Open enrollment for plan year 2026 starts tomorrow, and this open enrollment period is unlike any other.

Between now and Jan. 15, hundreds of thousands of people across Colorado will turn to us for help finding high quality, affordable health insurance.

This year, the landscape is different than last. Congress is allowing enhanced Premium Tax Credits (ePTCs) to expire at the end of 2025. Those tax credits have made coverage more affordable and accessible for our customers. Without them, net premiums will double on average for all customers who are receiving financial assistance.

There’s also some uncertainty about whether Congress will act to extend these tax credits during open enrollment, which would have a significant impact on our work.

At the same time, we’re implementing Colorado Premium Assistance (CPA), which will provide meaningful savings and make coverage more affordable for many people.

This is a critical time for us and the people we serve. As customers face rising premiums and reduced financial help, our expert assistance – and our empathy – will matter more than ever.

We are ready for this. We have spent several months preparing; planning for alternative scenarios, building new tools and processes, developing clear messages, and strengthening our partnerships.

You – our trusted partners – are a vital part of this work, and I have complete confidence that together, we’ll help Coloradans stay covered.

A New Way to Shop and Compare

Shopping and comparing plans this year is critical, and our new Estimate & Explore Tool is live with 2026 plan data.

This tool is one way we’re making it easier for Coloradans to understand their options and choose the best, most affordable plan for them and their families.

The enhanced Estimate & Explore Tool lets customers compare medical and dental plans side-by-side – without needing to log in – and helps manage cost expectations before customers apply. We encourage you to use the tool, and let us know if you see any issues.

Notable Events

Earlier this month, Connect for Health Colorado and the University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work co-hosted the Black Health Summit, a free community event focused on advancing conversations around access, affordability, and choice in healthcare. The summit brought together local leaders, healthcare professionals, and community members to explore practical, actionable solutions to help address the challenges facing Colorado’s Black community in navigating today’s complex healthcare landscape.

Just last week, the Denver City Council issued a proclamation recognizing Connect for Health Colorado – along with our trusted community partners, and Assisters and insurance Brokers – for helping residents navigate enrollment and overcome barriers. This recognition underscores our collective effort to ensure every Coloradan can protect their health and financial security through access to affordable, high-quality health insurance. I could not be prouder of the work we’re doing together.

Looking Ahead

Colorado has made remarkable progress expanding access to health coverage over the past decade. Nearly 300,000 Coloradans rely on Connect for Health Colorado for coverage, and the state’s uninsured rate has reached historic lows. 

As we navigate this next chapter, our mission remains the same: to increase access, affordability, and choice for individuals and small employers purchasing health insurance in Colorado. Circumstances may change – our commitment won’t.

I value you and your partnership. Please take care of yourselves over the next several months. It’s important you nurture your physical, mental and emotional health. Take time to recharge and check in with each other.

Together, we’ll help Coloradans navigate their choices and stay protected.

Take care,

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

Health coverage policies change all the time. And when they do, the families, friends and neighbors we serve in Colorado feel it.

That’s why the CoverCO conference matters. This year’s theme – Serving with Purpose in a Shifting Health Policy Landscape – is about staying strong together, even as policies shift around us.

From Sept. 29-Oct. 1, the CoverCO conference will bring us together to reconnect and gain fresh resources, strategies and insights needed to navigate fast-changing federal and state health policies. 

This year, we’ll hear from two dynamic keynote speakers, George Ira Carroll and Dr. Brandy Biglow, who’ll talk to us about motivation and how we address burnout. 

Assisters and brokers will gather to share pre-open enrollment strategies, and best practices, tools, and resources to strengthen their work. 

And, general sessions will go deeper on pressing policy changes and initiatives, including: 

• Updates on eligibility, immigration, subsidies, and special enrollment periods.
• The future of Premium Tax Credits, possible expiration of enhanced Premium Tax Credits, 2026 insurance rates, and Colorado Premium Assistance.
• How the House Reconciliation bill (H.R.1) could affect the Affordable Care Act and Medicaid programs.
• Changes to OmniSalud, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) eligibility, Emergency Medicaid, and Cover All Coloradans.
• A detailed look at planned changes to the Connect for Health Colorado application and systems; and much more. 

If you haven’t yet registered for the CoverCO conference, register here. I look forward to connecting with you there and exploring how we navigate this rapidly changing landscape together – so we can continue to deliver outstanding support to our customers through open enrollment and beyond.

CoverCO Happy Hours Next Week

Next week, we’re hosting three CoverCO happy hour gatherings from 5-7 p.m. in Greenwood Village (Monday), Colorado Springs (Tuesday) and Glenwood Springs (Thursday). Food and beverages will be available, and Connect for Health Colorado team members will be there to deliver remarks and answer questions. The RSVP window for these events has closed. If you have questions about these gatherings, please email Anneliese Steel at [email protected]. 

I look forward to seeing many of you in person this month!

Take care,

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

Gov. Jared Polis signed House Bill 25B-1006 into law last week. 

This new law is important and necessary, particularly as we head toward open enrollment for plan year 2026. 

For the upcoming plan year, the stopgap bill will lower the total cost of health insurance premiums and invest in OmniSalud.

Connect for Health Colorado was proud to support House Bill 25B-1006 when it was introduced during the Legislature’s special session, and we are extremely grateful to the Colorado Legislature and Gov. Polis for their leadership in preserving and expanding access to affordable health care coverage.

Every day, you and I see how lives are transformed by access to affordable, essential health services, including preventive care, mental health treatment and life-saving prescription medications.

For so many people throughout Colorado, affordable coverage isn’t just good public policy – it’s a lifeline.

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

It’s critical that Congress extend the Enhanced Premium Tax Credits that have helped millions of Americans – including hundreds of thousands here in Colorado – maintain access to quality, affordable coverage. Without them, families will face impossible choices: skip medical care or sacrifice basic necessities like housing, transportation, and food.

Without Enhanced Premium Tax Credits, we estimate average increases of 100% to over 300% in monthly premiums for people receiving financial assistance; and we estimate tens of thousands of Coloradans will be at risk of losing coverage, with rural residents, older adults, and those with fluctuating incomes among the most impacted. 

When people lose coverage, they delay preventive care, skip medications, and avoid emergency treatment. The results are measurable – studies show uninsured individuals face higher mortality rates, not because conditions can’t be treated, but because treatment becomes unaffordable.

This is not about partisan politics. It’s about whether working families can afford insulin, cancer screenings, and life-saving emergency care. Congress has the power to prevent this entirely avoidable crisis. The choice is clear: extend these credits and protect access to care, or allow them to expire and accept the human cost that will follow.

House Bill 25B-1006 will mitigate some of this impact. But make no mistake: failure to extend Enhanced Premium Tax Credits will significantly impede access to affordable health insurance.

This year it will be more important than ever for customers to shop and compare plans, and we encourage everyone to take advantage of the free resources we make available. 

Connect for Health Colorado remains committed to ensuring that all Coloradans can get the coverage they need – but we can’t do it alone. Your partnership and work – helping Coloradans understand their options, navigate choices, and enroll in plans that work for them – will be critical in ensuring our customers are supported. 

It’s important that every Coloradan knows we’re here to help every step of the way. 

Take care,

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

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