Colorado’s Section 1332 Innovation Waiver Explainer

In June 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved Colorado’s section 1332 innovation waiver request to create the ‘Colorado Option,’ the state’s public health insurance option, setting a new model to advance state health insurance affordability. Approval of this waiver will create savings to the federal government that will be reinvested in the state to make accessing care and coverage more affordable, including for people ineligible for financial assistance due to their immigration or documentation status.

The below document summarizes what the waiver is and what it will mean for Coloradans.