Update on Connect for Health Colorado® Board finalist

CONTACT: Luke Clarke
[email protected], 720-496-2545

DENVER — The Connect for Health Colorado® Board of Directors announced today it is resuming conversations with a short list of active candidates for Chief Executive Officer of the organization after the finalist for the post withdrew from consideration because of a change of heart over relocating to Colorado.

Robert (Bob) C. Malone, who had been named as the finalist for the position, this week asked to withdraw after reconsidering relocating his family to Colorado. Mr. Malone recently moved to the New York City area, where he is originally from, after his former company, based in Lakewood, CO was sold in January.

“The board understands Bob’s decision and we wish him the continued success that brought him to our attention,” said Connect for Health Colorado Board Chair Sharon O’Hara. “We continue to see interest in the opportunity to lead Connect for Health Colorado among accomplished industry leaders. Board members and I are confident that we will be able to identify a strong executive to lead one of the country’s most successful state-based marketplaces.”

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. A health insurance Marketplace built just for Colorado, it launched 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, community based certified Health Coverage Guides or Certified Application Counselors. For more information: www.connectforhealthco.com

Connect for Health Colorado® Board Selects CEO Finalist

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Luke Clarke, Director of Communications
720.496.2545
[email protected]

DENVER (April 1, 2015) – The Connect for Health Colorado® Board of Directors today unanimously named long-time healthcare executive Robert (Bob) C. Malone as the finalist to fill the Chief Executive Officer/Executive Director role for Colorado’s Marketplace.

Under regulations and state law that established Connect for Health Colorado (Colorado Health Benefit Exchange) as a public non-profit organization, there is a formal process for selecting and hiring a CEO: The Board must post the name of the CEO finalist; allow the public to comment about the selection for 14 days; and obtain approval from the Legislative Health Benefit Exchange Implementation Review Committee before formally offering and hiring for the post.

Connect for Health Colorado Interim CEO Gary Drews, who did not seek the permanent position, will continue to serve the organization and help in the transition once a new CEO is hired.

“We did an extensive national search to find the right person to lead Connect for Health Colorado through its transition as a start-up to a fully sustainable Marketplace that serves the people of our state well into the future,” says Board Chair Sharon O’Hara. “Bob has broad insurance industry and business expertise, and he brings new ideas and enthusiasm for advancing our Marketplace to serve Coloradans.”

Malone brings nearly 30 years of experience across the insurance, brokerage, claims and cost containment industries. In 2013 he was named Chief Executive of The Assist Group in Lakewood, CO, which provided high-dollar claim review and resolution services to health plans, reinsurers, managing underwriters and third party administrators. He oversaw the acquisition of The Assist Group by Equian in January 2015.

“This is a great opportunity and challenge,” Malone says. “Colorado’s Marketplace has been a leader in the country among state-based exchanges and it’s at a critical point in its growth. I’d be honored to work with all the stakeholders across the state who are so committed to its success. My job and our mission will be that everyone in Colorado who wants health insurance has it.”

Before leading The Assist Group, Malone was a consultant for MVP Healthcare, a New York regional health insurance company. His experience also includes serving as President and CEO of Premier Healthcare Exchange (PHX); Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Global Specialty Division, for Willis North America; Vice President of Direct/Group Sales and Marketing for USI; Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Amalgamated Life Insurance Co. and president of their subsidiary Alicare, Inc. the country’s largest union-owned third party administrator.
Those who wish to submit public comments can email the Connect for Health Colorado Board at: [email protected]

Consumer Health Policy Advocate Joins Connect for Health Colorado® Board

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

DENVER – Adela Flores-Brennan, executive director of the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, has been named to the Connect for Health Colorado® board of directors by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper.

Flores-Brennan brings more than 15 years of work in law and public policy in Colorado, the past seven in health care policy, to her position on the board of directors overseeing the state health insurance Marketplace. A former staff member at Connect for Health Colorado, she served as director of our community-based assistance programs before taking her current position leading CCHI, a statewide, non-profit advocacy group working on behalf of healthcare consumers.

“We’re pleased to welcome Adela to our Board,” said Board Chair Sharon O’Hara. “Her experience working on behalf of healthcare consumers will be of great benefit to our customers and her understanding of Connect for Health Colorado will serve this organization well as we chart a course to grow the Marketplace and increase coverage in our state for individuals, families and small businesses.”

