CEO Blog: What to Keep in Mind Post Election

There has been a lot of talk about the future of the healthcare in our country since the election. There are a few things we should keep in mind:

168,000 Colorado residents have healthcare coverage through Connect for Health Colorado.
102,000 are getting tax credits to help them afford their coverage.
Our state’s uninsured rate has dropped to 6.7 percent, the lowest in our state’s history and one of the lowest rates in the country.
The law that provides financial assistance to qualifying individuals and families is not changed and remains in effect.
We urge our customers to continue to shop for the best coverage for themselves and their families in 2017 and complete their enrollment by Dec. 15, 2016, to avoid a gap in coverage.
It is important for all Coloradans to have coverage, for their health and for their financial security.
Until the new administration and Congress develop a new direction, we continue with normal operations.

You [our customers, stakeholders and partners] have been with us from the beginning. We have achieved this success and navigated through the challenges to the law and uncertainty together. In these early days of Open Enrollment, we continue to see more Coloradans buying health insurance than ever before.

I want to call on your support again as we rededicate ourselves to our mission and to the new challenge of helping our customers understand any changes that might take place and what it means for them and their coverage.

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

New Tool to Help Coloradans Choose Health Insurance

Connect for Health Colorado® and Center for Improving Value in Health Care Introduce Online Resource to Help Consumers Estimate Costs for Health Insurance

DENVER — Shoppers on Colorado’s health insurance Marketplace will have a new tool that will help them find the most cost-effective coverage when they begin shopping next week for coverage in 2017.

Connect for Health Colorado® and the Center for Improving Value in Health Care (CIVHC) partnered to develop the Quick Cost and Plan Finder tool that will enable consumers to see:

Whether they may qualify for financial assistance to lower their monthly premiums and other costs, such as copays and deductibles.
An estimate of annual out-of-pocket costs, based on their expected health care usage.
Plans that include their preferred doctors, facilities and/or medications.

“We want to help our customers get as complete a picture of their costs as possible when they shop for coverage on our Marketplace,” said Kevin Patterson, CEO of Connect for Health Colorado. “When customers better understand the health insurance they are choosing, they are better equipped to get the full value of their health plan.”

The tool equips consumers with an estimate of overall costs — including such things as co-pays, co-insurance and other “out-of-pocket” expenses — relying on data within the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD), which is administered by CIVHC. The CO APCD is Colorado’s most comprehensive source of health care claims information. It includes data from 510 million health insurance claims from 21 health insurance companies.

“Shopping for health plans can be confusing, and this tool helps Coloradans understand how different plans may impact their out-of-pocket costs throughout the year,” states Ana English, President and CEO for CIVHC. “By combining CO APCD data with health plan data, we are providing a missing piece of the puzzle for customers making important health care decisions.”

The tool does not recommend which plan a shopper should choose but gives consumers a better comparison of the health insurance options when shopping for coverage. Consumers may request help from a certified Broker for help evaluating benefits and selecting a health insurance plan that best meets his or her individual or family needs, at no additional cost.

Development of the tool was funded by a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation.

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. It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013, for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and is the only place to apply for financial assistance in the form of tax credits to help lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access free, in-person assistance from a statewide network of certified Brokers, community-based Health Coverage Guides or Application Counselors. For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com

About CIVHC
CIVHC (civhc.org) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that helps Colorado identify ways to pay for, deliver and select high value health care. Through the pioneering Colorado All Payer Claims Database, we offer the state’s most comprehensive health care cost, quality and utilization claims data. We unlock information and provide tools and insights that guide meaningful action to improve health, enhance quality and lower cost. Bringing together a broad spectrum of organizations and individuals to design and drive collective change, CIVHC is devoted to a single cause: advancing an exceptional health care system for Colorado.

