Colorado’s Free Health Care Program for Illegal Immigrant 'Pregnant Persons' and Children, Backed by Dem Congressional Hopefuls, Costs Seven Times More Than Planned
‘Cover All Coloradans' was estimated to cost taxpayers $14.7 million but has ballooned to $104.5 million amid a $1.5 billion state budget shortfall
Andrew Kerr
April 6, 2026
A Colorado program launched in 2025 to provide taxpayer-funded health care to illegal immigrant "pregnant persons" and children is costing seven times more than expected. The program, which was estimated to cost less than $15 million but has ballooned in costs to nearly $105 million this fiscal year, has emerged as a sore spot as the state grapples with a $1.5 billion budget shortfall that could lead to deep cuts to Medicaid and other programs for citizens.
Two of the Democrats who supported the program in the Colorado legislature are now seeking a promotion to the House of Representatives.
Democratic lawmakers, including former state representative Shannon Bird, one of the candidates vying to represent Colorado’s Eighth Congressional District, passed a law in 2022 to create the Cover All Coloradans program. It provides state-funded health care for "pregnant persons" and children who would qualify for Medicaid if they weren’t illegal immigrants. Fiscal analysts estimated at the time that the program would draw 3,700 enrollees at a cost of $14.7 million to the state.
https://freebeacon.com/democrats/colorados-free-health-care-program-for-illegal-immigrant-pregnant-persons-and-children-backed-by-dem-congressional-hopefuls-costs-seven-times-more-than-planned/
