Like many health care leaders around Colorado, I am concerned about the impact potential rate increases will have on health insurance access and affordability for individuals, families, and small businesses in our state. Governor Polis shares our concerns and requested our support to ensure Connect for Health Colorado customers and stakeholders are aware of the potentially significant rate increases for 2026 as well as the impacts of those rate increases.

Last week, the Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) released its preliminary review of the proposed premium increases for 2026. That review shows preliminary rate increases averaging 28% for Plan Year 2026 – and even higher in rural communities such as the Western Slope.

The proposed rate increases are linked to, and in addition to, the significant premium increases many customers could see if Congress does not act to extend the enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTC) set to expire at the end of this year. Approximately 80% of Connect for Health Colorado’s customers receive financial assistance. We understand how vital this financial assistance is. We will continue to talk with our representatives in Congress about the importance of extending the ePTC into 2026 and beyond. We estimate more than 50,000 customers would no longer be able to afford health insurance and could go uninsured if ePTC does not continue.

As we prepare to support our customers navigating these changes, Connect for Health Colorado remains dedicated to ensuring Coloradans have access to affordable, quality health insurance. To prepare for potentially substantial premium increases next year, I encourage everyone to work with a broker or assister, even if they have not done so in the past. This is a free service and their expertise can help customers enroll in a plan that meets their health care needs and budget and receive all the financial help they qualify for.

While Connect for Health Colorado is not involved in setting health insurance prices, we are committed to helping our customers receive the best possible health care coverage at a price they can afford. That commitment includes providing upfront communication to help customers plan and budget for their future health.

Take care,

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

June is Pride Month — a time to find joy in community and celebrate the progress we’ve made toward becoming a more inclusive Colorado.

For several years, Connect for Health Colorado has proudly supported Pride Month events across metro and rural areas, connecting with and learning how we can continue to best serve all Coloradans.

We know our vibrant, diverse communities make us stronger.

That’s why we’re committed to providing everyone with the resources and support they need to find health coverage that works best for them, and feel confident and comfortable when they seek care.

Our support of Pride Month events is important, perhaps now more than ever. People in the LGBTQIA+ community face persistent disparities in health coverage and care; are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured; and too often, experience discrimination in medical settings.

That’s why we continue to prioritize outreach to the LGBTQIA+ community and build trust in communities throughout the state — working to ensure that every person feels supported when accessing coverage and care.

At Connect for Health Colorado, we believe health care must be comprehensive, affordable, accessible, and inclusive. Everyone deserves to feel safe, welcome, and respected when they seek care.

Our commitment to inclusive health care is one reason we’re excited to help kick off Denver Pride this weekend by sponsoring the Denver Pride 5K, a community fundraiser for The Center on Colfax. The Center provides year-round, essential programs and services for LGBTQIA+ Coloradans and their allies.

As we celebrate Pride and June comes to an end, we remain committed to serving every Coloradan with respect and care — because when our communities thrive, we all thrive.

Happy Pride, Colorado!

Take care,

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

Connect for Health Colorado, like several other official state-based health insurance marketplaces, has celebrated record open enrollment periods for five consecutive years. 

Now, that meaningful work is at risk. 

We find ourselves at a critical juncture, facing a significant threat to the Affordable Care Act and the 24 million Americans who rely on state-based health insurance marketplaces for access to affordable, quality health insurance. 

A federal reconciliation bill — passed by the U.S. House and now under Senate consideration — proposes sweeping changes that would jeopardize the progress we’ve made here and across the U.S. 

In Colorado alone, the reconciliation bill’s provisions could result in the loss of $620 million in tax credits to Coloradans and cause 112,000 people — 43% of those currently enrolled through Connect for Health Colorado — to lose coverage.

While much of the national conversation has focused on Medicaid cuts, the bill’s impact on state-based marketplaces must not be overlooked. 

The bill does not extend enhanced premium tax credits, ends silver loading (a pricing strategy that helps reduce costs), imposes new and unnecessary additional income verification requirements, and restricts access to affordable health insurance for lawfully present immigrants.

Each of these provisions would raise costs, reduce access, and place new administrative burdens on both individuals and state marketplaces. Coloradans could see net premiums more than double, with rural residents, older adults, and those with fluctuating incomes among the hardest hit.

The bill also limits long-standing state flexibility that has allowed state-based marketplaces the autonomy to make decisions that best meet the needs of our communities, and the people who rely on us to serve them. 

The State Marketplace Network has an overview of the reconciliation bill’s effects on marketplaces, and Connect for Health Colorado has shared a fact sheet about how the bill’s provisions could affect Coloradans. 

The numbers are alarming — and it’s important to remember, there are people behind the numbers. Families, children, workers, retirees, small business owners, our friends, our neighbors. 