Connect for Health Colorado® to Open Application Period for Organizations Interested in Assisting Coloradans Seeking Health Insurance Coverage and Financial Assistance

July 27, 2016
Contact: Luke Clarke 720-496-2545

DENVER – Connect for Health Colorado® is opening the application period for its Certified Application Counselor (CAC) Program. The program designates organizations throughout the state to provide application assistance to customers seeking financial assistance for health coverage through the state health insurance Marketplace.

The CAC Program is an unfunded initiative that engages partner organizations to support Connect for Health Colorado’s efforts to provide Coloradans access to affordable health coverage. It is an opportunity for healthcare providers and organizations who already perform application assistance for health coverage or financial programs to become Certified Application Counselor Designated Organizations. This program is implemented in compliance with the 45 CFR § 155.225.

Selected organizations will have staff and/or volunteers to perform the duties of Certified Application Counselors. Connect for Health Colorado will train and certify the Certified Application Counselors. Applicants are required to:

Submit a Designated Organization application
Sign and submit the Certified Application Counselor Program Designated Organization Agreement with their application
Ensure that staff and/or volunteers who will be working as CACs complete mandatory training and become certified through Connect for Health Colorado

Deadline: Applications can be submitted between August 1-September 15 for participation in the program Oct. 1, 2016, through September 30, 2017.

Application Documents: Can be found on the Connect for Health Colorado Certified Application Counselor Program webpage.

Connect for Health Colorado® Chief Executive Honored for Contributions to Community

July 13, 2016
Contact: Luke Clarke 720-496-2545

DENVER — Connect for Health Colorado® CEO Kevin Patterson was recently presented the Vikki Buckley Award during the Civil and Human Rights Dinner hosted by the African American Voice newspaper.

“I personally believe in the importance of publicly acknowledging and encouraging those leaders that are making a positive difference in our lives. By making the many benefits of the Affordable Care Act available to our community, Kevin is truly making a difference,” said James Tucker, publisher of the African American Voice in presenting the award.

Victoria “Vikki” Buckley was a Denver native who overcame challenging circumstances early in life to be elected to statewide office. She was a single mother of three who relied briefly on welfare benefits before completing her education and launching a successful political career. She was in her second term as Secretary of State —the only African American woman to hold the office — when she died of a heart attack in 1999 at age 51. Then Governor Bill Owens described Buckley as “a rising star that believed in making government work for people.”

As CEO of Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s health insurance Marketplace, Patterson leads the program that provides financial assistance for qualified buyers of private health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. There are currently more than 155,000 Coloradans enrolled in health coverage through the Marketplace.

The awards dinner was held on June 17^th as part of the weekend long 2016 Juneteenth Caribbean Heritage Festival in Colorado Springs. Patterson was one of ten African Americans to be recognized during the dinner for their contributions to the greater Colorado community.

New Member Named to Connect for Health Colorado® Board of Directors

July 8, 2016
Contact: Luke Clarke 720-496-2545

DENVER – Gov. John Hickenlooper has named Kyle M. Brown, the governor’s Senior Health Policy Advisor, to the Connect for Health Colorado® Board of Directors to serve in an ex-officio capacity.

The Connect for Health Colorado board has nine voting members and three ex-officio (non-voting) members. They are appointed by Republican and Democratic leaders in the state Legislature and by the governor.

As the Senior Health Policy Advisor, Brown advises the governor on legislation, regulations, and agency actions related to health and human services. Previously, he was the Special Projects Coordinator at the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, where he focused on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and connecting criminal justice involved populations with healthcare.

Brown has served as a health, education, and human services policy advisor to two senior U.S. Senators. He received his Ph.D. in Genetics from Harvard University and his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University. He replaces David Padrino, also of the governor’s senior staff, who has served on the Connect for Health Colorado Board since December 2014.

Colorado Households are Saving an Average $294 per Month on Health Insurance Bought through Connect for Health Colorado®

April 12, 2016
Contact: Luke Clarke 720-496-2545, [email protected]

DENVER – The average monthly savings on health insurance purchased through Connect for Health Colorado® this year is $294 a month, according to an analysis released today by the state health insurance marketplace, up from an average $228 a month last year.

