Changes coming to Medicaid

By: Jenn Ochs a Medicaid member and disability advocate.

 The disability community will be harmfully affected this January 2027.  A process just ramping up will bring work requirements, shorter renewals and even loss of benefits for Medicaid members.

This is all due to passing HR-1 aka, The Big Beautiful Bill. Which created a 400 million deficit in Medicaid.

Last week Colorado’s Health Care Policy and Finance, HCPF, gave a presentation entitled, Federal Changes to Medicaid and I will summarize it for you. For the full presentation click here for English and here for Spanish.

Starting in January 2027, work requirements will be required to receive MediCaid benefits for some members but not all.

The work requirements will be 80 hours a month or $580 a month of work, self work or community engagement or education.  Income will need to be reported through the Peak/Health First website. A list of accepted work requirements will be listed on HCPF website.

There’s a list of exemptions. Pregnancy, age under 18 and older 65, caregiver status, enrollment in Longterm Care and Support or LTSS, participation in Medicaid buy in and medical frailty. The full list, including an in depth explanation of what qualifies as medical frailty, can be found at HR-1 Resource page.

There’s a quick and easy screening tool on HCPF site where you can find out if work requirements will affect your benefits.

Along with work requirements, members may experience quicker renewal deadlines. Currently, Medicaid members are required to renew their eligibility every 12 months. However, a 6 month renewal will be required for some Medicaid members.  Basically renewal deadlines will be determined through ongoing correspondence between Peak/Health First and Medicaid members. So Medicaid members should verify their current contact information and keep a watch on your inbox or mailbox.

After hearing about the federal changes, HCPF was asked if they could handle the increase of work that HR-1 creates. Admittedly, HCPF does not know if they will be able to keep up with the increase of work. Which is concerning considering that these HR-1 requirements are already causing loss of health insurance for thousands.

Here are the key takeaways always reported by HCPF:

●       5,900 lost coverage October 1,2026

●       3,400 additional members could lose coverage by February 2027

●       In depth exemptions can be found .com

●       Make sure your contact info is current on the PEAK/HealthFirst website

●       Work Requirements will go into effect January 2027

●       1.2 million people in Colorado are on Medicaid

●       377,000 adults may be affected

●       Up to 9,200 eligible immigrants may be affected

Please share this information widely. Help all Medicaid members be as prepared as possible.

*This article reflects the personal views and perspectives of its author, a self-advocate, and does not constitute an official position or statement of the Association for Community Living (ACL). Please verify statistics and data directly at hcpf.colorado.gov and Medicaid.gov.

💙 Honoring the Heart of Care: Direct Care Worker Appreciation Week 2025

This week, we pause to celebrate the people who make independence possible.

Direct Care Worker Appreciation Week 2025 is a time to honor the compassion, skill, and dedication of those who show up every day to support people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in living full, self-directed lives.

From helping with daily routines to supporting communication, from building trust to celebrating milestones—direct care workers are not just staff. They are lifelines. They are allies. They are partners in possibility.

In SABE, we see the impact of direct care workers every day. We feel it in the joy of cooking a meal with someone. We hear it in the laughter between longtime staff and other self advocates. We feel it in the steady presence of someone who knows how to show up—not just when it's easy, but when it’s hard.

And yet, despite their vital role, direct care workers are too often underpaid, undervalued, and overlooked. That’s why this week is more than a thank-you—it’s a call to action. It’s a reminder that supporting those who provide care is essential to building an inclusive, thriving community.

To every direct care worker in Boulder, Broomfield, and beyond:

Thank you.
Thank you for your time, your care, your resilience.
Thank you for showing up. Again and again.

We see you. We appreciate you. We stand with you.

– SABE

P.S. If you’d like to spread the word about Direct Care Worker Appreciation Week, check out this toolkit!

Ms. Wheelchair Colorado Crowned

Boulder, CO. - February 24, 2024

Bobbi Christensen of Lafayette, CO was named Ms. Wheelchair Colorado 2024.

Bobbi will serve as Colorado’s state titleholder for one year.  She will prepare to represent the state of Colorado and compete in the Ms. Wheelchair America 2024 National Competition in Grand Rapids, MI which will be held August 25-28, 2024.

Ms. Wheelchair Colorado and Ms. Wheelchair America do not judge beauty. Instead, the two organizations focus on recognizing the advocacy efforts, abilities, and accomplishments of women who use wheelchairs.

Bobbi was born with Cerebral Palsy (CP). However, she does not let the circumstances stop her. She lives life to the fullest and aims to shine a positive light on disabilities through advocacy and education.

