Connect for Health Colorado is soliciting responses from qualified entities to provide Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangement (ICHRA) enrollment and administrative services for its employee’s health benefit plan. Through this Request for Proposals (RFP), Connect for Health Colorado intends to identify and potentially contract with a vendor to provide ICHRA services (detailed in Section 3 and 4). To be considered, bidders must demonstrate experience and skills in delivering the business requirements along with the other selection criteria identified in this RFP.

The Request for Proposal provides additional details. We look forward to hearing from you.

DENVER – The Colorado House Minority Office has named Jennifer S. Brooks, an insurance broker, to the Board of Directors of Connect for Health Colorado . Brooks is a licensed broker with Sage Benefit Advisors, an Alera Group Company, and has been a certified broker with Connect for Health Colorado since the first Open Enrollment Period. 

With more than 25 years of experience as a health insurance broker, Jennifer found her specialization in the individual market during a time when people could be denied coverage based on their medical history. Today, Jennifer uses her degree in education to assist customers in understanding insurance concepts and how their policies function. She aims to impart knowledge that will empower them to make informed decisions as health insurance consumers for their lifetime. 
 
“As one of Connect for Health Colorado’s certified enrollment experts, Jennifer brings a vital customer focus and perspective to the Board of Directors,” said Board Chair Dick Thompson. “Her depth of experience with the individual market and Colorado’s marketplace paired with her dedication to advocating for our customers will contribute greatly to our board’s strategic discussions.” 

Jennifer began her activism at the age of 14 when she initiated a school-wide petition to introduce a Spanish language class at her small-town Iowa school. Although her initial attempt was unsuccessful, it did not deter her from pursuing her passion for making a positive impact. 

The Connect for Health Colorado Board of Directors has nine voting members and three ex-officio members. 

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Media Contact
Mónica Caballeros, Connect for Health Colorado, [email protected], 720-576-7995

About Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information:  ConnectforHealthCO.com

Connect for Health Colorado is looking for applications from qualified media services vendors to assist Connect for Health Colorado with our marketing goals to Spanish-speaking and bilingual (English/Spanish) audiences across the state. The firm would be contracted to work with Connect for Health Colorado to develop a media strategy based on our goals and to develop and execute a media buying program and advertising campaigns, during the upcoming Open Enrollment period for health insurance, and for other marketing purposes.

The Request for Proposal provides additional details and instructions on how to respond.

We look forward to hearing from you.

DENVER— Gov. Jared Polis has named a leader in health policy, Emily King, to the board of directors of Connect for Health Colorado as an ex-officio member. King is the senior health policy advisor for Gov. Polis and serves as the deputy director of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care.

King was most recently at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, where she managed a team that developed policy for the Children’s Health Insurance Program. Before that, she oversaw the health portfolio for the majority staff of the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives. Prior to that, she served as a Medicaid analyst for the White House Office of Management and Budget and then the Congressional Budget Office.

“I’m delighted to welcome Emily King to Connect for Health Colorado’s board of directors,” said Board Chair Dick Thompson. “Her depth of knowledge, experience, and perspective from working at the forefront of health policy will contribute greatly to our board.”

King began her career at the Colorado Health Institute, focusing on implications of state and federal health reform. She received her BA in public health from the University of Colorado at Boulder and her MPA in economics and public policy from the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs.

The Connect for Health Colorado Board has nine voting members and three ex-officio members.

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Media Contact

Mónica Caballeros, Connect for Health Colorado, [email protected], 720-576-7995

About Connect for Health Colorado

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information:  ConnectforHealthCO.com

Statement from Connect for Health Colorado

DENVER – Last Thursday, Connect for Health Colorado’s Board of Directors took a support position on House Bill 24-1258 Credit Covered Person Expenses Insurer Insolvency. This bill will require a covered individual’s new health insurance company to credit out-of-pocket expenses paid if their current health insurance company leaves the market mid-plan year and can no longer provide coverage. This bill also provides methods for health insurance companies to recoup any expenses and increase in claims liability because of crediting out-of-pocket expenses. Connect for Health Colorado has released the following statement:

“As the official health insurance marketplace for Coloradans, it’s our mission to increase access, affordability, and choice. HB24-1258 directly furthers that mission for customers needing new coverage in the event of a mid-year market exit, which we’ve seen a couple of times in the past few years. This bill will protect customers’ health and finances as they attain new coverage for their health care needs without worrying about resetting deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums. For those reasons, Connect for Health Colorado supports House Bill 24-1258.”
 
House Bill 24-1258 has passed the House and is currently awaiting debate and vote in the Senate.

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Media Contact

Mónica Caballeros, Connect for Health Colorado, [email protected], 720-576-7995

About Connect for Health Colorado

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information:  ConnectforHealthCO.com

DENVER— Today, Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, released its annual Open Enrollment report. This year’s By the Numbers report details how changes to federal law, innovative state laws, and a statewide network of certified experts contributed to nearly 250,000 Coloradans signing up for a health insurance plan by the end of the Open Enrollment Period. The report also includes charts and interactive county maps showing enrollments, plan prices, and financial help by county.