The savings come in the form of a federal tax credit applied to monthly insurance premiums for qualifying individuals and families who enroll in health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado®. Not only has the average monthly tax credit increased, but the number of Coloradans who have qualified for the tax credit has risen 35 percent, according to the report.

Overall, Coloradans received $184 million in tax credits in 2015, when a total of 152,470 individuals and families signed up through the state marketplace.

Today’s report includes a county-level look at average premiums and tax credits for 2016. It covers enrollments during the three-month open enrollment period (Nov. 1, 2015-Jan. 31, 2016), as well as the “special enrollment period” that extended through February for many Coloradans whose 2015 coverage was not available for 2016.

Connect for Health Colorado enrolled 169,156 individuals and families in health insurance for 2016 in the period between Nov. 1, 2015, and Feb. 29, 2016, according to the detailed report published on the Connect for Health Colorado web site today. The enrollments for the four-month period exceeded the 141,639 enrolled during the previous three-month open enrollment period by 19 percent. (There was no large-scale special enrollment period last year.)

“This report shows real progress throughout the state in improving the financial and health security of our residents,” said Kevin Patterson, Connect for Health Colorado CEO. “We are grateful for the work of all of our partners – in particular the community-based groups supporting our assistance network and the licensed brokers who join us in increasing access, affordability and choice in health coverage for our state.”

Average tax credit by county: click here.

Enrollment by county: click here.

About Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established in law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace. It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013, for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and apply for tax credits to help make their insurance more affordable. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or chat from expert Customer Service Center representatives; and find in-person assistance from certified brokers and agents, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors. In 2016, the Marketplace enrolled more than 160,000 Coloradans in private insurance – all while keeping fees among the lowest in the country. For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com

Connect for Health Colorado® Board Names Consumer Health Policy Advocate as Chair

April 11, 2016
Contact: Luke Clarke 720-496-2545

DENVER — The Connect for Health Colorado® board of directors on Monday voted unanimously to name Adela Flores-Brennan chair of the 12-member panel, which oversees the state health insurance marketplace.

Flores-Brennan, the executive director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative (CCHI) and a former staff member at Connect for Health Colorado, was named to the board one year ago by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. She has worked for more than 16 years in law and public policy in Colorado, serving as director of community-based assistance programs at Connect for Health Colorado before taking the helm at CCHI, a statewide, non-profit advocacy group working on behalf of healthcare consumers.

She replaces Sharon O’Hara, executive vice president of the Colorado-Wyoming Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, who has served as board chair since July 2014 and who continues her service on the board.

In accepting the position, Flores-Brennan praised O’Hara’s work as board chair.

“We, as a board, are grateful for Sharon’s resolute leadership and the countless hours she has devoted to expanding coverage for Coloradans,” Flores-Brennan said. “We have come a long way in the nearly two years that Sharon served as chair. The success we see in nearly every corner of the state during our most recent open enrollment is a testament to the value of her leadership.”

The Connect for Health Colorado board has nine voting members and three ex-officio members. They are appointed by Republican and Democratic leaders in the state Legislature and by the governor.

Other voting members of the board include: Steve ErkenBrack, president and chief executive officer of Rocky Mountain Health Plans; Nathan Wilkes, Founder and Principal Consultant Headstorms, Inc., an IT consulting firm; Marc Reece, senior director of state government affairs, Western Region, for Aetna; Jay Norris, an independent insurance broker; Denise O’Leary, a Denver businesswoman; Eric Grossman, president and CEO, NextHealth Technologies and Davis Fansler, a Telluride businessman.