As CCHI’s executive director, Flores-Brennan is responsible for advancing public policy, guiding strategic and operational planning, and providing leadership and management support. She graduated from the University of Denver with a BA and MA in International Studies and from the University of Colorado with a Juris Doctorate.

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 has enrolled more than 140,000 Coloradans in private insurance and helped nearly 80,000 of them 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

Connect for Health Colorado® Connected 141,639 Customers with Health Insurance Coverage during Open Enrollment Period

CONTACT:
Luke Clarke, [email protected], 720-496-2545

DENVER — In its just completed second open enrollment, Connect for Health Colorado® enrolled 141,639 customers, a level that is 10 percent more than in last year’s longer open enrollment period. The 2015 enrollment figure puts Connect for Health among the top five state-based marketplaces, according to data released today by the federal department of Health and Human Services.

All but one of Colorado’s 64 counties showed increases in 2015 enrollments in private health insurance through the state Marketplace over year-end 2014. More than a dozen, including El Paso, Larimer and Pueblo counties, saw increases of 40% or more in the second open enrollment period.

“We are grateful to our many partners — especially to our health coverage guides, brokers and carriers — who worked with us during this three-month drive to help more Coloradans obtain affordable health and dental coverage,” said Connect for Health Colorado Interim CEO Gary Drews. “Our work to improve service to our customers during the next open enrollment period has already begun with those partners, the state Division of Insurance (DOI), the state Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing (HCPF) and other stakeholders.”

A comprehensive report on the Colorado Marketplace’s second open enrollment period for individuals and families, including county-level reports on enrollment and financial assistance made available to customers is available here. A more targeted outreach report is here.
A look by the numbers:
• 54%: Marketplace customers receiving financial assistance (Advance Premium Tax Credits) to help with their premiums.
• $229: The average level of monthly premium assistance.
• 10%: Marketplace customers from rural counties, which make up 8% of the state’s population.
• 26%: Customers 18-34 years old.
• 24: Number of languages other than English spoken by customers contacting the Service Center.
• 246,837: Number of phone calls answered by the Customer Service Center.

While Open Enrollment has closed, some Coloradans can still purchase coverage for 2015 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. A full list of these “special enrollment” circumstances for new customers can be found here and existing customers here. Open Enrollment for 2016 coverage will run from Nov. 1, 2015, through Jan. 31, 2016.

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 2014, 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

*Comparisons are limited to other state-based marketplaces because the conditions in the individual insurance market in the 36 Federally Facilitated Marketplaces are not comparable to the Colorado market

Nearly 220,000 Coloradans Gained Coverage During 2015 Open Enrollment Period

CONTACTS:
Curtis Hubbard, [email protected], 303-908-2378 (Connect for Health Colorado)
Marc Williams, [email protected] 303-866-3144 (Colorado Medicaid)

DENVER, CO – Between Nov. 15 and Feb. 15, nearly 220,000 Coloradans enrolled in healthcare coverage for 2015, either in private plans purchased through the health insurance Marketplace, or with 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, 139,652 people enrolled in private coverage through Connect for Health Colorado; another 76,194 in Medicaid and 3,720 in CHP+. Connect for Health Colorado also enrolled 24,884 individuals in dental plans. Among Connect for Health Colorado customers, 54 percent qualified for financial assistance.

“We are pleased that so many Coloradans took the important step of getting health insurance coverage through us,” said Gary Drews, Connect for Health Colorado Interim CEO. “It is very gratifying for everyone in our organization to have a hand in enrolling more than 139,000 people in our state in coverage in the last 90 days. Those folks will be able to feel more financially secure, become healthier, and — in the case of one man I met at our downtown enrollment center who is planning to get eye surgery with his new coverage — see again.”

Connect for Health Colorado will work with anyone who has started but not yet completed the sign up process to complete their enrollment for 2015 coverage.

The 2016 open enrollment period runs from Oct. 1, 2015, to Dec. 7, 2015. Until then, only those who qualify for a special enrollment period through 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, will be able to sign up for new health insurance coverage.

