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Sep 6, 2017

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Sen. Larry Crowder: A stalwart for rural Colorado

by | Sep 6, 2017

Development and Promotion

Colorado Center on Law and Policy is proud to bestow this year’s Champions of Economic Justice Awards on two people who have had a profound impact on the lives of low-income Coloradans: Sen. Larry Crowder, R-Alamosa, and Edwin Kahn, Esq.

Both of these accomplished individuals will be honored at CCLP’s 4th Annual Pathways from Poverty Breakfast, Oct. 6 from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Embassy Suites Denver Downtown Convention Center. Be sure to register today!

A fifth-generation Coloradan, State Sen. Larry Crowder, R-Alamosa, is a veteran of the Vietnam War, having dropped out of college after the Tet Offensive and enlisted in the U.S. Army. After his service, he worked as a telephone lineman and postal worker in southern Colorado. He now runs his own business outside of Alamosa as a cattleman. He has also served on the Alamosa County Land Use Board, worked as a Veterans’ Service Officer in Rio Grande County, and acted as chair of the Alamosa Republican Party from 2004 to 2010. In 2012 he was elected to the State Senate, representing Colorado’s 35th Senate District.

In 2013, with Democrats in control of both chambers of the state legislature Sen. Crowder was the only Republican in the state legislature to vote for expanding Medicaid in Colorado. Notably, his vote wasn’t needed for the bill’s passage and his fellow party members unanimously opposed the legislation.

More recently in the 2017 legislative session, Sen. Crowder teamed up with State Rep. Dan Thurlow, R-Grand Junction, to bring forward legislation that would have fundamentally altered the third rail of Colorado politics: Colorado’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Right’s (TABOR) state revenue cap. The bill made it through the state House but was defeated by Sen. Crowder’s own party in the Senate State Affairs Committee. Opponents of the bill accused him of violating the state constitution, but Sen. Crowder doubled-down: “I’m offended by those who say I’m going against the constitution. In rural Colorado, they’d rather have a hospital to bring their kids to than a $45 [tax rebate check].”

Last summer, Sen. Crowder worked closely and diligently with staff from Colorado Center on Law and Policy and the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition to bring forward a package of bills in the 2017 legislative session to overhaul the Medicaid client correspondence system. These bills, signed into law by Gov. Hickenlooper, will make Medicaid correspondence more informative and understandable, and allow clients to more effectively contest a reduction or denial of services. Sen. Crowder’s attention to detail and persistence through the cumbersome political process was critical to bringing these bills over the finish line.

A Colorado maverick
As a policy analyst for CCLP, my issue portfolio has grown to include some rural-specific issues that intersect with Sen. Crowder’s. So I was honored when asked to develop a profile acquainting this maverick of Colorado politics with CCLP’s friends and followers. When I reached out to Sen. Crowder about his availability for a phone interview, he invited me to breakfast in Denver instead.

Over biscuits and gravy, I kicked off the conversation by asking Sen. Crowder his thoughts on Senate Bill 267, the conglomerate of a bill that took months of negotiations to reclassify the hospital provider fee fund into an enterprise fund. CCLP advocated for years to reclassify the hospital provider fee fund into an enterprise because doing so would protect hundreds of millions of dollars from the TABOR revenue cap and thereby relieve pressure to reduce federal match dollars for Colorado’s Medicaid program. Sen. Crowder, whose district’s hospitals rely heavily upon federal match dollars, was also supportive of creating an enterprise, citing his district’s characteristics.

“You have to realize there’s a big difference between metro and rural [Colorado],” he said. “Health care in the metro area is big business. All we’re trying to do in rural Colorado is maintain and keep our doors open. It’s two different worlds completely.”

The bill has been credited by a number of rural lawmakers in Colorado for keeping many hospitals open in their districts, as well as injecting millions of dollars into transportation and classrooms. From Sen. Crowder‘s perspective, the bill was vital to keeping access to health care a reality for many of his constituents in his rural district, many of whom are covered by Medicaid.

Rural challenges
Encompassing 16 counties in the south-central and southeastern parts of the state, Senate District 35 is geographically the largest Senate district in the state. It stretches from the Rio Grande National Forest to the West, over Great Sand Dunes National Park and the Sangre De Cristo Mountain Range and continues East, and further South, to the Kansas and New Mexico borders. According to Sen. Crowder, it takes about five and a half hours to drive across it. Beyond the size and beauty of his district, I wanted to know what he felt made it unique.