Ex-officio members are David Padrino, Gov. Hickenlooper’s Chief Performance Officer; Marguerite Salazar, the state Commissioner of Insurance; and Sue Birch, executive director of the state department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

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. It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013, for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and is the only place to apply for financial assistance in the form of tax credits to help lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access free, in-person assistance from a statewide network of certified Brokers, community-based Health Coverage Guides or Application Counselors. For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com.

Connect for Health Colorado® Enrollments Increase in Nearly Every Colorado County

DENVER – Connect for Health Colorado® saw increases in enrollment in nearly every county in the state during the Open Enrollment Period that concluded Jan. 31, with some of the largest increases coming in rural and mountain counties.

Overall, the number of Coloradans enrolling in medical coverage through the state Marketplace increased 10 percent over the number a year earlier. However, the number rose by 81 percent in Rio Blanco County, in the northwest corner of the state, and Summit County saw a 44 percent jump in enrollments. Other resort counties saw sizable jumps. In Eagle County, enrollments rose 36 percent, while in Pitkin County they increased 34 percent.

Rural counties on the Western Slope – such as Montezuma County with 63 percent and La Plata County with 29 percent – saw strong growth, as did counties on the eastern plains – such as Baca County with 44 percent and Yuma County with 35 percent growth.

“We work with partners throughout the state to ensure that all Coloradans have access to in-person help,” said Kevin Patterson, Connect for Health Colorado CEO. “These increases are really a testament to the success of our partners who are doing the on-the-ground work at events and the statewide enrollment centers across Colorado.”

A network of 1,137 of certified brokers, 128 Health Coverage Guides and 296 Certified Application Counselors worked to assist Coloradans enrolling in healthcare coverage through the state Marketplace. The Connect for Health Colorado Marketplace is the only place where qualifying families and individuals can receive financial help in the form of tax credits, which reduce their premium when they buy health insurance.

During the three-month open enrollment period (Nov. 1, 2015-Jan. 31, 2016), Connect for Health Colorado conducted an extensive outreach campaign across the state to increase awareness about the deadlines, importance of having coverage and the cost of going without coverage.

Although open enrollment for this year ended Jan. 31, individuals and families whose health insurance company is no longer offering health plans in their area – or because they had a policy last year that no longer meets the minimum legal requirements – will be permitted to enroll in new coverage through Feb. 29 through a Special Enrollment Period. Individuals and families need not to have purchased their 2015 health coverage through Connect for Health Colorado to qualify.

In addition, some Coloradans can still purchase coverage for 2016 if they experience any one of a number of certain life change events – such as losing coverage provided through a job, moving to Colorado, getting married or the addition of a child to the family. More information about “special enrollment” circumstances can be found on our website.

View more county-level metrics

Connect for Health Colorado® and Colorado Medicaid Report Enrollment Gains of More Than 211,000

February 2, 2016

Contacts: Connect for Health Colorado, Luke Clarke, 720-496-2545, [email protected],
Health Care Policy and Financing, Marc Williams, 303-866-3144, [email protected]

DENVER — Between Nov. 1 and Jan. 31, 211,579 Coloradans enrolled in health coverage for 2016, either in private health insurance purchased through the state health insurance Marketplace or in Medicaid, or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), according to new data released today by Connect for Health Colorado® and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

During the three-month open enrollment period that concluded Sunday, 153,583 people enrolled in private health care coverage through Connect for Health Colorado®. Another 54,447 enrolled in Medicaid and 3,549 in CHP+. Connect for Health Colorado also enrolled 25,604 in dental plans.

“I am pleased that so many Coloradans took the important step of getting health coverage through us,” said Connect for Health Colorado® CEO Kevin Patterson. “Everyone in our organization – along with the many stakeholders and partners who helped us enroll so many people in our state – can take pride in what they accomplished in the last 90 days on behalf of thousands of Colorado families. Those folks now have more financial security and the ability to get the healthcare they need.”

The Connect for Health Colorado totals compare to 141,639 health plan enrollments in the previous open enrollment period that ended Feb. 15, 2015.

