As Open Enrollment begins, your trusted guidance will help Coloradans understand their options and find coverage that meets their needs.

Dear Friends and Partners,

Open Enrollment begins Sunday, and people across Colorado will once again rely on us to better understand their health coverage options.

This year brings important changes for many customers, including changes to premiums, financial help, renewals, and available coverage options. As customers consider what these updates mean for themselves and their families, trusted guidance will be especially important.

That is where you come in.

Over the past several months, you have taken part in trainings, learned about this year’s changes, and asked thoughtful questions, all to prepare to help customers navigate the decisions ahead. You know your communities and understand how much it means to have someone they trust explain their options and help them take the next step forward. Whether someone qualifies for coverage through Connect for Health Colorado, Medicaid or another program, every interaction is an opportunity to connect them with the right information and resources. And when someone’s eligibility changes, trusted guidance can help them understand what other coverage options may be available and take the next step without losing coverage. Together, we are part of a broader health coverage community working to ensure Coloradans can find the coverage and support they need.

As Open Enrollment begins, continue encouraging customers to review their information, so that they understand the financial help available to them, and carefully compare their coverage options. Shopping and comparing can make a meaningful difference for customers who receive financial help. About 60% could find a plan for $10 or less per month, and three out of four could find one for $75 or less per month by shopping and comparing their options.

The lowest monthly premium is not always the best fit. Customers should also consider deductibles, provider networks, prescription drug coverage, and other out-of-pocket costs as they choose coverage that meets their health care needs and household budget.

Customers can use our Estimate & Explore Tool to compare their 2027 options, and free expert help is available through certified Assisters and licensed health insurance Brokers across Colorado.

Ready Together

Preparing for Open Enrollment is never the work of one organization. It takes Brokers, Assisters, customer service representatives, community organizations, issuers, and many others working toward the same goal: helping people access coverage that supports their health and financial security.

Thank you for your partnership and for the care you bring to this work. As the enrollment period begins, please take care of yourselves and one another, too. Your work is important, and we are grateful to enter another Open Enrollment season alongside you.

Take care,

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

Join partners from across Colorado for CoverCO 2026 as we prepare for another Open Enrollment season.

Dear Friends and Partners,

Open Enrollment is one of the most important times of the year—for us and for those we serve. It’s also a reminder that there is power in partnership. Together, we’re working toward a shared goal: helping Coloradans access affordable health coverage.

That spirit of collaboration is the foundation of this year’s CoverCO conference and our 2026 theme, Stronger Together: Supporting Coloradans through Ongoing Eligibility and Enrollment Changes. The theme recognizes that many of our neighbors experience changes in eligibility and coverage throughout the year, whether they are enrolled in Medicaid, the Marketplace, or transitioning between the two. Supporting those customers requires coordination, shared knowledge, and a commitment from all of us to provide accurate information and expert help when it is needed most.

That’s why I invite you to join us for CoverCO 2026, taking place virtually October 6-8. The conference is free to attend and designed to help all of us prepare for the upcoming Open Enrollment season.

Register for CoverCO 2026 here.

As you prepare for Open Enrollment, I also encourage you to explore our Open Enrollment Plan Year 2027 Message Platform. This resource provides key messages, resources, and information to support conversations with customers and partners throughout the Open Enrollment period.

At CoverCO, you will receive updates on health coverage programs, eligibility and enrollment processes, system enhancements, and resources available through Connect for Health Colorado, Colorado Connect, Health First Colorado, and CHP+. You will also have opportunities to learn from subject matter experts, exchange ideas with colleagues from across the state, and explore tools and strategies to better serve their communities.

Last year, more than 900 people registered for CoverCO, reflecting the commitment of organizations and individuals across Colorado who share a common goal: helping Coloradans access affordable health coverage and understand their options.

In addition to the virtual conference, we are excited to host regional networking events this fall:

• Denver: September 22
• Pueblo: September 24
• Montrose: October 13

These gatherings provide additional opportunities to connect with partners, strengthen relationships, and prepare for Open Enrollment together. Space is limited. If you are interested in learning more or attending one of these events, please contact [email protected].

