January Marketplace Update: A Message from CEO Patty Fontneau

The New Year has been busy at Connect for Health Colorado. Here’s a re-cap of the month’s highlights as we close out January.

• Shopping and enrollment activity continued at a steady pace during January. In January, an additional 25,000 accounts were created and 16,000 Coloradans signed up for private health insurance coverage – for a total of over 69,000 sign-ups since the Marketplace opened on October 1, 2013. We continue to exceed our preliminary projections for coverage year 2014.
• Many carriers offering plans through our Marketplace chose to extend payment deadlines for customers who signed up for January 1 coverage, due to the extension of the sign-up deadlines in December. We have worked closely with our carrier partners to support customers through the final steps of enrollment.
• Connect for Health Colorado submitted its 2013 Annual Report to the Colorado General Assembly and Governor’s Office on January 15, as required by Senate Bill 11-200. Board Chair Gretchen Hammer and I testified to the Joint Legislative Health Committee about our 2013 activities at a January 23 meeting at the Capitol.
• The Board and the Legislative Health Benefit Exchange Implementation Review Committee approved our Operational Plan, which includes a framework for continued enhancements of the technology and customer service operations and a financial sustainability approach for future years. The financial model confirms that the Marketplace will be self-sustaining in 2015 and beyond.
• A new outreach and marketing push has begun across the state, including new television spots featuring actual customers who have saved money on their health insurance, to encourage Coloradans to get covered and not wait to the last minute. Current messaging focuses on the February 15 deadline for March 1 coverage. Open enrollment ends March 31. Enrollment events are being scheduled across the state for February and March. Please send your ideas for enrollment and outreach events to us at [email protected].

Thank you for your support and let us know how we can partner with you to support our new customers and to get more Coloradans covered. And GO BRONCOS!!