To Our Valued Stakeholders,

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of presenting to the state Senate Health and Human Services Committee, along with our Board Chair Adela Flores Brennan. We shared a package that included background on our history and role in the state healthcare landscape. We also noted our successes from this past Open Enrollment Period, as well as our commitment to rural Coloradans’ access and affordability.

With a few new members on the Committee, I was glad to have the chance for a positive conversation with policymakers about the importance of our work, and to set the stage for further discussions on ways to make health insurance more accessible, more competitive and more affordable for Coloradans.

In other news, the Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) is seeking comments on a proposed draft amended regulation about enrollment periods relating to individuals and group health benefit plans. The regulation is being amended to allow a Special Enrollment Period for individuals who purchased a short-term limited-duration policy but then experience an involuntary loss of coverage at the end of the term of policy, with no ability to purchase another short-term policy, due to the short-term policy carrier ceasing its sales of all short-term policies in Colorado.

The DOI is requesting comments by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9.

In the News

You may have seen in this week that Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet reintroduced his Medicare X legislation to address the lack of competition among Marketplace health insurance companies in rural areas. He provides background here. I was sorry to see in the Colorado Independent that the senator has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. I wish him a speedy recovery.

April Board Meeting Change

Monday’s board meeting will start at noon and will be at a different location. Please find all the details here.

Take care,

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