Medicaid FAQ
Health First Colorado and home care
Answers we can stand behind. Eligibility and hours come from the county and the case manager, not from this website.
How do I apply for Medicaid assistance?
Apply for Health First Colorado, Colorado’s Medicaid program, at Colorado PEAK (opens in a new tab) or through your county department of human services. After you have coverage, contact your Case Management Agency and ask for a long-term care assessment.
Sunshine HomeCare Colorado does not approve Medicaid and does not submit the application for you. A case manager decides whether home care is authorized, and for how many hours. You can read more on the Colorado IHSS page (opens in a new tab) and the Community First Choice page (opens in a new tab).
Should I plan for Medicaid before I need it?
It helps to ask before a crisis. A Health First Colorado application and a long-term care assessment both take time, and the timeline depends on the county and how complete the paperwork is. We do not give legal or financial advice about protecting a home or savings.
Do I need an attorney to apply?
No. You can apply for Health First Colorado without an attorney. Some people hire one when money or property questions are complicated. That choice is yours. Sunshine HomeCare Colorado does not provide legal services.
If I have a home or savings, can I still apply?
You can apply. Owning a home does not automatically qualify or disqualify someone. Eligibility depends on Health First Colorado rules for the program you are seeking. County eligibility staff explain income and resource rules. We do not.
If I am approved, will I have to change my doctor?
Health First Colorado does not, by itself, require you to change doctors. The doctor or clinic has to accept that coverage. Ask the office you already use.
How much help at home can Medicaid approve?
A Case Management Agency completes the assessment and writes the service plan. The case manager decides the hours and tasks. Sunshine HomeCare Colorado can provide care only for the hours and tasks that are authorized. We cannot add hours on our own.
Can the county department of human services handle the whole process?
The county takes Health First Colorado applications. The Case Management Agency handles the long-term care assessment and the service plan. Those are different offices.
Sunshine HomeCare Colorado can explain how personal care, homemaker, and IHSS services fit once someone is authorized. We are not a substitute for the county or the case manager.
How long does a first conversation with Sunshine HomeCare Colorado take?
Plan on about one to two hours. We talk about the daily routine, who already helps, and which tasks to raise with the case manager. You do not need to bring medical records or financial statements. Please do not put medical details in a website form.
How long does a Health First Colorado application take?
The county decides that. It depends on the kind of application and how quickly the required documents are provided. Sunshine HomeCare Colorado does not control the timeline.
Do you provide Medicare home health, nursing, or emergency care?
No. Sunshine HomeCare Colorado is a licensed non-medical home care agency. We do not provide emergency medical care, and we are not a Medicare-certified home health agency. Call 911 in an emergency.
Where do you serve, and can I walk into the office?
We serve clients throughout Colorado. Caregivers work in clients’ homes. The Lakewood address, 8425 W Colfax Ave, Suite B, Lakewood, CO 80215, is a mailing address only. Office staff work remotely. There is no office to visit.
What are your phone and email hours? Is care only during those hours?
Phone and email hours are Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Mountain Time. Authorized care visits can be scheduled seven days a week, including evenings, when the service plan calls for them. That is separate from office hours, and it is not emergency coverage.
Can a family member be paid to provide care?
Under In-Home Support Services, a family member or friend can often be the paid attendant, and the IHSS agency is the employer. Some relationships have extra limits under state rules. The case manager confirms who can be paid and for which tasks. See the IHSS page.
What should I leave out of a website form?
Do not include medical details, a Medicaid ID, a Social Security number, or a diagnosis. The ordinary forms on this site are sent by email. For intake, referrals, releases, and other records that contain health information or a signature, use the secure form when it is posted, or call (720) 595-4418 or email care@sunshinehcss.com.