CEO Blog: Looking Ahead

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

We are at the point on the calendar when we anticipate our health insurance company partners filing their plan offerings and rates for the coming year. The Division of Insurance this week announced the deadlines for filing and the timetable for review and approval.

The timetable is a little different from previous years, because of the uncertainty the current policy debate has built up around the individual market. The filings are due June 19. They will be made public July 14 and finalization will come in late summer or early fall.

Legislative Update

House Bill 17-1235, which is the measure that would provide financial assistance to some Coloradans with income falling between 400% and 500% of the federal poverty level, was killed in a committee vote on Monday. The outcome was disappointing and it means the preparation work that we have accomplished will be put on the shelf for now. But we will continue to work with rural legislators, county commissioners, business owners, other state and county officials on how Connect for Health Colorado can help solve the thorny problem of the high costs of health insurance coverage in the rural regions of our state.

In Recent News

I hope that you saw the Washington Post/ABC News poll released this week that found significant support for keeping the Affordable Care Act and making it work as well as possible.

Cost Sharing Reduction (CSR) payments provide crucial help lowering out-of-pocket costs for folks who qualify but they are also vital to health insurance companies in the individual market. AHIP (America’s Health Insurance Plans), an industry advocacy group, issued a statement yesterday from medical professionals, health insurers and other business leaders urging the continuation of CSRs.

Take care,

Kevin

Kevin Patterson, MURP, MPA
Chief Executive Officer
Connect for Health Colorado