Medicaid Estate Recovery in Colorado

Colorado recovers Health First Colorado (Medicaid) costs from the estates of recipients who were 55 or older when they received nursing facility, home and community-based, or related hospital and prescription drug services, and — for recipients who were institutionalized when they received medical assistance — all medical assistance paid on their behalf.

OverviewWhen someone dies

Medicaid Recovery

Colorado

hcpf.colorado.gov/medicaid-recoveries→

Administering agency

Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing — Estate Recovery

WebsiteVisit website →

Authority

Colo. Rev. Stat. 25.5-4-302; 10 CCR 2505-10, Section 8.063

Verified Jul 2026

Medicaid Estate Recovery in Colorado: key facts

Recovery scope: For recipients 55 or older when assistance was received: nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and related hospital and prescription drug services. Colorado does not make the broader optional recoveries federal law permits for this group. For recipients who were institutionalized when they received medical assistance: all medical assistance paid on their behalf.
Who is subject: Recipients age 55 or older when they received medical assistance; recipients who were institutionalized at the time they received medical assistance.
No recovery: The Department does not recover from the estate if there is a surviving spouse of the recipient, or a child of the recipient under age 21, or a blind or disabled dependent of the recipient.
Home sale protection: Recovery from the sale of the recipient's home is barred where a sibling lawfully resided there for at least one year immediately before the recipient was admitted to the institution, or a son or daughter lawfully resided there for at least two years immediately before that admission and provided care that permitted the recipient to live at home rather than in an institution — in each case having continuously lived in the home since. The Department may still recover from other assets in the estate.
Cost-effectiveness limit: The Department may limit recovery to cases that are cost-effective — where the medical assistance likely to be recovered is greater than the likely cost of the recovery.

Governing law: Colo. Rev. Stat. 25.5-4-302; 10 CCR 2505-10, Section 8.063

Frequently asked questions

For recipients 55 or older, Colorado recovers the costs of nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and related hospital and prescription drug services. For recipients who were institutionalized when they received medical assistance, Colorado recovers all medical assistance paid on their behalf.

Under 10 CCR 2505-10, Section 8.063.15, the Department does not recover medical assistance from the estate if there is a surviving spouse of the recipient, or a child of the recipient under age 21, or a blind or disabled dependent of the recipient.

When someone dies

Steps after a death in Colorado

4-step process for Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing — Estate Recovery.

View details →

SimplyTrust Editorial·Updated July 14, 2026

Sources

Data sourced from Medicaid Estate Recovery in Colorado primary sources (4 pages reviewed). How we research.

Medicaid Recovery

Colorado

hcpf.colorado.gov/medicaid-recoveries→

Administering agency

Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing — Estate Recovery

WebsiteVisit website →

Authority

Colo. Rev. Stat. 25.5-4-302; 10 CCR 2505-10, Section 8.063

Verified Jul 2026

Medicaid Estate Recovery in Colorado: key facts

Recovery scope

For recipients 55 or older when assistance was received: nursing facility services, home and community-based services, and related hospital and prescription drug services. Colorado does not make the broader optional recoveries federal law permits for this group. For recipients who were institutionalized when they received medical assistance: all medical assistance paid on their behalf.

Who is subject

Recipients age 55 or older when they received medical assistance; recipients who were institutionalized at the time they received medical assistance.

No recovery

The Department does not recover from the estate if there is a surviving spouse of the recipient, or a child of the recipient under age 21, or a blind or disabled dependent of the recipient.

Home sale protection

Recovery from the sale of the recipient's home is barred where a sibling lawfully resided there for at least one year immediately before the recipient was admitted to the institution, or a son or daughter lawfully resided there for at least two years immediately before that admission and provided care that permitted the recipient to live at home rather than in an institution — in each case having continuously lived in the home since. The Department may still recover from other assets in the estate.

Cost-effectiveness limit

The Department may limit recovery to cases that are cost-effective — where the medical assistance likely to be recovered is greater than the likely cost of the recovery.

Governing law: Colo. Rev. Stat. 25.5-4-302; 10 CCR 2505-10, Section 8.063

Frequently asked questions