Special Enrollment Period Extension

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

Last week, Connect for Health Colorado sponsored, and I attended, Colorado Municipal League’s annual conference. I realize many folks see our marketplace as just a place for people who don’t have health plan options from their job. However, in the past few years, there have been some changes that make it possible for us to offer financial help to families who have been shut out in the past, as well as ICHRAs as an alternative to traditional group health plans. So, I was eager to learn from the people who keep our towns, cities, and counties running and to share a bit more with them about our marketplace.

The conversations give me invaluable perspective on how our state is changing and how we can help solve problems regarding access to affordable health coverage in regions like northern and eastern Colorado, or at least understand them better. Since these discussions, I’ve been thinking deeply about where we can grow our marketplace presence north of metro Denver and how we can better partner with anchor institutions, like hospitals, in rural Colorado. I enjoyed sharing the luncheon with Mead Mayor Colleen Whitlow and some of the Mead Board of Trustees. It was my pleasure to sponsor the event. It was an important place for connection, and I hope to keep learning from local government employees and leaders.

People Losing Medicaid Coverage Have More Time to Enroll in Health Insurance

Earlier this week, the Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) announced that it has extended the special enrollment window for people who are no longer qualify for Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) coverage due to the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE). Folks in this situation now have through November 30, 2024 to enroll in health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado. The previous deadline was July 31.

Since last year, we’ve seen nearly 19,000 Coloradans sign up for plans on our Marketplace after losing their Medicaid coverage as a result of the pandemic protections ending. I’m truly grateful we can offer people robust financial help – with the enhanced premium tax credits in place, 3 out of 5 customers can find a plan for $10 per month or less – and an abundance of free, local enrollment assistance.

In light of the special enrollment period extension, I’d appreciate your help sharing outreach materials with your networks as part of the Keep Coloradans Covered campaign.

Take care,

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