“You have to look at the demographics of the district. I represent 16 counties, 15 of them are below the federal poverty level. Only one county out of 16 is sustainable. I am interested in economic development. I am not saying those words as a politician, like they all do.” Sen. Crowder is perhaps one of the best situated lawmakers to speak about economic development, having served as Chairman of the South Central Workforce Board.

He noted that the health care industry is vitally important for his district, but he also told me of the struggles just to keep jobs within his district, notably his first year in office when he successfully fought to keep three state prisons up and running.

“I do not believe in taking anything out of my area,” he said. “We should be talking about what to bring in, not take out.”

This comment sparked in my memory a recent series in The Denver Post about Colorado’s rural communities. Population decline, economic stagnation, resistance to change and a perceived sense of being forgotten by the Front Range were mentioned time and time again in interviews conducted by the Post.

“Nobody wants to change. Remember, there’re people that like their areas the way they are. I like my area the way it is,” Sen. Crowder told me, “but if we’re going to sustain and maintain that area we’re going to have to progress forward someway. Stagnation equates to decline, there’s no other explanation here.”

It’s clear, though, that he is optimistic about the prospect of sustaining and maintaining rural Colorado. He noticeably lit up with a smile when recounting the 2016 Pedal the Plains event, an annual festival intended to highlight Colorado’s rural and agricultural communities that took place in his district. He also envisions a day where equitable access to broadband—a big issue in Rural Colorado—will lead to a robust expansion of small businesses in his district all from one’s home.

Looking forward
Term-limited after 2020, Sen. Crowder mentioned no big plans to grandstand on any issues for his last three years in the legislature. On the contrary, he plans to continue working hard on the issues that impact his district, chiefly health care.

From his perch on the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, Crowder hopes to examine ways to lower the cost of prescription drugs and ensure that Colorado’s Medicaid program works in the best way possible. In fact, the whole purpose of his visit to Denver that day was to meet with folks on recent problems associated with Medicaid reimbursements to doctors.

Wrapping up, I asked the Senator his thoughts on the recent efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act and substantially reduce funding for Medicaid.

“The federal government said on the [Medicaid] expansion that they would pick up the ticket and start tampering down their payments in 2018, well I took them at their word,” he said. “So if I vote for Medicaid expansion, and you come and pull the rug out from under me, it’s not going work for me.”

With that statement, I had to ask: Why vote to expand Medicaid in the face of unanimous opposition from your party?

“I just felt it was the right vote to do,” he said. “You can’t vote no just because someone else does, that’s always the problem in politics. It had without a doubt the votes to pass with the Democrats in the majority, but that’s not to say that I should not vote what I think is right. “

Colorado Center on Law and Policy staff believe that the issues associated with poverty should transcend party politics. Sen. Crowder has embodied that vision throughout his time as a State Senator and we are proud to honor him this year as a Champion of Economic Justice. Register today for what promises to be a great event!

–Kristopher Grant

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CCLP’s 26th birthday party recap

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HEALTH:
HEALTH FIRST COLORADO (MEDICAID)

Health First Colorado is the name given to Colorado’s Medicaid program. Medicaid provides public, low-cost health insurance to qualifying adults and children. It is an entitlement program funded by the federal, state, and county governments and is administered by counties in Colorado. Those who are required to pay must pay a small co-pay when receiving certain health care services.

State Department: Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

Eligibility: Most adults 18 to 64 are eligible for Medicaid in Colorado if their household income is at or below 133% of the federal poverty limit (FPL). Pregnant women are eligible with incomes of up to 195% FPL, while children under 18 may be eligible if the live in a household with income at or below 142% FPL. Some adults over 65 may also be eligible for Medicaid.

Program Benefits: Through Medicaid, low-income Coloradans are eligible for a range of health care services at little to not cost. Services provided include doctors visits, prescription drugs, mental health services, and dental care. Co-pays for certain individuals may be needed for certain services.

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds our Medicaid program through state and federal dollars. Medicaid is an entitlement program, which means that all who are eligible for Medicaid can access the program, regardless of the funding level in a given year. This does not mean that it is always easy to access Medicaid, even when eligible. And since the program is administered by counties, funding levels for county staff and other administrative roles can make it easier or harder for Coloradans to access the program. On top of this, not all medical providers accept Medicaid which limits the ability of Coloradans to seek health services even if enrolled, such as if the nearest provider is a 2+ hour drive away.

Note: This data is from before the pandemic and does not reflect changes in enrollment rules during the COVID-19 pandemic and public health emergency.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 89.0% of the population at or below 133% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for Medicaid) were enrolled in Medicaid in Colorado.

