There has been a lot of talk about the future of the healthcare in our country since the election. There are a few things we should keep in mind:

• 168,000 Colorado residents have healthcare coverage through Connect for Health Colorado.
• 102,000 are getting tax credits to help them afford their coverage.
• Our state’s uninsured rate has dropped to 6.7 percent, the lowest in our state’s history and one of the lowest rates in the country.
• The law that provides financial assistance to qualifying individuals and families is not changed and remains in effect.
• We urge our customers to continue to shop for the best coverage for themselves and their families in 2017 and complete their enrollment by Dec. 15, 2016, to avoid a gap in coverage.
• It is important for all Coloradans to have coverage, for their health and for their financial security.
• Until the new administration and Congress develop a new direction, we continue with normal operations.

You [our customers, stakeholders and partners] have been with us from the beginning. We have achieved this success and navigated through the challenges to the law and uncertainty together. In these early days of Open Enrollment, we continue to see more Coloradans buying health insurance than ever before.

I want to call on your support again as we rededicate ourselves to our mission and to the new challenge of helping our customers understand any changes that might take place and what it means for them and their coverage.

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