CEO Blog: Looking Forward

To Our Valued Stakeholders, 

We received guidance this week from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services with proposed rules that would govern sales for next year (plan year 2018). We are working on our response to the proposals. The most noteworthy for our operations is the proposal to cut in half the open enrollment period and run it from Nov. 1, 2017, to Dec. 15, 2017. December 15 has consistently been our highest volume day in previous open enrollments. That volume could be expected to increase if it were the final day of the period. 

The proposed rules also speak to regulations around special enrollment periods, flexibility in plan design, and how carriers would treat renewing members who owe past-due premiums. 

The comment period runs through March 7 and final rules will be released at some point after that.

Legislative Update 

The Legislature has named new members of the Colorado Health Insurance Exchange Oversight Committee. New to the committee are Representatives Joann Ginal, who represents part of Fort Collins, Chris Kennedy, who represents part of Jefferson County, and Susan Lontine who represents part of Denver. You can find information on the committee and its role on our site, here.

In Recent News 

I was pleased to see The Denver Post took a position endorsing our continued operation in an editorial Sunday. It was written in response to SB 3 that calls for our repeal. The next hearing on the bill is yet to be scheduled.

Take care,

Kevin

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