As we prepare for another Open Enrollment season, I encourage you to register for CoverCO and join us in the important work of supporting Coloradans. Together, we can help ensure people across our state have the help and resources they need to make informed decisions about their health coverage.

Thank you for the work you do every day to support Colorado communities. I look forward to connecting with you at CoverCO 2026.

Take care,

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

Key changes and ways to help Coloradans prepare for Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is just a few months away, and this year, Connect for Health Colorado is continuing to make it easier for Coloradans to find coverage that works for them, no matter their circumstances.

Whether a customer is enrolling in a marketplace plan, transitioning from another coverage program, or shopping with (or without) financial help, Connect for Health Colorado is here to make it easier to enroll. And you are vital to making sure our neighbors get—and stay—covered.

There are several changes ahead for Plan Year 2027, so we’ve created a comprehensive message platform with information and resources to help you answer questions and support customers.

One significant change: Beginning with Plan Year 2027, customers will be able to explore a broader range of health plans through Connect for Health Colorado. Customers who do not qualify for financial help may see additional options, including off-exchange plans, while customers who qualify for financial help will only see plans eligible for those savings.

That means more individuals and small businesses can come to one place to understand their health coverage options, regardless of whether they qualify for financial help.

This is an important part of our strategic plan to grow and strengthen Colorado’s individual health insurance marketplace. For Connect for Health Colorado, that means providing more Coloradans with choices for their health coverage.

By including off-exchange plans on our platform, we can improve the enrollment experience for a wider range of Coloradans, connect more customers with trusted experts, and make it easier for more people to get insured—all while maintaining a seamless customer experience for those who qualify for financial help and who will continue to see plans eligible for those savings.

As we ready ourselves for Open Enrollment, here are four ways you can help customers understand what’s changing and how they can prepare:

• Encourage customers to maximize their current health benefits by scheduling annual physicals, filling prescriptions, staying up to date on vaccines, and checking balances on Health Savings Accounts and Flexible Spending Accounts.
  
• Customers should update their preferred contact method and make sure we have correct email and mailing addresses. That will help ensure they get notices from Connect for Health Colorado about their eligibility, financial help, enrollment and coverage.
  
• Eligible returning customers will see a change in autorenewals this year. For Plan Year 2027, those customers will be automatically re-enrolled at the start of Open Enrollment. But that doesn’t guarantee that their premiums, financial help, plan benefits, provider networks or other coverage details will stay the same. They should review their renewal, compare available plans and verify their household and income information during Open Enrollment.
  
• During Open Enrollment, encourage customers to shop and compare. That may save them money. Customers also have different options this year, including Colorado Access Choice plans. And Cigna is leaving Colorado’s individual medical market, which means current Cigna medical customers will need to select a new plan for 2027. Even customers who are automatically re-enrolled should take time to compare plans, costs, providers and prescription drug coverage.

As November nears, customers will have questions and they’ll need help. That’s why we’re here. Thank you for continuing to be an essential part of our work. I’m grateful to have you alongside us as we prepare for another Open Enrollment.

Take care,

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

Preliminary rates, new enrollment assistance sites, and a change to Open Enrollment dates

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Dear Friends and Partners,

Health insurance costs are expected to rise again next year, but Colorado’s innovative state solutions are helping keep coverage within reach.

Last week, the Colorado Division of Insurance released preliminary rates for Plan Year 2027.

Insurance companies serving the individual market have requested an average increase of 11%. These are proposed rates, not final rates, and the division will do an in-depth review of each filing over the coming weeks.

We know any increase makes it harder for our neighbors to balance health coverage costs with other household expenses. The expiration of federal enhanced Premium Tax Credits has made it harder for many to afford health insurance, and it continues to affect individual markets across the country.

Colorado has taken meaningful action to help offset these challenges.

Through Colorado Premium Assistance and the state’s Reinsurance Program, our state is helping reduce costs to keep people insured. Colorado Premium Assistance helped more than 176,000 customers lower their premiums this year, and that support continues for 2027.