For so many, the Affordable Care Act and the access created through state-based marketplaces have been more than a policy — they have been a lifeline. More than 300,000 Coloradans depend on it. 

The Affordable Care Act and state-based marketplaces have transformed access to affordable health insurance.

It’s important for Congress to protect the progress we’ve made, and strengthen our ability to provide health coverage to people who most depend on it. 

Take care, 

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

Ten years ago, I was tapped to be interim chief executive officer of Connect for Health Colorado at a critical time for the state’s marketplace. 

Our customers were frustrated and disappointed, and we faced legislative scrutiny, questions about our financial sustainability, and challenges with systems and staffing.

Throughout my career, I had served in other interim capacities, helping stabilize organizations and teams before permanent hires were made.

But this was different. 

I knew the magnitude and possibility of the work had the opportunity to transform access to affordable health insurance for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans. That is what has kept me here in a permanent capacity for the last decade. 

I’ll tell you the truth. Those early years were rough, and the challenges we faced were overwhelming to say the least. So we focused, identified the things within our control, and we found our North Star: the customer experience.

With every decision we made and every dollar we spent, we asked ourselves, “What problem can we fix today? How can we do better for the people we serve?”

With care and purpose, we started to remake the organization.    

We brought more services in-house, added experts in user experience and product development, and created faster, smarter ways to collect feedback from the people we serve.

Every year, we faced new challenges. Every year, we learned and improved.

It was not easy, but it was worth it, and it worked.

Today, our net promoter score – the indicator of whether customers would recommend the marketplace – is no longer negative. It is in the 60s.

Our enrollment has grown by 100%, and 80% of our customers today receive financial help to lower costs.

Our customer service center has a customer satisfaction rate of 87% – nearly 40% higher than five years ago.

And maybe most importantly, people across Colorado now see us as a trusted resource for buying health insurance and navigating care.

A decade after I started this work, I am incredibly proud of what we have built together.

I acknowledge the importance and meaning of my role and my service over the last 10 years, and I know this has never been about me. 

This work is for our families, our friends, our neighbors and our communities. And none of our success would be possible without you – the Connect for Health Colorado team and our network of trusted, valued partners.

We may never know or truly understand the full meaning of the work we’ve done, how it has improved, transformed and saved lives.

Colorado’s health insurance marketplace has come a long way in the last decade. We will work to protect what we have built, and we still have more we can do to innovate and cement Connect for Health Colorado’s role as the go-to place for individuals, families, and small businesses to purchase affordable, quality health insurance in Colorado.

I am confident that our partnerships and our commitment to this work will allow us to continue to do transformative work – together. 

Take care,

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

This week, Connect for Health Colorado published its annual By the Numbers report, and it is packed with new data and information about the record-breaking open enrollment period for plan year 2025. 

When we take a closer look at this year’s report, there’s so much to celebrate. Here are some of the accomplishments we’re most proud to share. In 2025:

• 296,499 Coloradans enrolled in affordable health coverage.
• 80% of customers received financial assistance to lower monthly premiums and health care costs.
• 3 out of 5 customers could find a plan for $10 per month or less after Advance Premium Tax Credits were applied.
• Nearly 26% of enrolled customers live in rural areas; and, in fact, 12 of the 15 counties experiencing the most significant enrollment growth are located in rural areas. 
• About 66% of all enrollments for plan year 2025 were completed with the help of a health insurance Broker or Assister, and 53% of appointments with Assisters were conducted in a language other than English.
• Our customer service center answered 76,582 calls with an impressive customer satisfaction rate of 87%.

I encourage you to read the full report and explore some of the stories of people whose lives have been improved by our work. These stories are a testament to the critical need we’re meeting for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans.

Our success can be attributed, in part, to our ongoing efforts to educate people about their health insurance options and available financial assistance, as well as to state and federal policies that have expanded access to affordable health coverage.

And equally important to our success is you – our valued and trusted partners.

The work we do together to increase access to affordable, comprehensive, and quality health coverage is truly meaningful. 

I’m incredibly fortunate to collaborate with you and deeply grateful for the care, time, and expertise you invest in improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in Colorado – our families, friends, and neighbors.

African Chamber of Commerce Nomination

Two weeks ago, members of our team attended the African Chamber of Commerce’s annual Business Awards Celebration and Fundraiser. Connect for Health Colorado was nominated for an award recognizing our support for Colorado’s Black and African American communities. 

It was such an honor to be nominated for our outreach work and our sponsorship of the chamber’s Women’s Entrepreneurship Program, a 12-week program that helps women develop a well-defined business plan, nurture a strong network of fellow entrepreneurs, and navigate various challenges that come with entrepreneurship. 

We are so proud of the work we’re doing with our partners throughout Colorado and the award nomination was a lovely recognition of how important our work is to the communities we serve. 

