Findings from a 2007 CHI survey of community-based outreach and enrollment workers who assist families in applying for Medicaid and CHP+ coverage.
Applying for Medicaid has gotten more complicated in Colorado. In July 2006 the federal Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) went into affect requiring pregnant women and parents applying for Medicaid coverage to submit original or notarized forms documenting their citizenship and identity and that of their children for whom they make application. Short of producing these documents, Medicaid applications are denied.
The new rule is not intended to affect legal permanent residents who were already required to prove their lawful presence and identity or undocumented immigrants who are not eligible for Medicaid except for emergency services. The new rule is also not intended to affect children whose parents apply for coverage under the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) program, although the Colorado Health Institute’s (CHI) survey findings suggest this is often the case.