Making Health Insurance More Affordable and Accessible

The enhanced financial help available via the Inflation Reduction Act kept the cost of staying covered under control. This year, 3 out of 5 customers could find a plan for $10 per month or less after Advance Premium Tax Credits were applied.

Additionally, Colorado’s Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise provided enhanced cost-sharing reductions to people shopping on the Marketplace. This year, the Enterprise expanded the eligibility criteria so that more people could receive the highest level of cost-sharing reductions. As a result, the number of people receiving these benefits doubled from last year.

One of Connect for Health Colorado’s strategic goals is to advocate to improve access to coverage in rural areas of Colorado. Staying with a five-year trend, the majority of the largest increases in enrollments came from rural counties. However, urban counties like El Paso also saw an increase in enrollments as high as 25 percent over last year.

The Impact of Expert Assistance

Health insurance Brokers and community-based Assisters are experts at helping customers understand and navigate their health insurance. This Open Enrollment, 61 percent of customers signed up with the help of a Broker, and more than 7,000 customers were enrolled with the help of an Assister. Additionally, our Assisters had over 4,500 conversations related to health insurance literacy where they explained insurance terms, helped estimate health care-related costs, and discussed how to avoid delaying care.

Connect for Health Colorado also provides enrollment help at 51 Enrollment Centers across the state. The local Brokers and Assisters staffing these locations build their businesses to meet the needs of residents, making each Enrollment Center a reflection of its community. This year, 22 percent of all Marketplace customers enrolled in a plan at an Enrollment Center, and 84 percent of customers who enrolled at one received financial help.

“This year’s Open Enrollment data tells me that Connect for Health Colorado is succeeding in our efforts to expand access, affordability, and choice for Coloradans. We know we’ve still got a way to go, but the report’s findings illustrate that we are moving in the right direction,” said Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Patterson. “I’m very proud to look back at our eleventh Open Enrollment and see that we’re breaking our previous year’s enrollment records, increasing efficiencies, improving the customer experience in major ways, and running innovative programs that truly drive affordability and enrollments.”

Find more data about plan selection trends, average costs and savings by county, Colorado Option plans, outreach and marketing strategies to reach eligible Coloradans, and more in the By the Numbers End of Open Enrollment Report for Plan Year 2024.

Opportunities to Enroll Now

People can enroll in health insurance now if they have a qualifying life event, such as losing Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) coverage, losing health insurance from a job, and certain household changes.

Free help is available year-round from certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. Contact Connect for Health Colorado at ConnectforHealthCO.com or by calling 855-752-6749 to apply for health insurance during a Special Enrollment Period and to find local enrollment assistance.

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Media Contact

Mónica Caballeros, Connect for Health Colorado, [email protected], 720-576-7995

About Connect for Health Colorado

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information:  ConnectforHealthCO.com

Statement from Connect for Health Colorado

DENVER – On Monday, Connect for Health Colorado’s Board of Directors took a support position for Senate Bill 24-093, Continuity of Health-Care Coverage Change. This bill would help Coloradans who are no longer eligible for Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) or the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) program who have serious medical conditions more easily transition to individual market coverage and continue coverage of necessary medical treatments during the transition period. Connect for Health Colorado released the following statement:

“Coverage transitions can be a stressful period for people losing Medicaid regardless of health condition, but Coloradans with serious medical conditions and those getting ongoing treatments are in an especially vulnerable situation. This bill will ensure that Coloradans can continue treatment for their serious medical condition for 90 days without fear of out-of-network balance billing, and hopefully, help provide greater peace of mind as they continue critical treatments.

As the official health insurance marketplace, it’s our mission to increase access, affordability, and choice. This bill gives people ongoing access to coverage when they need it most. It keeps coverage affordable in the individual market by covering people’s medical treatments with insurance. And it preserves choice by allowing people to shop for coverage that is right for their circumstances for the full plan year, rather than focusing only on the coverage they need to finish the course of treatment they are currently receiving. For those reasons, Connect for Health Colorado supports Senate Bill 24-093.”

Senate Bill 24-093 has passed the Senate and is currently awaiting debate and vote in the House.

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Media contact

Mónica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-576-7995

About Connect for Health Colorado  

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace.  Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert, in-person help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information:  ConnectforHealthCO.com

DENVER— Connect for Health Colorado, Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, is requesting applications from new and returning organizations to operate Assistance Sites, Certified Application Counselor locations, Enrollment Centers, and Referral Partner locations across the state.

“Our partners provide a crucial one-on-one service to help Coloradans get covered,” said Connect for Health Colorado’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Patterson. “They help us make sure local communities, especially those who face barriers in getting health coverage, can access the plans and savings we offer. I encourage interested organizations and current partners to apply.”

Partnership Opportunities

• Assistance Sites and Certified Application Counselor locations provide staff to support their communities with education, health insurance literacy, and the enrollment process. They are certified to assist with enrollment on Connect for Health Colorado’s Marketplace and Colorado Connect as well as Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and the Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) program.

