A new diagnosis or disability
What to do first
- Make sure you have health coverage. Apply for Medicaid if money is tight.
- If you cannot work, apply for Social Security disability benefits soon. A decision can take months.
- Ask your job about leave and changes that help you keep working.
- Ask your state's vocational rehabilitation office about help getting back to work.
Talk it through
Tell us more about what happened. We answer first, then show the programs that fit, then ask a few questions to narrow it down.
Dates that matter
These windows are set by federal rules. Your state may have its own dates too, so ask the agency.
5 full months
Social Security disability (SSDI)
SSDI payments start after you have been disabled for five full months, so apply as soon as you can. People with ALS do not have to wait.
Source: SSA.gov24 months
Medicare with SSDI
People who get SSDI get Medicare on their own after 24 months of disability benefits. People with ALS get it as soon as their benefits start.
Source: SSA.gov
Help from Colorado
Colorado programs that fit what happened. Each agency decides who qualifies.
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Health First Colorado
In Colorado, Medicaid is called Health First Colorado.
Health First Colorado provides health coverage to eligible Colorado residents.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhonePaperIn person
Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado
In Colorado, the health insurance marketplace is called Connect for Health Colorado.
Connect for Health Colorado lets residents compare and enroll in individual health insurance plans and apply for financial help.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhone
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Vocational Rehabilitation
Vocational Rehabilitation helps people with disabilities prepare for, find, and keep work.
Ways to apply:PhoneIn person
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Developmental Disabilities Waiver
The DD Waiver provides long-term services for eligible people with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhoneIn person
Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing
Behavioral Health Services
Colorado covers behavioral health services through state programs and community providers.
Ways to apply:Phone
Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
Family and Medical Leave Insurance
FAMLI provides paid leave benefits to eligible workers for qualifying family and medical needs.
Ways to apply:OnlinePhone
Colorado Department of Human Services
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
In Colorado, SNAP is called Food Assistance.
Food Assistance helps eligible households buy groceries each month.
Ways to apply:OnlinePaperIn person
Checked on October 8, 2026
Federal help
These work the same in every state. Each agency decides who qualifies.
DOL.gov
Unpaid leave that protects your job
The Family and Medical Leave Act lets many workers take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a year and keep their job. Reasons include a new baby, your own serious health condition, and caring for a spouse, child or parent who is seriously ill.
Social Security Administration
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
Monthly payments for people who worked and paid Social Security taxes and now cannot work because of a disability that will last a long time.
Apply online at SSA.gov or call Social Security. Have your medical records and work history ready.
Social Security Administration
Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
Monthly payments for people with little income and few resources who are 65 or older, blind, or have a disability, including children.
Apply online at SSA.gov or call Social Security to make an appointment. Bring proof of age, income and any medical records.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Medicare
Health insurance for people 65 or older and for some younger people with a disability or kidney failure.
Most people sign up through Social Security, online at SSA.gov or by phone. Medicare.gov compares plans.
Checked on October 9, 2026
Help near you
Find county and state offices near you, or call 211 to talk to someone about help in your area.
Talk to a person
- 2-1-1 Colorado
Free help finding food, housing, bills and more near you.
Call 211 - 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 if you are in crisis or worried about someone. Any time.
Call 988Text 988