Colorado Medicaid Waiver Bathroom Modifications: How the Home Modification Benefit Works
Health First Colorado, the state Medicaid program, pays for bathroom changes that keep a member safely at home through the Home Modification benefit on several HCBS waivers. The cap is $14,000. We are a Denver installer that has worked with case managers on these jobs, so here is the whole path, from the waiver you need to be on to the day the shower goes in.
Accredited since 2012★ 4.9 Google (35 reviews)In business since 2012No in-home sales visitDoes Colorado Medicaid pay for a roll in shower or walk in tub?
It can. The Home Modification benefit on Colorado's Elderly, Blind and Disabled (EBD), Brain Injury, Community Mental Health Supports and Complementary and Integrative Health waivers covers changes like modifying a bathroom, adding grab bars and widening doorways, up to a $14,000 maximum, when the change is necessary for the member's health, welfare and safety and is the most cost-effective way to meet the need. Your case manager has to approve it before any work starts.
A roll in shower is the usual approved fix for a wheelchair user or anyone who cannot step over a tub wall. A walk in tub can be approved when the assessment shows it is the safest cost-effective option for that person. The state does not approve spa features, upgrades for comfort, or anything the member could pay for another way.
The path in 6 steps
- Be enrolled on a waiver that includes Home Modification
- Tell your case manager the bathroom is unsafe
- An assessment documents the need (often an OT visit)
- Bids are collected from installers; we provide an itemized written quote from photos
- The state reviews and approves the Prior Authorization Request
- We install, usually in one day, and bill the program directly
Colorado waivers that include the Home Modification benefit
| Waiver | Who it serves | Home Modification cap |
|---|---|---|
| Elderly, Blind and Disabled (EBD) | Adults 65+ and adults 18 to 64 with a qualifying disability who need nursing-home level care | $14,000 |
| Brain Injury (BI) | Adults with a documented brain injury | $14,000 |
| Community Mental Health Supports (CMHS) | Adults with a major mental health diagnosis | $14,000 |
| Complementary and Integrative Health (CIH) | Adults with a spinal cord injury, brain injury, MS, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy | $14,000 |
| Supported Living Services (SLS) and Children's Extensive Support (CES) | People with intellectual or developmental disabilities | $10,000 combined with vehicle modification and assistive technology |
The HCPF benefit page lists the $14,000 figure as a lifetime maximum. A 2024 department memo changed it to a per-waiver-period amount for the four adult waivers, so a member who used the benefit years ago may be eligible again. Your case manager or Single Entry Point agency confirms which rule applies to your file; we do not.
The Denver Regional Council of Governments (DRCOG) Area Agency on Aging is the front door for the EBD waiver in the Denver metro, and the Pikes Peak Area Agency on Aging covers Colorado Springs. If you are not yet on a waiver, that is the first call. Statewide, our 50-state Medicaid waiver guide lists the equivalent program for every state.
What the benefit covers in a bathroom
- Roll in shower or low-threshold shower replacing a tub, with a fold-down seat, grab bars and a handheld shower
- Walk in tub when the assessment supports it as the safest cost-effective option
- Grab bars, raised toilet, widened bathroom door, lever handles, non-slip flooring
- Plumbing and electrical work needed for the modification
Not covered: spa or jet packages, decorative upgrades, general remodeling, repairs the home needed anyway, and anything already paid by another source. The modification must be the most cost-effective way to meet the need, so the state may ask why a $17,000 shower was chosen over a $13,500 one. An itemized quote answers that question before it is asked.
How we bill it
We quote from photos and measurements, in writing, with every line item separated: removal, pan, walls, seat, grab bars, valve, labor and permit. Case managers and Single Entry Point agencies have used our quotes as one of the bids on the Prior Authorization Request. Our installed prices after the current promotion run $13,500 to $17,000 for a roll in shower and about $15,500 for a walk in tub, which sits inside the $14,000 cap for most shower jobs; when a job runs over the cap, the member or family pays the difference, and we say so on the quote. Veterans can stack the VA HISA grant on the same project.
We install in one day in Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Littleton, Colorado Springs and across the Front Range. Read the Colorado page for cities and codes.
How long a Colorado waiver bathroom job takes
| Stage | Who does it | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Report the need to the case manager | Member or family | Same week |
| Assessment and documentation of need | Case manager, often with an OT home visit | 2 to 6 weeks |
| Bids and the itemized quote | Installer; we turn ours around in 1 to 2 business days from photos | 1 to 3 weeks |
| Prior Authorization review | HCPF and the case management agency | Several weeks; home modification lines pend for state review |
| Order and installation | Aging Safely Baths | Product lead time, then 1 day on site |
Plan on two to four months from the first conversation to a finished bathroom. If the bather is at immediate risk, tell the case manager so; interim grab bars and a shower chair can go in while the paperwork moves. Our caregiver bathing guide covers what to do in the meantime.
Roll in shower or walk in tub for a waiver job?
For wheelchair users and anyone a caregiver bathes, the roll in shower is almost always what gets approved: it is faster to use, needs no transfer over a wall, and costs less. Our roll in and handicap showers start at 60 x 30 inches to fit the old tub alcove. A walk in tub fits a member who can step over a 3 to 7 inch threshold and benefits from warm-water soaking; the assessment has to say why. The roll in vs walk in shower guide explains the threshold difference.
Other Colorado help that stacks
- VA HISA: $6,800 or $2,000 for veterans with a medical need; it excludes spa and jet features
- Medicare Advantage bathroom safety benefits: grab bars and seats on some plans
- Medical expense deduction for the part you paid yourself
- Colorado Division of Housing and county housing rehabilitation programs for owner-occupied repairs
Sources
- Colorado HCPF, Home Modification Benefit (waivers, $14,000 cap, covered items)
- Colorado HCPF Operational Memo 24-068, Home Modification, Vehicle Modification and Assistive Technology benefit form requirement (state review of PAR lines from 2025)
- Colorado HCPF, Home Modification Process for Single Entry Point Agencies (October 2022)
- VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service, HISA grant (amounts and exclusions, updated February 12, 2025)
Checked October 23, 2026. Rules change; confirm with the agency or a qualified professional before you rely on them.
Colorado Medicaid Bathroom Modification FAQ
Does Colorado Medicaid pay for walk in tubs?
It can, through the Home Modification benefit on the EBD, Brain Injury, CMHS and CIH waivers, when the case manager's assessment shows the tub is necessary for safety and the most cost-effective option. Roll in showers are approved more often than tubs.
How much will Colorado Medicaid pay for a bathroom modification?
Up to $14,000 on the four adult waivers (listed by HCPF as a lifetime maximum, changed by a 2024 memo to a per-waiver-period amount) and $10,000 combined with vehicle and assistive technology on the SLS and CES waivers. Costs above the cap are paid by the member.
Who approves a Medicaid home modification in Colorado?
Your case manager or Single Entry Point agency documents the need and submits a Prior Authorization Request; HCPF reviews home modification lines before approval. No work can start before approval.
Can I pick my own installer for a Colorado waiver bathroom?
The case management agency collects bids and the member usually has a say. We provide itemized written quotes from photos within two business days so your bid can be submitted quickly.
How long does a Medicaid-funded roll in shower take in Colorado?
Two to four months in most cases, nearly all of it assessment and approval time. The installation itself is one day.
Can a veteran use both HISA and the Colorado Medicaid benefit?
Often yes. HISA pays up to $6,800 or $2,000 for a medically needed bathroom change; the waiver benefit can cover the rest. Neither program pays for spa or jet features.
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