Colorado Center for Aging Advocacy Committee Meeting Recap: Key Takeaways on HR1 and Its Impact on Colorado
On September 22, the Colorado Center for Aging (CCA) Advocacy Committee convened to unpack the sweeping changes introduced by HR1, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”. The session brought together perspectives from CCA Board President and Director at ATI Advisory, Claire Cruse, Andrea Kuwik of the Bell Policy Center, and Sophie Shea of the Colorado Fiscal Institute. The discussion highlighted the bill’s wide-ranging federal implications and, more importantly, how its provisions will reverberate across Colorado, especially for older adults and vulnerable communities.
Federal Policy Shifts: A Narrower Safety Net
Claire Cruse began with an overview of HR1’s federal impacts, particularly on Medicaid and SNAP. The bill significantly reshapes Medicaid, pulling it back from being a broad platform for coverage expansion to a more limited safety net. Key changes include:
- Cuts in federal Medicaid funding, leaving states, including Colorado, with less money and difficult decisions about which services to preserve.
- New eligibility restrictions, such as work requirements and more frequent redeterminations, which is likely to push people off coverage.
- Increased vulnerability for home- and community-based services, which remain optional under federal law and could be among the first on the chopping block.
While some provisions slightly expand eligibility for certain community-based services, most changes point toward reduced access and greater financial pressure on both states and families.
Colorado’s Unique Fiscal Challenges
Policy analyst Sophie Shea detailed how HR1 compounds Colorado’s fiscal constraints. Because Colorado automatically adopts federal tax code changes, HR1’s tax breaks for the wealthiest households immediately reduced state revenues. With the state’s restrictive TABOR amendment capping revenue growth, lawmakers have limited options to fill the gap.
The result: Colorado faces a structural deficit just as federal support for Medicaid and SNAP is being scaled back. In response, the state held a special session earlier this year to roll back inefficient corporate tax breaks, freeing up about $250 million. But the outlook remains sobering—fewer resources will be available for critical services like healthcare and K–12 education, the two largest components of Colorado’s general fund.
State-Level Implications: Short-Term Cuts, Long-Term Risks
Andrea Kuwik emphasized that HR1 shifts long-term costs to the states, with Colorado projected to lose $1–2 billion in Medicaid funding in coming years. This will either force cuts to essential services or require new revenue sources.
The impacts will be felt most acutely in rural communities, where lower incomes and limited health infrastructure make families more reliant on Medicaid and SNAP. Cuts to these programs risk shuttering rural clinics, increasing uncompensated care, and destabilizing local economies.
Looking Ahead: Advocacy and Opportunities
Despite the challenges, panelists underscored areas where advocacy can make a difference:
- Defending key programs such as Area Agencies on Aging funding and workforce training for older adults.
- Engaging in the state legislative session beginning in January, where budget decisions will determine how cuts are distributed.
- Supporting coalition-led efforts to reform Colorado’s revenue system, including a proposed progressive income tax ballot measure in 2026 that could raise billions for education and healthcare.
As Sophie noted, budgets are “moral documents” that reflect community priorities. Ensuring that the voices of older Coloradans and their advocates are heard will be critical in shaping how the state navigates these fiscal and policy challenges.
Conclusion
The meeting closed on a hopeful note. Panelists pointed to collaborative statewide efforts to defend services, the November ballot measure to protect Healthy School Meals for All (with expanded SNAP funding), and the growing coalition behind long-term tax reform. While HR1 presents serious hurdles, the advocacy landscape in Colorado is vibrant, with organizations and communities working together to protect vulnerable populations and secure a sustainable future.
Links to resources shared during the call:
Slides:
Colorado’s Rural Health Transformation Program
Colorado Rural Health Center Resource on Medicaid Cuts
CO Federal Defense Coalition & TABOR Reform Coalition. Email nutter@coloradofiscal.org.
Link to Join Colorado Fiscal Institute’ mailing list: https://coloradofiscal.org/join/
Graduated Income Tax Sign-on Statement and Fact Sheet
Articles on the graduated income tax initiative:
- https://bellpolicy.org/a-graduated-income-tax-would-work-for-colorado/
- https://coloradosun.com/2025/09/03/colorado-income-tax-graduated-ballot-measure/