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