FOOD SECURITY:
SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP helps low-income Coloradans purchase food by providing individuals and families with a monthly cash benefit that can be used to buy certain foods. SNAP is an entitlement program that is funded by the federal and state governments and administered by counties in Colorado.

State Department: Department of Human Services

Eligibility: Currently, Coloradans qualify for SNAP if they have incomes below 200% FPL, are unemployed or work part-time or receive other forms of assistance such as TANF, among other eligibility criteria. Income eligibility for SNAP was different during the study period of this report than today—it was 130% FPL back in 2019 for example. The US Department of Agriculture uses the population at or below 125% FPL when calculating the Program Access Index (or PAI) for SNAP. We follow this practice in our analysis despite Colorado currently having a higher income eligibility threshold.

Program Benefits: SNAP participants receive a monthly SNAP benefit that is determined by the number of people in their household and their income. Benefit amounts decrease as income increases, helping households avoid a sudden loss of SNAP when their incomes increase, even by a minor amount. Benefits are provided to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card that can be used to purchase eligible food items, such as fruits and vegetables; meat, poultry, and fish; dairy products; and breads and cereals. Other items, such as foods that are hot at their point of sale, are not allowable purchases under current SNAP rules.

Program Funding and Access: SNAP, like Medicaid, is a federal entitlement program. This means that Colorado must serve any Coloradan who is eligible for the program. As such, funding should not be a limit to how many Coloradans can be served by the program. However, funding for administration of SNAP at the state and county level can limit the ability of county human service departments to enroll those who are eligible. Other program rules and administrative barriers can make it difficult for Coloradans to receive the benefits they are legally entitled to receive.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 61.1% of the population at or below 125% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for SNAP) were enrolled.

FOOD SECURITY:
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION PROGRAM FOR WOMEN, INFANTS AND CHILDREN (WIC)

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also know as WIC, provides healthcare and nutritional support to low-income Coloradans who are pregnant, recently pregnant, breastfeeding, and to children under 5 who are nutritionally at risk based on a nutrition assessment.

State Department: Department of Public Health and Environment

Eligibility: To participate in WIC you must be pregnant, pregnant in the last six months, breastfeeding a baby under 1 year of age, or a child under the age of 5. Coloradans do not need to be U.S. citizens to be eligible for WIC. In terms of income, households cannot have incomes that exceed 185% FPL. Families who are enrolled in SNAP, TANF, Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or Medicaid are automatically eligible for WIC. Regardless of gender, any parents, foster parents, or caregivers are able to apply for and use WIC services for eligible children.

Program Benefits: WIC provides a range of services to young children and their parents. These include funds to purchase healthy, fresh foods; breastfeeding support; personalized nutrition education and shopping tips; and referrals to health care and other services participants may be eligible for.

Program Funding and Access: WIC is funded by the US Department of Agriculture. The state uses these federal funds to contract with local providers, known as WIC Clinics. In most cases, these are county public health agencies, but that is not the case in all Colorado counties. Some WIC Clinics cover multiple counties, while others are served by multiple clinics. Private non-profit providers are also eligible to be selected as a WIC Clinic.

Statewide Program Access 2015-17: Between 2015 and 2017, an average of 52.2% of the population eligible for WIC were enrolled in the program in Colorado.

Financial Security:
Colorado Works

Colorado Works is the name given to Colorado’s program for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF. It is an employment program that supports families with dependent children on their path to self-sufficiency. Participants can receive cash assistance, schooling, workforce development and skills training depending on the services available in their county.

State Department: Department of Human Services

Eligibility: In general, Coloradans are eligible to enroll in TANF if they are a resident of Colorado, have one or more children under the age of 18 or pregnant, and have very low or no income. For example, to be eligible to receive a basic cash assistance grant through TANF, a single-parent of one child could not earn more than $331 per month, with some exclusions—and would only receive $440 per month (as of 2022). That said, there are other services provided by counties through TANF that those with incomes as high as $75,000 may be eligible for. In addition to these, participants in TANF are required to work or be pursuing an eligible “work activity” or work-related activity. Any eligible individual can only receive assistance if they have not previously been enrolled in TANF for a cumulative amount of time of more than 60 months—this is a lifetime limit that does not reset. Counties may have additional requirements and offer benefits that are not available in other counties in Colorado.