“We are pleased that Coloradans continued to be enrolled into health coverage during the second open enrollment thanks to the tireless work of county and community partners,” said Sue Birch, Executive Director of the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. “Together we are working towards making Colorado the healthiest state. This year we found that our largest percentage of new Medicaid enrollees were kids, who will now have access to important health and preventive services.”

Medicaid and CHP+ are year-round programs that do not have open enrollment periods. Click here for a Fact Sheet detailing demographic and county by county breakouts for Medicaid enrollments.

Connect for Health Colorado customers should have received the forms they need for their taxes, Form 1095-A, in the mail. (Only individuals and families who purchased coverage will receive the form; those who have coverage provided through their employer do not need the form and can complete their tax returns without it.) The Form 1095-A enables those who received financial assistance to complete their tax forms. If you have questions about your 1095-A, please contact our Customer Service Center.

Last year, Coloradans who purchased coverage through the Marketplace received more than $250 million in tax credits to help them lower the cost of their health insurance.

Nov. 15 – Feb. 15

Click to view county metrics

About Connect for Health ColoradoConnect 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 2014, 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.

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® customers saved more than $250 million on 2014 Health Insurance Premiums

CONTACTS:
Curtis Hubbard, [email protected], 303-908-2378 (Connect for Health Colorado)

DENVER – Connect for Health Colorado® customers saved more than $250 million on their health premiums in 2014 for coverage purchased through the Marketplace.

Across the state, Coloradans received $251.6 million in financial assistance through Connect for Health Colorado to lower their costs last year. These savings were more than a number of big-ticket items, such as: the worldwide gross for one of this year’s Best Picture Oscar nominees (Grand Budapest Hotel, $170 million); the cost of CDOT’s Twin Tunnels project ($160 million); the Denver Broncos 2014 payroll ($151 million).

“Nearly 6 in 10 Connect for Health Colorado customers qualified for financial assistance last year in the form of premium tax credits to reduce costs,” said interim CEO Gary Drews. “The average savings was $262 per month, which is a significant help in our mission to increase access, choice and affordability for those buying health insurance in Colorado.”

Altogether, customers in the Top 10 counties for financial assistance in the state received more than $160 million in savings.

ARAPAHOE	$22.74 million
WELD	$21.87 million
DENVER	$21.86 million
JEFFERSON	$16.8 million
BOULDER	$16.3 million
ADAMS	$16.3 million
EL PASO	$14.19 million
LARIMER	$12.55 million
EAGLE	$9.17 million
DOUGLAS	$8.4 million
TOTAL	$160.22 million

Rural counties with smaller populations accounted for the 10 counties with the smallest totals financial savings — though on the whole customers there received a total of $1.64 million in assistance.

LINCOLN	$220,129
COSTILLA	$210,606
SEDGWICK	$199,194
HINSDALE	$181,145
BACA	$178,227
SAN JUAN	$175,062
MINERAL	$170,314
JACKSON	$157,012
KIOWA	$76,232
CHEYENNE	$72,879
TOTAL	$1.64 million

For a full list of savings in all 64 counties, click here.

The Feb. 15 deadline to purchase 2015 coverage is rapidly approaching, but it’s not too late for those who have yet to sign up for insurance to get in on the savings. Connect for Health Colorado is the only place where Coloradans, based on income, can qualify for financial assistance to lower their costs.
For customers who have started the application process by the February 15 deadline, but could not finish, Connect for Health Colorado will work with you to complete your enrollment.

There are more than a dozen walk-in Enrollment Centers across the state where certified Brokers and Health Coverage Guides provide one-on-one assistance. Locations and hours can be found online at: connectforhealthco.com/resources/person-help/

Coloradans can also sit down with an expert to walk through the entire process. Go to one of our enrollment centers, or search by zip code to find free, in-person help from a statewide network of more than 400 trained and certified Health Coverage Guides and 1,300 Health Insurance Brokers. To look up an enrollment center by location and hours of operation, or find a local Broker or Health Coverage Guide in your community, visit: connectforhealthco.com/resources/person-help/

Find stories about some of the people who obtained help with their health insurance coverage last year and more facts in the Connect for Health Colorado Annual Report.

