CONTACT: Curtis Hubbard, [email protected], 303-908-2378

DENVER (Nov. 11, 2014)  — Connect for Health Colorado® has launched an updated and improved enrollment site for individuals and families shopping for private health insurance in the upcoming Open Enrollment, which begins Saturday (November 15).

The early opening provides a Pre-Enrollment Preview for Coloradans obtaining coverage through Connect for Health Colorado, the state Health Insurance Marketplace. More than 148,000 individuals have been covered through plans purchased on the Marketplace in 2014.
This week, current and potential customers will be able compare policies offered in their area, research their eligibility for tax credits, choose coverage and begin their enrollment.

“We want to encourage consumers to comparison shop for policies that meet their needs and their own particular circumstances,” said interim CEO Gary Drews. “Monthly premiums, benefits and the financial assistance available to consumers who qualify can change each year. This year, there are some new, less expensive choices available in many regions. We are urging Coloradans to be smart consumers – and compare their options before renewing their current plan or enrolling in a new one.”

Applicants this year will find a simplified single application process to direct consumers to either completing an enrollment in private health insurance via Connect for Health Colorado or enrolling in Medicaid with the state Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, depending on the applicant’s financial situation. The two entities have been collaborating for months on making the enrollment process easier.

Other improvements to assist in the enrollment process will be rolled out during Open Enrollment. Those include:

• An avatar named “Kyla”, a virtual assistant who can help customers through some of the key steps of the enrollment process.
• A Medication Look-Up Tool, which enables customers to compare prescription coverage under various policies.
• An enhanced Provider Directory to help customers see if their doctor is in the network of the health plans they are comparing.

Customers will be able to renew existing policies or purchase new coverage during the Open Enrollment Period, which runs Nov. 15, 2014, to Feb. 15, 2015. Whether you are renewing or enrolling for the first time, you must complete enrollment by Dec. 15, 2014, to have coverage Jan. 1, 2015, and avoid a gap in your insurance.

“We know that finding the right policy can be complicated. That’s why we suggest Coloradans take advantage of free, in-person help available in every county of our state from a network of trained and certified Health Coverage Guides and Brokers,” Drews said. “These are experts who can help explain the differences in plans, benefits and costs, and help you through the financial application and enrollment process.”

There are more than 1,600 independent brokers and agents, and more than 400 Health Coverage Guides and Certified Application Counselors. To find them in your area (search by zip code) go to connectforhealthco.com/help-center/.

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 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.