Gov. Jared Polis has proposed additional cuts to Medicaid dental benefits months after the state cut reimbursements and capped benefits.
Five notes:
1. The governor’s proposed 2027-28 budget, published Nov. 1, would eliminate coverage for adult services, saving the state $214.8 million.
2. The budget also calls for eliminating the state’s senior dental program, which would save the state $16.7 million.
3. Gov. Polis issued an executive order in September 2025 to cut Medicaid spending, including a $2,500,000 cut to dental rates and a rollback of the state’s 1.6% reimbursement rate increase.
4. Additional legislation that went into effect in July capped adult dental benefits at $3,000 and cut reimbursement rates by 2%.
5. The state’s Medicaid spending has reportedly increased by 8.8% each year, about double the rate the state is allowed to spend under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights. Gov. Polis has previously said Medicaid cuts are necessary to prevent cuts to other state services.