10 Days Left, 10+ Ways To Get In-Person Enrollment Help

CONTACTS:
Curtis Hubbard, [email protected], 303-908-2378 (Connect for Health Colorado)

Connect for Health Colorado® Offers More Than 10 Ways to Receive In-Person Assistance Across Colorado Today And Tomorrow

Denver, CO – The countdown until the Feb 15th open enrollment deadline has begun, and Coloradans have 10 days left to shop for a plan in the Marketplace. Today, Connect for Health Colorado® is highlighting more than 10 ways you can receive in-person assistance enrolling in health care coverage.

There are more than 10 Connect for Health Colorado® enrollment locations open today and Friday where people can walk in, learn about their health coverage options, and get enrolled. Certified Brokers and Health Coverage Guides are at these locations ready to assist in-person. Walk-ins are welcome and no appointment is necessary.

Anyone not close to a walk-in location can take advantage of free, in-person help from a statewide network of more than 400 trained and certified Health Coverage Guides and 1,200 Brokers. To look one up by Zip Code, visit: connectforhealthco.com/help-center/

WHO: Certified Brokers and Connect for Health Colorado Health Coverage Guides

WHAT: Open Enrollment in-person assistance 10 days before Feb. 15 deadline

WHEN & WHERE: Thursday, Feb. 5th & Friday, Feb. 6th

Locations throughout Colorado:

Colorado Springs – Liberty Tax Office
445 E. Cheyenne Mountain Blvd., Suite H
Colorado Springs
Mon., Wed., and Fri.: 9:30 AM – 4 PM
Tue. and Thu.: 1 PM – 5 PM
719.201.9546

Delta – Delta County Federal Credit Union
1340 Colorado-92
Delta
Tue., Wed., and Fri.: 11 AM – 4:30 PM
970.874.7674

Denver – 16th Street Mall
16th and California (1600 California St.), Denver
Entrance through the Chase bank ATM lobby
Open:
2/5 – 2/7: 12 PM – 6 PM
2/9 – 2/11: 12 PM – 6 PM
2/12 – 2/13: 10 AM – 6 PM
2/14 – 12 PM – 6 PM
2/15: 12 PM – 8 PM
2/16 and 2/17: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fort Collins – Liberty Tax Office
1101 W. Drake Rd., Suite A2
Fort Collins
Tue., Thu., and Fri: 12 PM – 5 PM
Other Times By Appointment
970.785.7555

Fort Collins – Liberty Tax Office
749 S. Lemay Ave., Suite A3
Fort Collins
Mon., Wed., and Fri.: 12 PM – 5 PM
Other times by appointment
970.785.7555

Grand Junction – Hilltop’s Health Access
602 Bookcliff Ave.
Grand Junction
Mon. – Fri.: 8 AM – 5 PM
Sat. (appointment only) 9 AM – 12 PM
970.244.0850

Grand Junction – Hilltop’s Family Resource Center
2897 North Ave.
Grand Junction
Mon. – Fri.: 8 AM – 5 PM
Sat. (appointment only) 9 AM – 12 PM
970.244.0850

Grand Junction – Insurance Advisors
2424 Old US Hwy. 6 & 50, Ste. 400
Grand Junction
Mon. – Fri.: 8 AM – 4:30 PM
970.255.8240
www.insurancechoices.net

Grand Junction – Liberty Tax Office
216 North Ave.
Grand Junction
Tue. and Thu.: 10 AM – 6 PM
970.243.4030
www.libertytax.com

Greeley – Westlake Shopping Center
2028-B 35th Ave.
Greeley
Mon., Thu., and Fri.: 8 AM – 5 PM
Wed.: 8 AM – 712 PM (12/24)
Sat.: 10 AM – 6 PM
970.301.4426

Lakewood – St. Anthony’s Hospital Medical Plaza ONE
11750 W 2nd Place, 1st Floor
Lakewood
Open:
Thu. 2/5 – Fri. 2/6: 3 PM – 7 PM
Sat. 2/7: 10 AM – 2 PM
Tue. 2/10 – Fri. 2/13: 3 PM – 7 PM
Sat. 2/14: 10 AM – 2 PM
Sun. 2/15: 10 AM – 7 PM

Montrose – NuVista Federal Credit Union
2711 Commercial WayMontrose
Tue., Wed., and Fri.: 11 AM – 4:30 PM
970.249.8813
www.nuvista.org

