2023 CHAS: Disability | Colorado Health Institute

Important note: Data from the 2021 and 2023 Colorado Health Access Surveys have been revised to reflect a slight change in data weighting. Certain materials, including data briefs like this one, have not been updated. For the most current data, visit the 2025 CHAS page. Learn more about the weighting change.

The CHAS data presented in this brief refer to people 16 and older who indicated they could not work due to a disability. People with disabilities who were working were included in the “employed” category. The CHAS does ask about disability status through other questions, though this brief focuses solely on those where their disability affected their ability to work.

In 2023, 7.4% of Coloradans 16 and older — roughly 335,000 people — said they were unable to work due to a disability. This inability to work has serious economic implications for these Coloradans and their families. Data from the Colorado Health Access Survey (CHAS) show that these Coloradans face significant health and mental health challenges, and despite most having health insurance, they encounter significant barriers to accessing and affording appropriate care.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 11% of Coloradans (or over 625,000 people) have a disability. This includes people with hearing, vision, cognitive, and ambulatory disabilities, as well as people who have difficulty with self-care or independent living due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition lasting six months or more.

Disability is complex, and there are many reasons someone may not be able to work, including physical or cognitive limitations, as well as personal or family choice. Additionally, despite the Americans with Disabilities Act requiring workplaces to provide reasonable accommodations and certain workplace protections, many employers are unwilling to provide reasonable accommodations or consider hiring people with disabilities.

Understanding Coloradans Who Were Unable to Work Due to a Disability

Age. CHAS data show that disability affected employment across all age groups. About half (51.6%) of Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability were 50-64 years old. Among those 30-49 years old, 28.8% said that a disability affected their ability to work.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers nationwide typically have the highest earnings between ages 45 and 54 years old. These are generally key earning years when people can build wealth and save for retirement. Depending on their eligibility for government assistance programs, people with disabilities may be on fixed incomes and may not have the same opportunity to build wealth as they age.

Income. The CHAS asked respondents about the sources of income they and their immediate families’ received. More than one in four Coloradans (26.4%) who earned less than the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) were unable to work due to a disability. In 2023, the FPL was $14,580 for a single person, and $30,000 for a family of four.

Some disabled people may receive benefits from Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) depending on their previous earnings. In 2022, the average SSDI monthly benefit in Colorado was $1,498, or about $17,976 annually, which equates to approximately 123% of FPL for a single person.

Race. People of color were disproportionately represented among Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability. Among those 16 and older whose employment status was known, 20.1% were Hispanic or Latino; but of those who could not work due to a disability, 32.0% were Hispanic or Latino. Black Coloradans were also disproportionately affected, with 4.2% unable to work due to a disability compared with 2.5% of the population whose employment status was known.

Education. Most Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability had a high school education or higher. Of this group, 41.2% had a high school diploma or equivalent, 26.6% attended college but had not earned a degree, and 13.3% had an associate’s degree or higher. However, 18.8% had less than a high school education.

While the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires free and appropriate public education for children with disabilities, many Colorado families face challenges receiving adequate educational support from their school districts due to low state funding and critical staff shortages.

This is especially true for families of children with high behavioral health or special needs, who may struggle to find placements in educational programs that can meet their needs.

Health Status

When it comes to health, Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability faced significant challenges. Although having a disability can naturally lead to ongoing health problems, it doesn't automatically mean that people with disabilities will always be in poor health. With the right health care and support, health outcomes can improve, and people with disabilities don't have to suffer from poor health continuously.

Health Status. In 2023, 63.8% of Coloradans unable to work due to a disability reported being in fair or poor health, 48.7% reported fair or poor oral health, and 52.0% reported poor mental health. These high levels of poor health signal a health crisis for this community.

Limited ability may contribute to poor health, as 74.2% of these Coloradans said they had difficulty performing daily activities such as bathing, climbing stairs, or errands due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition.

Graphic showing that 63.8 percent of people unable to work due to disability reported fair or poor general health.

Health Care

People with disabilities also faced barriers in accessing appropriate health care, despite nearly all having health insurance. Barriers identified by the 2023 CHAS included a lack of disability competent health care services, difficulty getting doctor’s appointments, and high out of pocket costs.

Health Insurance. Nearly all Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability were covered by public health insurance. Of these people, 87.2% were covered by Medicaid or Child Health Plan Plus, and 8.3% were covered by Medicare. Only about 0.7% of Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability were uninsured.

Getting an Appointment. 43.5% of Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability said they were not able to get an appointment with a doctor as soon as they needed it. Of those who experienced delays in getting doctor care, 76.1% struggled to access specialty care. Access to mental health care was also a barrier as 33.0% of Coloradans unable to work due to a disability said they could not obtain mental health treatment when needed.

Disability Competent Care. The CHAS asked Coloradans if factors related to their identity or life made a difference in the type of health care they needed. About 662,000, or 12.1%, said yes. Of those who needed different health care due to their identity or life circumstances, 52.3%, or over 327,000, cited a disability or physical, mental, or cognitive condition as a reason for needing different care. This indicates a need for disability-competent care, which is designed to support people living with disabilities.

Takeaways

The 2023 CHAS highlights the significant health challenges of Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability, as most of these Coloradans experienced poor general health and poor mental health. This finding signals a clear and urgent health crisis among this community of Coloradans.

Despite the availability of health insurance, many Coloradans who were unable to work due to a disability face barriers to getting appropriate care, which can exacerbate their health challenges. Additionally, CHAS data show that over 327,000 Coloradans need disability-competent care, signaling a strong need for medical providers to receive training to provide appropriate care for people with disabilities. At the systems-level, broad investments are needed to support a disability-competent health care workforce and infrastructure overall.

For Coloradans unable to work because of a disability, government benefits were a lifeline, but one that may keep them in or on the brink of poverty. Fixed income benefits that don’t keep pace with housing costs or other living expenses prevent disabled people from building generational wealth. Broad, systemic reforms of disability benefits at the national level that promote economic self-sufficiency are needed to address this issue.