• Enrollment Centers across the state also offer health coverage education and enrollment assistance from a local storefront and can receive matching funds for marketing. These locations will also have the ability to help people on a walk-in basis.

• Referral Partners are organizations that can help educate their communities about available health coverage options, applicable financial help programs, and provide referrals for health coverage enrollment.

Who May Apply
Connect for Heath Colorado welcomes applications from community-based organizations, medical facilities, associations, ranching and farming organizations, chambers of commerce, unions, state and local human service agencies, Certified Brokers/Broker Agencies, and other organizations that meet the criteria for selection.

How to Apply

1. See instructions and apply by April 10 at https://c4hco.smapply.io/  
2. Attend a live webinar to learn about the application process March 7. Webinar information is available in this document.

Connect for Health Colorado will determine the award depending on the organization type, staffing, goals, and customer service. Connect for Health Colorado welcomes applications from any potential partner but might not accept all proposals.

Interested applicants can find information about the funded and non-funded opportunities, as well as criteria for each partnership award at https://c4hco.smapply.io/ 

Timeline

Feb. 26, 2024: Applications open

6 Week Application Period: Webinars and Q&A for interested organizations and Brokers

Apr. 10, 2024: Application deadline

Apr. 11 – May 15, 2024:  Connect for Health Colorado will review and reply to applicants 

July 1, 2024 – June 30, 2025: Contract period

Contact

For questions about the application or process: [email protected]

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About Connect for Health Colorado  

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace.  Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert, in-person help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information:  ConnectforHealthCO.com

Media contact: Mónica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-576-7995

DENVER— Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, closed its annual Open Enrollment Period yesterday and reports that 237,107 people have enrolled in a 2024 health insurance plan. That is about 18 percent higher than last year’s end of Open Enrollment total of 201,758 enrollments and is Connect for Health Colorado’s biggest enrollment period ever. Of the total enrollments for 2024 coverage, 77 percent are receiving financial help to reduce premiums.  

Additionally, 12,485 people enrolled in a health insurance plan through Colorado Connect, Connect for Health Colorado’s public benefit corporation and online platform. The majority of those Colorado Connect enrollments were from the OmniSalud program, which provides Coloradans who are undocumented with a safe platform to compare plans, apply for financial help, and enroll.  

“I am elated that we’re ending this enrollment period having helped nearly 250,000 Coloradans secure their coverage for 2024,” said Connect for Health Colorado’s Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “We’ll be digging into our Open Enrollment data to see what exactly is driving this increase in sign-ups shortly. But I know we couldn’t have reached these levels of success without the hard work of our staff and our partners across the state who help customers. I’m deeply proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish to bring affordable health coverage to more Coloradans.” 

Connect for Health Colorado also saw a notable increase in the percentage of customers choosing a Colorado Option plan this Open Enrollment Period compared to last year when they were introduced on the market. For 2024 coverage, 80,655 people selected a Colorado Option plan: roughly 34 percent of total Marketplace enrollments. Last year, Colorado Option plans made up approximately 13 percent of Marketplace enrollments. 

Connect for Health Colorado will be conducting an in-depth analysis of enrollment data and will publish a report with more information and findings this spring.  

While the Open Enrollment Period has closed for 2024 coverage, people can still enroll if they have a qualifying life event. Find a list of qualifying events on Connect for Health Colorado’s website. 

Connect for Health Colorado offers free enrollment assistance from certified Brokers and community-based Assisters year-round. A certified Broker can review plan options, give advice, check networks, and suggest a new plan. Find a Broker, Assister, or visit an Enrollment Center near you. 

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Media Contact 

Mónica Caballeros, Connect for Health Colorado, [email protected], 720-576-7995 

About Connect for Health Colorado  

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information: ConnectforHealthCO.com 

Customers must call to complete their health insurance enrollment for 2024

DENVER— Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, is alerting customers who started their plan enrollments or made changes by yesterday’s deadline, January 15, that they have through Wednesday, January 17 at 6:00 p.m. to finish their enrollment. These customers must call Connect for Health Colorado’s Customer Service Center at 855-752-6749 to complete their enrollment.

“I’m pleased this Open Enrollment has been so smooth and that we can offer this flexibility with the deadline,” said Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “If you or someone you know couldn’t complete their enrollment by yesterday, please let them know about this extension and give us a call right away. We’re here to make the process as easy as possible for folks, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to secure your coverage for 2024.”

On January 4, Connect for Health Colorado announced that more than 222,000 people had enrolled in a 2024 health insurance plan; the highest number of sign-ups through the Marketplace since it opened for business in 2013. Connect for Health Colorado will report total Open Enrollment sign-ups in the coming days and share an in-depth analysis of enrollment data this spring.

You can get free enrollment assistance from certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. A certified Broker can review plan options, give advice, check networks, and suggest a new plan. Find a Broker, Assister, or visit an Enrollment Center near you.

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Media Contact

Mónica Caballeros, Connect for Health Colorado, [email protected], 720-576-7995

About Connect for Health Colorado

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information:  ConnectforHealthCO.com