Three Republican U.S. House members from Colorado are pressuring Gov. Jared Polis to halt state-funded health care programs for undocumented immigrants, warning that failure to act could cost the state billions in federal Medicaid dollars under a pending GOP tax and spending bill.
In a letter sent Thursday, Reps. Gabe Evans, Lauren Boebert, and Jeff Crank accused the state of “prioritizing benefits for those unlawfully present” over vulnerable Americans such as people with disabilities, single mothers, children, and seniors.
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“We ask that you join us in protecting Medicaid and work with the State Legislature to overturn existing laws and programs that prioritize illegal immigrants over American citizens,” the lawmakers wrote.
The letter targets two state programs:
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Cover All Coloradans: Provides Medicaid-like coverage to roughly 13,000 children and 5,000 pregnant women, regardless of immigration status.
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OmniSalud: Offers state-funded subsidies for undocumented residents to buy private health insurance through the state exchange.
Combined, these programs are expected to cost more than $70 million this year.
Threat of Federal Cuts
The Republican-backed “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act”, which recently passed the U.S. House and is now in the Senate, includes provisions that would penalize states like Colorado that use state funds to provide health care to undocumented immigrants.
Specifically, the bill would:
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Reduce federal Medicaid matching funds from 90% to 80% beginning in 2027.
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Result in an estimated $2.3 billion loss for Colorado between 2028 and 2034, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Evans, Boebert, and Crank argued that the state could avoid these losses by discontinuing the targeted programs.
“Each new dollar that we choose to invest in care for illegal immigrants is a dollar that could go to supporting long-term care for seniors or keeping our rural hospitals open,” the letter stated.
Polis Administration Fires Back
The governor’s office dismissed the letter as a political distraction, pointing out that the same GOP lawmakers voted for a federal budget plan that could strip health coverage from up to 400,000 Coloradans and drive up private insurance costs for everyone.
“Gov. Polis is disappointed these three lawmakers are trying to gut Medicaid and kick people off private insurance,” said press secretary Shelby Wieman.
“They’re trying to distract from their own votes which would raise health care costs for everyone.”
Polis is urging the Senate to scrap the House bill entirely, calling it “terrible legislation” that threatens core health programs like Medicaid while also cutting subsidies that help working families afford private plans.
Divided GOP Delegation
While Rep. Jeff Hurd, the state’s fourth Republican in Congress, did not sign the letter, his office said he agrees that Medicaid funds should be directed only to the program’s original target groups.
“Rep. Hurd looks forward to supporting our state legislators in ensuring Colorado works with the federal government to accomplish this,” his office stated.
Currently, 14 states and D.C. use state dollars to offer health benefits to undocumented residents in some capacity. Colorado has stood out with progressive health policies aimed at closing care gaps—though now, that stance may carry steep financial risks if the GOP budget bill becomes law.
