CEO Blog: Here for 2018

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

I hope that all of you had a chance to enjoy time with family and friends over the Memorial Day weekend. We have all been dealing with a great deal of uncertainty about our work as the healthcare debate played out at the state and national level the last six months.

Now, as most of the world moves into summer vacation season, we are preparing for the next Open Enrollment Period with the same mission we have pursued for six years — to increase access, affordability and choice for individuals and small employers buying health insurance in Colorado.

Despite the uncertainty, I want to assure our customers, our partners, our stakeholders and all of our staff members that we are here to connect Coloradans to health insurance coverage for 2018.

We are coming up on some key dates that will shape the 2018 Open Enrollment:

  • June 19 – Deadline for health insurance companies to file proposed individual and small group plans and premiums for the 2018 plan year with the state Division of Insurance (DOI).
  • July 14 – The proposed plans and premiums become available to the public.
  • Aug. 4 – Deadline for public comment.
  • Late Summer / Early Fall – The DOI releases approved 2018 plans and premiums.
  • Nov. 1 – Open Enrollment for 2018 begins.

In Recent News

You may not have seen that our own Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, has joined Republican Gov. John Kasich in a group of governors working to preserve Medicaid and stabilize the private individual health insurance market. The Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch reports the governors are putting together a bipartisan group of governors to develop ideas to pass on to the U.S. Senate for its healthcare legislation.

With the state Legislature in recess and the pace of the federal debate moderating, I will be reducing the frequency of these communications. You can expect to hear from me when developments dictate and at least once a month during the months leading to Open Enrollment.

Take care,

Kevin

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