At least $7,718 in Boulder Medicaid disbursed for COVID-19 services in 2024

In Boulder, Medicaid payments for services identified by HCPCS codes designated for COVID-19 totaled at least $7,718 in 2024, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database.

Medicaid is a government health insurance initiative administered by states and financed collectively by federal and state agencies. It is a critical component of the U.S. health system, providing coverage for low-income individuals, children, the elderly, and those with disabilities.

Since Medicaid uses public funds, shifts in claims reflect how taxpayer resources support health care at the community level.

This analysis sampled COVID-19 services by identifying claims with HCPCS codes described as “COVID-19” or “coronavirus” in billing data. The totals include only those services clearly marked as COVID-related and may exclude some care linked to the pandemic that was billed using more general codes.

In comparison, Denver saw the highest level of Medicaid claims associated with COVID-19 services in Colorado during 2024, with $374,099 in related payments.

Six Boulder providers filed Medicaid claims using COVID-19–designated codes in 2024. COVID-19 vaccine administration was the most billed service, totaling $4,999.

The mean COVID-19–related Medicaid payment per provider in Boulder was $1,286, which is below the Colorado average of $5,841 per provider.

During the pandemic, COVID-19–specified services contributed significantly to the increase in Boulder’s Medicaid expenditures.

All other Medicaid claim categories in Boulder collectively increased by $1,101,239 from 2020 to 2024, for a 9.2% increase.

During the two years before the pandemic, the average annual value of Boulder Medicaid payments reached $11,165,098.

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, federal and state Medicaid expenses climbed to about $871.7 billion in fiscal year 2023, representing approximately 18% of U.S. health care expenditure. This is up from roughly $613.5 billion in 2019, before the COVID-19 emergency.

This increase—about 40% over several years—was propelled by greater enrollment and use of services during and after the pandemic.

Recent federal budgets under the Trump administration have contained measures meant to curtail federal Medicaid spending and restructure the program. The “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” enacted in 2025, aims to reduce federal Medicaid outlays by over $1 trillion over the upcoming decade and introduces changes such as work requirements and higher beneficiary cost-sharing, potentially leading to reduced coverage and funding for some participants. As a consequence, states are likely to bear more cost responsibility as federal support for Medicaid slows even though it remains a significant safety net program.

Note: Includes only HCPCS codes directly billed for COVID-19 services; not all pandemic-related spending is reflected.

Information in this report is from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Medicaid Provider Spending database. You can access the original data here.