Health Coverage Guide & Health Insurance Brokers Statewide Network
Coloradans can also take advantage of free, in-person help from a statewide network of more than 400 trained and certified Health Coverage Guides and and 1,200 Brokers. To look one up by Zip Code, visit: connectforhealthco.com/help-center/

DEADLINE: Open Enrollment runs only through Feb. 15. Policies purchased between now and the close of open enrollment will go into effect March 1. After Feb. 15, only people who experience “life-change events,” such as loss of a job, divorce or marriage will be able to purchase insurance through Connect for Health Colorado for the 2015 calendar year.

Connect for Health Colorado® and Colorado Medicaid Report Enrollment Gains

CONTACTS:
Curtis Hubbard, [email protected], 303-908-2378 (Connect for Health Colorado)
Marc Williams, [email protected] (Colorado Medicaid)

DENVER, CO – Between Nov. 15 and Jan. 31, more than 186,497 Coloradans enrolled in healthcare coverage for 2015, either in private health insurance purchased through the health insurance Marketplace, or with 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 first two and one half months of open enrollment, 125,378 people enrolled in private coverage through Connect for Health Colorado; another 58,235 in Medicaid and 2,884 in CHP+. Connect for Health Colorado also enrolled 21,466 individuals in dental plans.

Among state-based marketplaces, Colorado is third in total enrollments — behind California and New York, but ahead of Kentucky, Connecticut, Washington and others — according to a U.S. Health and Human Services report on enrollment totals through mid-January.

“It is urgent for anyone who hasn’t secured their 2015 coverage to act immediately and take the important step in protecting their health and financial security by getting covered,” said Gary Drews, Connect for Health Colorado Interim CEO. “We can help qualifying individuals and families save on the cost of their coverage but only if they act now. We are down to the final weeks – Open Enrollment ends on February 15.”

Anyone who does not have health insurance provided through their employer should apply before Feb. 15, 2015, to sign up for private health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado. Only those experiencing certain life change events – such as losing a job, moving to Colorado, adopting a child or having a child – will be able to enroll in private coverage for 2015 after that date.

Coloradans eligible for no- or low-cost coverage through Medicaid and CHP+ have no deadlines and can apply year-round.

“Finding the coverage you qualify for is an important first step towards better health,” said Susan Birch, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. “A healthier Colorado leads to a healthier economy. We know Coloradans who are covered are more likely to receive preventive care and access primary care instead of seek care in more expensive settings like the emergency room.”

Medicaid and CHP+ count as having health coverage for tax year 2014. Coloradans who were covered by Medicaid or CHP+ the whole year just need to simply check a box on their federal income tax return and will not need any other forms to prove they had coverage for 2014. If Medicaid members were not covered for all of 2014 by Medicaid or CHP+, they may need to apply for an exemption with the IRS when filing their taxes.

Connect for Health Colorado customers are receiving the forms they need for their taxes, Form 1095-A, in the mail this week. (Only individuals and families who purchased coverage will receive the form; those who have coverage provided through their employer do not need the form and can complete their tax returns without it.)

Last year, Coloradans who purchased coverage through the Marketplace received more than $191 million in tax credits to help them lower the cost of their health insurance. The Form 1095-A enables those who received financial assistance to complete their tax forms.

Nov. 15 – Jan. 31

Click to view county metrics

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 2014, the Marketplace enrolled more than 148,000 Coloradans in commercial 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

Connect for Health Colorado® Providing New Tax Form to Customers

DENVER (Jan. 29, 2015) – Connect for Health Colorado® is mailing a new tax form to all of its customers who purchased health insurance in 2014 to assist them in completing their federal income tax filings.

The new Form 1095-A, also called a Health Insurance Marketplace Statement, contains information about what those customers paid for health insurance, what tax credit they received and information used to calculate the tax credit.

The statements go to all customers of Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s health insurance Marketplace, whether the customer received a tax credit or not. Three out of five Marketplace customers qualified for tax credits last year, totaling more than $191 Million in savings off their premiums.

Customers will receive the form by regular mail during the first week in February. It will be made available in their online accounts with Connect for Health Colorado at the same time. Additional information about Form 1095-A will be included with the mailing.