These investments have helped Colorado fare better than many other states. Our preliminary rate increase is currently below the median among states that have released proposed rates, and our decline in individual-market enrollment has been less severe than the national trend.

The months ahead will require continued partnership. Together, we will help customers compare their options, qualify for financial help, and choose a plan that meets their needs.

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Strengthening Our Enrollment Assistance Network

I’m happy to share that we have selected partners for our three-year enrollment assistance cycle. Our 2027 partner network includes 89 organizations serving customers at 182 physical locations across Colorado.

Along with new Enrollment Center locations, these additions expand access to health insurance literacy and enrollment assistance in communities across Prowers, Eagle, Garfield, Adams, El Paso, Pueblo, Park, Larimer, Delta, and Alamosa counties.

These partners will provide the trusted, local guidance customers need to understand their options, apply for financial help, and enroll in coverage.

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Open Enrollment Dates Return to the Traditional Schedule

As many of you know, recent federal developments have restored the traditional Open Enrollment schedule for Plan Year 2027. Open Enrollment will begin Nov. 1, 2026 and end Jan. 15, 2027.

Customers who enroll by Dec. 15 will have coverage beginning Jan. 1. Customers who enroll from Dec. 16 through Jan. 15 will have coverage beginning Feb. 1.

Please be prepared to answer customer questions about these dates and update any websites, flyers, presentations, social media posts, training materials, or other communications that reflected the previously announced Dec. 31 deadline.

We will continue providing resources and information to support your outreach efforts. Providing accurate information early will help customers plan ahead and make informed decisions about their coverage.

Thank you for your continued partnership and your commitment to helping Coloradans get—and stay—covered.

Take care,

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

Dear Friends and Partners,

Colorado is beautiful year-round, and summer offers special opportunities for us to get outside, enjoy everything our state has to offer, and connect with neighbors across our communities.

For many of us, that means county fairs, rodeos, parades, concerts, 4-H exhibits, and the chance to spend time together. At Connect for Health Colorado, it also means meeting Coloradans in their communities to build trust, nurture relationships, and answer questions so people know they can come to us when they need help navigating their health coverage. 

This summer, Connect for Health Colorado is sponsoring or participating in more than a dozen county fairs and rodeos throughout the state, with strong outreach in rural communities. You’ll find us at the:

• Gay Rodeo Association’s Rocky Mountain Regional Rodeo, July 10-12
• El Paso County Fair, July 11-18
• Mesa County Fair, July 14-18
• Gilpin County Fair, July 17-19
• Weld County Fair, July 18-27 
• Arapahoe County Fair, July 23-26
• Douglas County Fair, July 24-Aug. 2
• Fremont County Fair, July 24-Aug. 1 
• Elbert County Fair, July 25-Aug. 2
• Baca County Fair, July 26-Aug. 1
• Middle Park Fair, July 26-Aug. 9 
• Garfield County Fair, Aug. 4-8
• Routt County Fair, Aug. 7-16 
• Arkansas Valley Fair, Aug. 19-22 

These gatherings are fun, and they are a meaningful reminder that what we do matters. Access to health coverage is essential. It affects our families, friends, small business owners, farmers, retirees, young adults, and neighbors in every corner of Colorado. When we show up in communities, we have an opportunity to listen, learn, and help people understand their options. 

For many of you—our valued community partners, Assisters, Brokers, and healthcare leaders—summer is also a chance to catch your breath before the busy Open Enrollment season begins this fall. Take advantage of this time to recharge, reconnect, and enjoy the communities we serve. The work ahead will be important. 

Partnerships & Policy

While our team is connecting with Coloradans across the state, we’re also preparing for the months ahead. I recently traveled to New Mexico with other members of our leadership team to meet with our colleagues from other state-based marketplaces as part of the State Marketplace Network through the National Academy for State Health Policy. We discussed upcoming changes and how state-based marketplaces can navigate them. 

These conversations allow us to share what we have learned in Colorado and learn from others who are facing many of the same challenges. Collaboration strengthens our work and helps us better support our customers. It also keeps us focused on how we can grow the individual market so more Coloradans get and stay covered. 

I hope to see many of you out at events this summer. 

Take care,

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