By Tony Henderson

More than ever, Colorado families need a health care system they can count on. Our state is still trapped in a period of instability that is making it harder for people to get care when and where they need it.

The problem is not a lack of effort by health care workers or community providers. The problem is that Colorado has not put enough focus on reinstating coverage, keeping people connected to care, and solving the problems created by the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing’s (HCPF) failed policies.

Let’s be clear: we should be concerned about the impacts of cuts related to HR 1 and the expiration of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credit (EPTC), but they represent only a fraction of the harm caused by the Centennial State’s mismanagement of its Medicaid office.

At the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency, Colorado disenrolled more than 500,000 residents from Medicaid. The change happened almost overnight, leaving families without coverage before they even realized what had occurred. The state now has fewer people enrolled in Medicaid than before the pandemic, one of only a few states in the nation in that position. Most of those who lost coverage were not ineligible; rather, they were dropped because of administrative action and system failures, not because their circumstances had changed.

When residents tried to get back on the rolls, many found themselves trapped in bureaucratic red tape. They faced lengthy paperwork, confusing forms, and outdated technology that made it nearly impossible to complete the process. Families have spent months trying to re-enroll without success, and thousands who should still be covered remain locked out of the system. The result is a growing group of Coloradans who qualify for Medicaid but cannot access it because the state’s own systems have failed them.

The consequences of HCPF’s policy failures are clear. Emergency rooms are bearing more of the load, community clinics are stretched thin, and hospitals are operating with negative or narrow margins as they grapple with surging numbers of uninsured patients. This lack of access has a real impact on patients’ health outcomes as hospitals are seeing more people postpone care until it becomes an emergency. These shifts are also driving up costs for all Coloradans and straining the entire system.

This moment calls for practical, Colorado-driven solutions, not policies that risk further disruption. The hard truth is that this crisis was avoidable. State leaders knew the impact their decisions would have when they chose to move forward with an immediate disenrollment rather than a gradual process. It happened on this administration’s watch, and yet the same officials have been quick to criticize potential federal cuts years down the road, while ignoring the far greater harm caused here at home. Before the Affordable Care Act, Colorado’s uninsured rate was as high as 16%; it fell to around 4% at its lowest point but has now climbed back over nine percent.

That kind of hypocrisy does not move Colorado forward. Pointing fingers at Washington will not fix the damage created by state mismanagement. The scope of this problem is the direct result of Colorado’s own policy choices, but it can also be solved here. There is still time to rebuild trust, repair the system, and ensure that every eligible Coloradan can access the care they deserve.

First, Colorado must fix the Medicaid enrollment systems that removed eligible families from coverage. The process needs to be more accessible, more consistent, and properly staffed with the people and technology necessary. Reversing unintended disenrollment would provide some immediate stability.

Policymakers should also reinforce the community safety net and build on the progress that hospitals, providers, and the state have made together. The Provider Stabilization Fund is one example of what collaboration can achieve. Hospitals have committed millions of dollars alongside state resources to limit the burden of uncompensated care caused by the surge of uninsured patients. Hospitals, clinics, and state leaders are recognizing the need to share responsibility for addressing the crisis that Colorado’s own policies created. That accountability and partnership must continue.

Coloradans value fairness, opportunity, and community wellbeing. A strong healthcare system is part of that vision. Lawmakers should focus on policies that keep people covered, support providers who care for families in every corner of the state, and bring stability back to the system.

The Denver NAACP urges the legislature to set aside proposals that risk further reducing access to care and to prioritize solutions that keep Colorado families connected to the services they need. When our health system is stable, our communities thrive.

Tony Henderson is a minister, educator and president of the Denver Chapter of the NAACP.