“Once again, Colorado has come together to help our residents find health coverage for themselves and their families,” said Susan E. Birch, MBA, BSN, RN, executive director for the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. “Should someone lose their health care coverage during the year, Medicaid provides health insurance for low income Coloradans who meet eligibility requirements any time during the year.”

Although open enrollment for this year ended Jan. 31, individuals and families whose health insurance company is no longer offering health plans in their area – or because they had a policy last year that no longer meets the minimum legal requirements – will be permitted to enroll in new coverage through Feb. 29 through a Special Enrollment Period. This includes individuals and families who purchased their 2015 health insurance on or off Connect for Health Colorado’s site.

Medicaid and CHP+ are open to qualifying individuals year-round.

Connect for Health Colorado will work with anyone who has started but not yet completed the sign up process to complete their enrollment for 2016 coverage.

Nov. 1-Jan. 31

2016 Coverage

Total

Medicaid

CHP+

Connect for Health Colorado (private insurance)

Coloradans enrolled

211,579

54,447

3,549

153,583

About Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established in law by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance Marketplace. It opened for business on Oct. 1, 2013, for individuals, families and small employers to compare and buy health insurance and apply for tax credits to help make their insurance more affordable. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or chat from expert Customer Service Center representatives; and find in-person assistance from certified brokers and agents, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors. In 2015, the Marketplace enrolled more than 150,000 Coloradans in private insurance and helped nearly 100,000 gain access to new tax credits that made their health coverage more affordable – all while keeping fees among the lowest in the country. For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com

About the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing: The Department administers the Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus programs as well as a variety of other programs for low-income Coloradans who qualify. For more information about the department, please visit Colorado.gov/hcpf.

Connect for Health Colorado® Welcomes Last Minute Shoppers at Downtown Store and Dozens of Enrollment Events

Date January 29, 2016
Contact: Luke Clarke 720-496-2545

DENVER — Connect for Health Colorado® is gearing up and extending hours for an anticipated rush of Coloradans expected to line up in time to buy 2016 health insurance by the midnight Sunday, Jan. 31, deadline.

Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s health insurance Marketplace, and its partner organizations are hosting dozens of enrollment events throughout the state between now and the end of Open Enrollment. These events give Coloradans a chance to receive free, in-person help from certified brokers and health coverage guides.

“We know from experience that we will see a number of customers in these final days of open enrollment,” said Kevin Patterson, CEO of Connect for Health Colorado. “But I want to emphasize it is time to act. There are just a few days left for Coloradans to get covered in 2016. The penalty for going without coverage this year has increased. Don’t miss your chance to provide for your family’s health and financial security.”

The tax penalty for not having coverage is expected to average nearly $1,000 per household, depending on income in 2016.

Open enrollment for this year ends Jan. 31. That will be the last chance for most Coloradans to sign up and protect their family budget with health insurance. After that date, only those who experience a life change event – such as, marriage, divorce, birth or adoption of a child, losing insurance provided through a job – can buy their own insurance.

Customers who would like free expert help have four easy options:

Find an event near you on the Connect for Health Colorado’s events calendar.
Schedule to meet a broker or health coverage guide at com/person-help/.
Drop by the downtown Denver store at 1600 California Street, which will be open from noon to 6 pm through Sunday.
Call Connect for Health Colorado at 855-PLANS-4-YOU (855-752-6749). We are extending hours to 10 pm Friday and to midnight Saturday and Sunday.

Although open enrollment for this year ends Jan. 31, individuals and families who are shopping for new coverage because their health insurance company is no longer offering health plans in their area – or because they had a policy last year that no longer meets the minimum legal requirements – will be permitted to enroll in new coverage through Feb. 29 through a Special Enrollment Period. This includes individuals and families who purchased their 2015 health insurance on or off Connect for Health Colorado’s site.

About Connect for Health Colorado