Take care,

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

March 23 marked 15 years since the Affordable Care Act, or ACA, was signed into law, transforming access to affordable, comprehensive and quality health care for millions of Americans. 

To celebrate this milestone, I co-authored an opinion column for The Colorado Sun with Michael Conway, the Colorado Insurance Commissioner and chief executive of the Colorado Division of Insurance.

In our column, we share stories from everyday Coloradans who told us how they benefit from the ACA. 

For so many, the ACA creates access to essential health services, including preventive care, mental health treatment and life-saving prescription medications. And for some, it provides something else — a sense of security, comfort, and hope for a healthier future. 

Many of you, our close partners, hear these stories every day, and I am proud to share them with a larger audience. 

Read our column on The Colorado Sun.

The Importance of Protecting Customers’ Financial Help 

In The Colorado Sun column, the Commissioner and I also talk about enhanced tax credits that will expire at the end of 2025 if Congress doesn’t take action. 

Tax credits strengthen the ACA by lowering monthly premiums, which makes health insurance more affordable. 

In fact, in 2025, three out of five customers in Colorado qualified for a health insurance plan for $10 or less per month after tax credits were applied.

Earlier this month, I talked more about the importance of enhanced tax credits in a virtual town hall meeting with Club 20, a coalition of individuals, businesses, tribes and local governments in Colorado’s 22 western counties. 

Insurance premiums are higher for our neighbors in rural Colorado, where enhanced tax credits make a big difference for affordability. For Plan Year 2025, in 47 rural counties, these tax credits reduced monthly premiums by $100 or more. 

Here’s an example I shared during the town hall from one of our certified brokers: A retired couple in Durango aren’t yet eligible for Medicare. Their annual income is $82,000, and they pay $380 a month for their family gold plan through Connect for Health Colorado. If the enhanced tax credits expire at the end of 2025, they will pay more than $2,300 a month for the same plan — and when you factor in their maximum out-of-pocket costs, they could pay more than $45,000 a year for health coverage. That’s more than half of their annual income. 

In fact, without these credits, 77% of people enrolled in health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado will see their financial assistance reduced or eliminated, which means their monthly premiums could increase 50% or more. 

This is why you’ll continue to hear me talk about enhanced tax credits, and it’s why I traveled to Washington, D.C. last week to talk with members of Colorado’s congressional delegation about the consequences for Coloradans if tax credits are reduced. 

Without enhanced tax credits, insurance premiums will increase, and tens of thousands of Coloradans — our friends, families, and neighbors —  will lose health coverage. This would unnecessarily set back the meaningful progress we’ve made over the last 15 years — and Congress must act to ensure that doesn’t happen. 

Take care,

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

Some of you may be feeling anxious, frustrated or overwhelmed – and you’re not alone. Recent federal actions and the subsequent court rulings have left many feeling confused and unsure of what’s to come.  

I want to assure you, despite the uncertainty, these things remain true today:

• The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, and several state laws continue to guarantee quality, affordable, and comprehensive health insurance for Coloradans.
• At this time, recent developments at the federal level have had no impact on the financial help we provide to our customers.
• Federal cuts to Navigator funding do not affect Connect for Health Colorado’s Assistance Network funding. We continue to honor and fully fund all of our assister contracts.
• We remain committed to protecting our customers’ privacy, regardless of immigration status. Colorado Connect, the secure online platform to enroll in the OmniSalud Program, does not share customers’ personal information with federal partners, and the information included in an application cannot be used for immigration enforcement.

Connect for Health Colorado remains steadfast in our mission to increase access, affordability, and choice for individuals and small employers purchasing health insurance in Colorado – and we couldn’t do this without a robust network of federal, state, and local partners.

Alongside our partners, we’ve built strong foundations so that we can continue to provide the necessary health insurance coverage and financial help for those who need it.

Our partnerships – particularly now in uncertain times – are crucial for maintaining stability. We’re prepared to serve and support our partners in any way possible so, together, we are able to prioritize the health and well-being of every Coloradan.

Connect for Health Colorado will continue to monitor federal, state and local developments, and will provide timely and relevant updates to our partners and customers as necessary.


Colorado Connect 2024 Annual Report
Looking back, in 2024 more than 12,000 people enrolled in coverage on Colorado Connect. This included approximately 9,600 individuals who were eligible for the Silver Enhanced Savings subsidy. 

Through these enrollments, Colorado Connect continues to supplement Connect for Health Colorado’s mission.

Read more about Colorado Connect’s 2024 enrollment in our Colorado Connect annual report.

Take care, 

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

As we draw near to the end of Open Enrollment on January 15 this new year, I want to take a moment to reflect on what this time means to me. As much as we rely on the calendar, Open Enrollment isn’t just about deadlines; it’s about the people we serve. Those individuals and families consistently return to Connect for Health Colorado to protect their health and finances while our tools, staff, and certified Brokers and Assisters carry them to the right plan.

