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Garfield County human services warns HR 1 will add redeterminations, work requirements for SNAP and Medicaid
Summary
County human services officials told commissioners HR 1 will expand work requirements for some SNAP recipients and add biannual redeterminations and new work verifications for Medicaid expansion enrollees, creating uncertain workload and budget impacts for the county.
Garfield County Department of Human Services staff told the Board of County Commissioners on Aug. 18 that HR 1 will significantly increase the department’s casework and likely require additional staff and county funds. Director Sharon Longfers Pratt said the bill expands federal work requirements for food assistance and adds more frequent Medicaid eligibility checks for the expansion population. "We do know we have 172 unhoused individuals that are currently on food assistance," Longfers Pratt said, noting those residents currently are exempt but would be subject to the new rules.
Human services staff identified two program areas with immediate operational risk: SNAP (food assistance) work requirements and new Medicaid procedures for the expansion population. The county now serves about 4,000 people on SNAP and about 4,072 people on expanded Medicaid. Staff said federal guidance and system updates from the Department of Health and Human Services and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing are still pending; they expect detailed federal rules in six to eight months and anticipate months of IT and process changes after guidance arrives.
The department flagged specific unknowns: how the work requirement will be documented, how exemption categories will be applied, and what software (CBMS) changes will be needed. Daryl Diedrich, Division Manager for Community Services, said CBMS is an older system that will require modifications to handle recurring verifications and work records. County staff also warned HR 1 will shift some program costs to the state and local level. Longfers Pratt said the change in administrative cost‑sharing could be substantial and that any new state match would reduce funds available for other local services.
Commissioners pressed staff on timelines and outreach; they asked that Human Services publish clear, bilingual messaging for affected residents and stakeholders once federal guidance is issued. Longfers Pratt said the state and federal agencies are preparing public communications and the county will coordinate local notices and caseworker outreach. The department did not request additional hiring immediately, but officials said they will return with staffing requests if workload modeling after federal guidance shows a need.
Why it matters: HR 1’s changes to SNAP and Medicaid could add recurring workload and new verification steps at the county level, potentially requiring system upgrades, extra staff, and new local matching funds if federal or state shares change. Commissioners asked staff to monitor guidance closely and report back with concrete workload estimates and budget implications.