During her reign, Bobbi will serve as a spokeswoman throughout the state where she can discuss awareness, acceptance, and the overall understanding of disabilities with the general public. She will have the opportunity to travel across the state, visit advocacy groups, make public appearances, and be available to conduct interviews.

Bobbi will also use her year as Ms. Wheelchair Colorado 2024 to increase disability awareness. Working with the ACL which is the Arc serving Boulder and Broomfield Counties and the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition (CCDC).

Bobbi Christenson has learned to embrace the challenges in her life and will use her disability as a learning tool.

If you would like more information about Ms. Wheelchair Colorado or to schedule an interview with Bobbi Christenson, please contact her at (720) 491-1198 or email: MSCW.BobbiChristensen2024@outlook.com

~Post by Jennifer Ochs, Vice President of our SABE chapter

HCBS Staffing Shortage

All people with disabilities have the right to live independently in the community. Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) are necessary for people with disabilities to live independently. Sadly, a staffing shortage has created a crisis for the disability community. A few problems have created this crisis. One is the low wages offered to Direct Support Professionals. Colorado has recently raised the hourly rate to $15 an hour but that’s not enough.  Many direct support professionals do not receive health benefits. The rising costs of health care combined with rising living expenses and the cost of childcare make it almost impossible to live off of wages given to direct support professionals.

HCBS [jobs] are treated as a vocation and it needs to become a career. It is not viable for people to support themselves or their families on the salary earned. Another problem is burn out. Many direct support professionals are burned out. They realize that many easier jobs are available with better pay. Some have learned it’s better to be on unemployment. 

The COVID pandemic created a new problem: safety. Many direct support professionals were concerned about exposure. Working hands-on would increase the risk of contracting COVID.

Our country is facing an economic crisis, many people living with disabilities want to help but must have available HCBS to do so.

~Post by Jennifer Ochs, Vice President of our SABE chapter

We are a positive group!

At the beginning of the pandemic, we adopted a new motto – Teamwork Makes the Dream Work! We are a group that takes action when necessary. We adapted to COVID life and supported each other. We are finding new ways to engage new members by starting our new Facebook group and writing blogs on the ACL website. SABE is adaptable and resilient – we keep going – we moved our meetings to Zoom and added new members despite the pandemic. We are a source of positive energy during difficult times. Please contact the SABE advisor, Bobbi Christensen, at Bobbi9773@gmail.com for more information and to learn how you can join SABE.

-Post by Bobbi Christensen, SABE Advisor

Meet Bobbi Christensen, the new SABE advisor

Hi ACL friends,

My parents, twin sister, and I grew up in a small town in Colorado. I have certificates in Computer Applications, Paralegal Studies (with an emphasis on disability rights), and a certificate in Social Work from the State of Arizona.

After working in the social work field for six years in Arizona, I completed my Bachelor of Science in Human Services at the University of Phoenix. After moving back to Colorado, I went back to school to do a master's in nonprofit business at Regis University for career advancement. Initially, I worked as a nursery coordinator, and since November 2020, I have worked as a job coach supporting people with disabilities to write resumes that highlight their qualifications.

Since February 2021, I have been an advisor for SABE Boulder/Broomfield, and I get inspired by working with and watching people achieve their dreams. I've always had a heart for working with nonprofits and helping people with disabilities succeed in life no matter what their choices and challenges. I feel encouraged when I can see another human being empowered by the small difference I made in their lives.

I was born with Cerebral Palsy (CP) and use a power wheelchair for mobility. I always try to show people that my Disability is a gift from God to show the world that there are many ways to accomplish anything you want to; you just have to look outside the box to find it. Please don't judge a book by its cover.

My hobbies are creative writing, reading, riding horses, spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy singing with friends and speaking in public to help break down barriers for people with disabilities and older people.

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My email is Bobbi9773@gmail.com, please feel free to ask me questions at any time.

If you are interested in SABE you can find a link to our meetings on the calendar on the ACL’s website.

Everyone is welcome to join us.

-Post by Bobbi Christensen, SABE Advisor

SABE is starting a blog!

We are your local group of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (SABE), and we are starting a blog! If you are a self advocate with an IDD and want your voice to be heard, let us know! We will post your thoughts, ideas, dreams, and rants here! Just send us an email with what you would like us to post. It doesn’t have to be in writing. You can record a video of yourself on your phone or make an audio recording of your thoughts. Share your thoughts - however you share best! Our SABE members will review it and post it after it’s approved!

-Post by ACL Staff