Program Benefits:  While the exact benefits that one is eligible for under TANF can vary, all qualified participants are eligible to receive a monthly cash payment, call basic cash assistance. Other than cash assistance, counties are have a lot of choice in how to use their TANF funding; generally a use of TANF funds is appropriate so long as it advances one or more of the four purposes of the program: (1) provide assistance to needy families so that children can be cared for in their own homes or in the homes of their relatives; (2) end the dependence of needy families on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage; (3) prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies; and (4) encourage the formation and maintenance of two-parent families.

It is important to note that those eligible for TANF are also eligible for many of the other programs we’ve included in this report, such as SNAP, Medicaid, and CCCAP.

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds its TANF program through funds received from the federal government through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families block grant. Most of the federal funds are allocated by the state to counties, which are required to provide a 20% match of state funding. Federal and state rules allow the state and counties to retain a portion of unspent funds in a TANF reserve.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 50.7% of the population at or below 100% of FPL (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for TANF) were enrolled in TANF in Colorado.

EARLY LEARNING:
COLORADO CHILD CARE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (CCCAP)

The Colorado Child Care Assistance Program provides child care assistance to low-income families and caregivers living in Colorado in the form of reduced payments for child care. It is a program funded by the federal, state, and county governments and is administered by counties in Colorado. The share owed by parents/caregivers is determined on a sliding scale based on the family’s income.

State Department: Department of Early Childhood Education

Eligibility: Counties set eligibility for families separately, but must serve families with incomes at or below 185% of the Federal Poverty Limit. Families accepted to the program are no longer eligible once their income exceeds 85% of the state median income. Parents or caregivers must be employed, searching for work, or engaged in another approved activity to be eligible for CCCAP. Parents and caregivers enrolled in Colorado Works (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families or TANF) or in the child welfare system are also eligible to participate in CCCAP. Generally, CCCAP serves families with children under 13, although children as old as 19 may be eligible under certain circumstances.

Program Benefits: If a family is eligible for CCCAP and has income, they may likely have to pay a portion of their child’s or children’s child care costs each month. The amount that families owe is based on their gross income, number of household members, and the number of children in child care in the household. As such, households tend not to experience a benefit cliff with CCCAP when they see their incomes increase

Program Funding and Access: Colorado funds the CCCAP program using federal dollars it receives from the Child Care and Development Block Grant program. The state allocates federal and state funds to counties using a formula that takes into account factors like current caseloads and the number of eligible residents. Assistance is available until the county’s funds are spent, so the number of families that can be served is often a function of how much funding is available and the income and composition of the household that applies. It is not uncommon for counties to overspend or underspend their allocations of funds. The state reallocates unspent funds from counties who underspent to those who overspent. While underspending could indicate a problem with the way a county administers its CCCAP program, it could just as likely be a sign that there are few providers in the county who participate in CCCAP—or a lack of providers generally.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 10.8% of the population at or below 165% of FPL and younger than age 13 (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for CCCAP) were enrolled in CCCAP.

Housing:
HUD rental assistance programs

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has three housing assistance programs that we look at together: Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8), Project-based Section 8, and Public Housing. In Colorado, these programs provided assistance to over 90% of the households who received federal housing assistance from all HUD programs. Through federally funded, local or regional public housing agencies (PHAs) are the agencies that administer these programs, through not all are available in all counties. These are not the only programs available in Colorado that assist households afford the cost of housing, such as units funded through federal and state tax credit programs.

State Department: Department of Local Affairs

Eligibility: Generally, households with incomes under 50% of the area median income (AMI) of the county they live in are eligible for these rental assistance programs, although PHAs have discretion to select households with incomes at higher percentages of AMI. That said, HUD requires that 75% of new vouchers issued through the Housing Choice Voucher/Section 8 program in a given year are targeted to households with incomes at or below 30% of AMI. PHAs are also able to create criteria that give priority to certain types of households who are on waiting lists for these programs.

Program Benefits: These rental assistance programs help households afford the cost of housing by reducing their housing costs to around 30% of their household income. In the case of the Housing Choice Voucher program, the PHA pays the voucher holder’s landlord the remaining portion of the rent.

Program Funding and Access: Funding and access are both challenges for these rental assistance programs. In addition to limitations on the number of public housing units or housing vouchers a PHA can manage or issue, lack of funding compared to the need constrains the ability of PHAs to assist low-income households. In 2020, Coloradans were on waitlists for Housing Choice Vouchers for an average of 17 months. Waitlists also exist for the other rental assistance programs.

Statewide Program Access 2015-19: Over the study period of this report, an average of 21.1% of renter households with incomes at or below 50% AMI (i.e., the population who is likely to be eligible for HUD rental assistance programs) were living in subsidized housing.