Colorado SLPs: Protect Medicaid Home Health Therapy Services

Governor Polis's proposed FY 2027–28 budget includes eliminating Medicaid home-health speech, occupational and physical therapy services for adults ages 21 and older, effective July 1, 2027.

These services help vulnerable Coloradans manage swallowing and communication disorders, recover from illness or injury, maintain independence and remain safely in their homes. Eliminating coverage will leave patients without accessible alternatives and increase hospitalizations, institutional care and long-term Medicaid costs.

Take Action: Contact members of the Colorado General Assembly's Joint Budget Committee to share your concerns and urge them to reject HCPF's R-06 proposal to eliminate adult home health therapy services. Protect access to the care that helps Coloradans remain safe, healthy and independent in their communities.

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Your Message to the legislators

Dear (name and title inserted automatically),

I am writing as a Colorado speech-language pathologist to express concern regarding the proposed elimination of Medicaid home-health physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology services for adults ages 21 and older, effective July 1, 2027, as outlined in HCPF's R-06 budget proposal.

I recognize the significant budget challenges facing Colorado. However, eliminating these medically necessary services will have serious consequences for vulnerable individuals and may ultimately increase costs elsewhere in the health care system.

Home-Health Therapy Is Essential to Patient Safety and Independence:
For adults with disabilities, neurological conditions, chronic illnesses and complex medical needs, receiving therapy in their homes is often essential to maintaining independence and preventing functional decline.

Speech-language pathologists provide critical treatment for swallowing, communication and cognitive-communication disorders. For example, individuals recovering from strokes may require skilled swallowing therapy to reduce risks associated with aspiration, malnutrition, and dehydration. Without appropriate treatment, these patients may face preventable complications, hospitalizations and loss of independence.

Outpatient Therapy Is Not Always an Accessible Alternative:
Many patients receiving home-health services have significant mobility limitations, medical complexities or cognitive impairments that make traveling to an outpatient clinic difficult or impossible. Eliminating home-health services would increase medical transportation usage, and transportation benefits alone cannot eliminate these barriers.

Removing home-health therapy coverage could leave patients without access to medically necessary services, placing additional burdens on families, caregivers, hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Potential Long-Term Financial Consequences:
While eliminating these services may produce immediate budget savings, reduced access to therapy will contribute to increased emergency department visits, hospitalizations, medical transportation usage, nursing facility placements and other costly interventions. These potential downstream expenses deserve careful consideration when evaluating the overall financial impact of the proposal.

Request for Consideration:
I respectfully ask the Joint Budget Committee to preserve Medicaid coverage for adult home-health speech, occupational, and physical therapy services when evaluating HCPF's R-06 proposal. Protecting access to these services supports patient safety, independence and Colorado's commitment to community-based care.

Thank you for your time and consideration and for your work addressing Colorado's significant budget challenges.

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