Our Recent Work

The Farley Health Policy Center (FHPC) in collaboration with the Colorado Department of Human Services examined patterns of healthcare cost and utilization among Health First Colorado members who were concurrently enrolled in the state’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The FHPC linked administrative data provided by CDHS’s Office of Economic Security with Medicaid administrative and claims data provided by the Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing (HCPF). 

Findings suggest children 18 and younger, who were concurrently enrolled in Health Colorado First and SNAP showed significant and substantial decreases in healthcare cost. Among adults, longer sustained participation in SNAP was associated with lower total cost of care among adults, whereas adults with only recent SNAP participation experienced higher costs of care.

Read the brief: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Participation and Health Care Cost and Utilization for Health First Colorado Members