behavioral health care) and can work with patients on a sliding scale fee schedule to meet their budget needs. Please have a look at their website to review the hours and services at their Basalt location.

Community Health Services: Community Health Services is a local nonprofit whose mission is to provide preventative health services to the community. This includes: immunizations, women’s health screenings, STI testing, and prenatal care. They accept Medicaid and have affordable pricing for their services. Please review their website for more information.

Non-Emergency Medical Transportation (NEMT)

Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program), in addition to providing medical coverage for more than 1 million Colorado residents, is free transportation to and from your doctor’s appointments or can help eligible customers pay for their travel expenses incurred for non-emergency travel to and from doctor appointments and other health-related appointments. 

If you are eligible for Health First Colorado (Medicaid) and anticipate needing a ride to a doctor’s appointment or having expenses related to travel to or from medical appointments, or have incurred costs from travel to or from medical appointments in the last 240 days, please contact Intelliride for assistance.

What do I need to do?

1. Call toll free 1-855-489-4999 or (1-303-398-2155), or go to the Member Services Page a minimum of 2 Business Days prior to your Medicaid medical appointment.
2. Have your appointment approved by our Medicaid Transportation Specialist and coordinate your driver.
3. Attend your appointment. (Be sure to take your reimbursement form with you and collect the proper information from both your driver and your doctor’s office.)
4. Submit the completed reimbursement form to your Medicaid Transportation Specialist at Mountain Ride

Health First Colorado (formerly known as Medicaid)

This program is for families and individuals. Health First Colorado is available to pregnant women, children under the age of 18 (and in some situations the child’s parents), adults over the age of 60 or permanently and totally disabled, working adults with disabilities between the ages of 16 and 64, and adults without dependent children between the ages of 19 and 64. Only U.S. citizens and legal resident aliens are eligible for regular Health First Colorado. Pregnant, undocumented women are eligible for delivery costs only.

For pregnant women and children applications are available in English and Spanish. For adults over the age of 60 or permanently and totally disabled applications are available in English (PDF) and Spanish (PDF).

Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program) created these

educational videos for members. To learn more about available programs, their benefits, and to apply, click on the link below.

View Videos Here

The Arc of the Central Mountains is a nonprofit 501 (c)3 organization serving the rural counties of Eagle, Garfield, Lake and Pitkin. We are committed to creating opportunities within our local communities for all individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. We collaborate with various stakeholder groups and organizations to create a truly community-based solutions. The Arc of the Central Mountains provides support through Advocacy, Public Policy, Outreach and Education.

Mountain Valley Developmental Services supports adults and children in Eagle, Garfield, Lake and Pitkin counties with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD). Our work provides life span services for these individuals, their parents and family members, guardians, colleagues at work, neighbors and friends to promote independence, quality of life, and rights protection.