“We urge our customers to watch for this important mailing along with other tax-related documents they are receiving at this time of year, check it and set it aside for completing their income tax return,” said Connect for Health Colorado Interim CEO Gary Drews. “This one is new and anyone who enrolled in health insurance coverage through Connect for Health Colorado will need it to complete their taxes.”

Connect for Health Colorado has posted information for its customers at Connectforhealthco.com/resources/tax-info/ and the Internal Revenue Service has provided information about the 1095-A form and other changes to income taxes under the Affordable Care Act at irs.gov

FAQ: Form 1095-A
What is a Form 1095-A?
It is a new tax form that includes:

Information about anyone in your household who enrolled in a health plan through the Marketplace for 2014.
How much you paid in monthly premiums to your health and/or dental plan.
Information about a “benchmark” premium used to compute your premium tax credit.
The amount of any advance payments of the premium tax credit that were paid to your health or dental plan on your behalf for 2014 — these payments would have lowered what you paid for your monthly premiums if you elected to receive them in advance, as many people did.

Who gets it?
If you or anyone in your household enrolled in health insurance for 2014 through Connect for Health Colorado (the Marketplace), you will receive a Form 1095-A. You will get a Form 1095-A even if you did not receive a tax credit and even if you had Marketplace coverage for only part of 2014. The information is also provided to the IRS by Connect for Health Colorado.

When will I get it?
You will receive it in the mail in early February. At the same time, a copy will be placed in the My Documents section of your Connect for Health Colorado account that you can download and print.

What if I got more than one 1095-A?

You may get more than one Form 1095-A if anyone in your household switched plans in 2014.
It also might happen if you had more than one policy covering people in your household during 2014 or if you enrolled in a health and dental plan.

What do I do with it?
When you get the Form 1095-A, make sure the information matches your records. Check things like the start and end dates of your coverage and the number of people in your household. If you think information on your Form 1095-A is incorrect, call 1-855-PLANS-4-YOU (855-752-6749) to find out if you need a corrected form.

You will use information from your Form 1095-A to complete Form 8962, which you will file with your tax return to report any advanced premium tax credits you received or to claim premium tax credits. You keep the Form 1095-A for your records. You can get Form 8962 from the IRS or your tax preparer.

What if I have more questions?
If you have questions about Form 1095-A, or how your health insurance coverage affects your taxes, you can call us at 1-855-PLANS-4-YOU (1-855-752-6749). If you have questions on how to complete your taxes, you can call your local tax preparer or the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. or visit www.irs.gov/uac/Affordable-Care-Act-Tax-Provisions-Home. Additional information will accompany Form 1095-A when it is mailed to you. It’s important to wait for your 1095-A to arrive before you file your taxes and to check the information carefully.

Connect for Health Colorado® reaching out to renewal-eligible customers

Curtis Hubbard, 303-908-2378 (Connect for Health Colorado)

DENVER (Jan. 28, 2015) – On Nov. 15, 2014, Connect for Health Colorado opened its second open enrollment period, the first open enrollment to have any renewing customers.

More than 73,000 policies were eligible for auto-renewal because their insurers were offering the same/similar plans again in 2015. Since late December, through Brokers, Health Coverage Guides and our Service Center we have been working with customers who, for various reasons, did not want their policies renewed when they were, or who wanted them to be renewed and they were not.

A review of our records shows there were 3,615 policies that were eligible for automatic renewal but were removed from that process when the policyholder shopped on our website. We are already helping many customers with various renewal scenarios — critical to that process is clearly determining what they want and avoiding making assumptions. Some customers did not want to keep their same 2014 benefit options; some have found coverage off the Marketplace and did not want a 2015 plan; and others did intend to renew the same plan but the enrollment has not been completed.

We are committed to working with all our customers to complete their enrollment in the plan they choose.

Next Steps

We will send a new communication to the 3,615 policy holders – by phone and by e-mail – to determine their enrollment choice and complete enrollment for anyone who chooses.
We will take these and other lessons learned to continue to make modifications to our website, renewal communications and systems for our second renewal cycle in the fall.
We have a special escalation process in place for customers who have urgent medical needs and are in the process of enrolling.