After more than a decade of this work, we continue seeing new records broken. In the first two months of Open Enrollment, the number of Coloradans who enrolled in health insurance plans is already more than the total number of people who enrolled through the Marketplace for last year. That’s thanks in part to the work you do to direct Coloradans needing health insurance to our Marketplace. Thank you!

Contributing to a Community Resource
Connect for Health Colorado partners with hundreds of local organizations and sponsors community events that contribute to our mission of increasing access, affordability, and choice for those purchasing health insurance in the state. One of our partners, the Colorado Black Health Collaborative, recently released the 2024 edition of the Colorado Black Health Resources Directory, and we are proud to partner on this valuable resource.

The Directory is a free compilation of wellness resources carefully assembled by Black Coloradans for Black Coloradans seeking to connect with doctors they feel at ease with. Published since 2010, the directory has become a trusted source of reliable information for seniors, families, and individuals seeking treatment by Black health professionals. It’s so impactful that I recently joined the Colorado Black Health Collaborative to speak with Colorado Public Radio about it and the importance of health equity.

Looking into 2025
Our work doesn’t stop on January 15th. We’ll follow along with the upcoming state legislative session to monitor any changes to the health policy landscape, and we remain committed to serving our customers year-round. Coloradans will come to the marketplace throughout 2025 as they experience life change events that make them eligible to enroll in the middle of the year.

Thank you for being part of the journey. Here’s to a successful Open Enrollment and a year filled with health, happiness, and hope.

Take care, 

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

After an eventful month and a half, I’m impressed with Connect for Health Colorado’s growth. We’re seeing about 20 percent more health insurance enrollments over this time last year, an increase made even more impressive considering the enrollment record we achieved last year. I’m thankful to see that enrollments are outpacing previous years, as we announced last week on Get Covered Day, Dec. 5th.

My greatest thanks goes to you, our valued stakeholders, who diligently work to increase access, affordability, and choice for health care coverage in Colorado. As we face a new year of discussions about it all, real Coloradans are still able to afford to cover themselves and their families thanks to your hard work.

Now’s the Time To Enroll for January Coverage

As you may know, Dec. 15th is the deadline for Coloradans to enroll in a health insurance plan that begins Jan. 1st, 2025. However, Colorado offers flexibility with what we call our “in-line deadlines,” a policy allowing customers who started their plan enrollment or made account changes by Dec. 15th to enroll up to two business days after the deadline.

If you know someone who started, but couldn’t complete their enrollment by Dec. 15, please let them know they have until Tuesday, Dec. 17 to enroll, but they must call our Customer Service Center at 855-752-6749 to do so. We’re here to make the process as easy as possible.

In The Community with our Stakeholders

During Open Enrollment, we work hard to make sure our local and state stakeholders know who we are and what we do at Connect for Health Colorado. Most recently, I attended several events to hear from our Colorado counties and cities about the issues most important to them, including the Colorado Counties Incorporated Winter Conference, the Metro Mayor’s Caucus Reception, and the Black Caucus Legislative Preview. It was a great opportunity to talk to county human services directors, county commissioners, and our legislators about how to best serve people in their communities and what health care priorities are expected this legislative session. And just before the holiday, I spent a day in Durango with a health insurance Broker to talk about their business and their Open Enrollment experience so far.

Finally, I enjoyed speaking with Deborah Walker on her Rocky Mountain PBS show “Gospel Train.” We discussed Open Enrollment and the importance of enrolling in health insurance before the upcoming Dec. 15th deadline.       

It’s always a pleasure to put faces to names when I’m out and about in the state, and I’m excited to see what we all accomplish for Coloradans this season.

Take care, 

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

I want to acknowledge the questions about the future of health policy since Tuesday’s election.

We’ve successfully navigated periods of uncertainty like this several times in the past, including eight years ago, and we didn’t do it alone. You, our customers, stakeholders, and partners, make it possible to move forward together.

There are several things that we know.

• The Affordable Care Act is still the law of the land.

• Senate Bill 11-200, the state law that created Connect for Health Colorado, is still the law of the state. There are several other important state laws that ensure quality, affordable, and comprehensive health coverage for Coloradans.

• There are significant savings available to customers who enroll through the Marketplace for Plan Year 2025.

We know this may be a particularly difficult time for immigrant families to navigate. We remain committed to protecting customers’ privacy. For OmniSalud customers enrolling though Colorado Connect, we will not and have never asked for their immigration status. Colorado Connect does not share customers’ personal information with federal partners for any purpose,and the information included in the application cannot be used for immigration enforcement.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to increasing access, affordability, and choice for all Coloradans purchasing health insurance in Colorado.

As we continue getting Coloradans covered during Open Enrollment, we have an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need access to health coverage and who need help getting there.

Thank you for your partnership.

Take care,

Kevin

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