Home Care in Colorado

The cost of in-home care and home health care is $6,387 per month, according to the 2021 Genworth Cost of Care Survey. While in-home care helps seniors with daily tasks, housekeeping and companionship, home health care providers offer advanced care for those who require medical aid, including rehabilitative therapies, post-operative assistance or chronic health condition management.

Colorado’s in-home care and home health care costs are above the national average. These costs are also higher than those in surrounding states. While home care ranges from $5,148 to $5,625 in Wyoming, Utah and Nebraska, Kansas and New Mexico are far less expensive for both services, with costs that sit just above $4,500.

At $6,387 per month, Colorado’s home care is more expensive than assisted living, which costs an average of $4,750 per month. Nursing home care is Colorado’s costliest senior care option at $8,567 monthly. It’s also important for seniors to consider that home care’s cost is in addition to their typical housing expenses, such as mortgage or rent, utilities and food, whereas assisted living and nursing home care’s costs include these items. Seniors seeking a more affordable option but don’t need 24-hour professional care can consider adult day care, which costs an average of $1,950 throughout the state.

Colorado’s Regular Medicaid, also known as Health First Colorado, doesn’t cover home care costs. However, the state does provide two programs that work with Medicaid to provide the funding seniors need to access in-home care and home health care services.

Elderly Blind and Disabled Waiver

The Elderly, Blind and Disabled waiver is available to seniors aged 65 and older who are blind or functionally impaired. It also provides some funding for adults aged 18 to 64 who are physically disabled or living with HIV or AIDS. This program is only open to those requiring long-term care to live within their communities safely.

It covers a variety of services, including:

• In-home care
• Home health care
• Home modifications
• Home-delivered meals
• Personal care
• Respite care

To qualify for this waiver, seniors must meet the age and health care requirements mentioned above and have an income that’s less than three times the current Federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) limit.

To apply, seniors enrolled in Health First Colorado can contact their local Single Entry Point. Those who aren’t enrolled should start by applying for Health First Colorado online.

Program for All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

Operated in part by the state and monitored by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), PACE helps seniors aged 55 and above access managed care services. It provides free or low-cost care based on a sliding scale, with services that include:

• In-home care
• Home health care
• Primary care and specialty services
• Hospital care
• Rehabilitative therapies
• Case management
• Home-delivered meals
• Companion services
• Non-medical and medical transportation

To qualify for PACE, seniors must be at least 55 years old, live within a PACE service area and require a nursing care level but be able to live in a community setting if provided personal care or health care services at home.

To qualify for Colorado’s Medicaid program, seniors must meet its income and asset limits. Seniors living alone can’t exceed $18,705 per year in income and must retain a maximum of $2,000 in countable assets. For two-person households, their income limit is $24,353 per year and their asset limit is $3,000.

You can apply for Health First Colorado online. If you prefer to apply over the phone, you can call (800) 221-3943.

What Information You Will Need

Before applying, you should prepare by gathering the following information and documents:

• Social Security numbers
• Immigration document numbers (if applicable)
• Employer and income information for all household members
• Proof of Social Security Administration (SSA) payments or SSI payments
• Policy numbers for any health insurance plans that cover household members

How to Get Help Applying for Medicaid

There are several resources in Colorado available to help you navigate the sometimes complicated process of understanding and applying for Medicaid.

Medicare doesn’t pay for non-medical home care, but it can cover the cost of the medical version of home care, called “Home Healthcare” in some situations. In order to be eligible, you need to be homebound and have a referral from your doctor for the specific type of medical care that is needed. There are also other restrictions that apply.

Below is an overview of some of the services typically covered by Medicare for those who are eligible:

• Physical Therapy: Physical therapy is used to help patients recover from injuries (broken bones, knee injuries, etc.), and to treat ongoing conditions such as arthritis. Additionally, physical therapy is often provided in the home to help seniors recover from surgeries and procedures, such as a knee or hip replacement.
• Nursing Care: Licensed nurses can provide a number of medical services (such as wound care, changing feeding tubes, etc.) for those who need medical care, but don’t need to stay in a hospital full-time.
• Occupational Therapy: Occupational therapy is designed to help seniors regain or maintain the ability to accomplish normal, daily tasks, such as bathing, dressing, eating, etc., and providers can travel to your home if needed.
• Speech Therapy: Seniors can lose the ability to adequately communicate for many reasons, and speech therapists are there to help seniors regain the ability to communicate using a variety of means. Additionally, speech therapists help to keep seniors independent by modifying diets and teaching special techniques to swallow safely.

As mentioned above, home care is distinctly different from home healthcare, but there is some overlap – so while Medicare doesn’t cover non-medical home care, there are personal care services that may be covered in special circumstances – such as an occupational therapist helping with eating or dressing.

Read our guide to Medicare and Home Care Coverage for more information.

While the above programs can be a great way to make home care affordable for many people, they are not the right solution for everyone. Thankfully, there are other ways to make home care more affordable for you and your family. For more information about your other options, read our section on Other Ways to Pay for this guide.

While living at home, Colorado seniors can access a variety of programs and benefits designed to make life more affordable and enriching while aging in place.

The CMS required that all Colorado in-home care and home health care workers receive their full COVID-19 vaccination no later than February 28, 2022. This law applies to the first and second doses of the vaccine and recommends that health care workers remain up to date with all boosters as per recommendations provided by the CMS.

As of April 2022, these guidelines are current, but it’s important to note that they’re subject to frequent change. For the most up-to-date information, seniors and their family members should check with local governments. Furthermore, individual home care agencies may offer additional guidance and regulations beyond state or federal law, which you can obtain from the agencies directly.

The Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment regulates its home care agencies.

Whether you are looking for yourself or a loved one, finding a quality home care provider can be a stressful process. To help you overcome this challenge, we’ve created a helpful checklist below that can help guide you through the process of both determining your needs, and finding a home care agency that will be the best fit for you and your family.

Download PDF Here

Learn More About Home Care in Colorado’s Top Cities

• Aurora
• Broomfield
• Centennial
• Colorado Springs
• Denver
• Longmont
• Loveland