To Our Valued Stakeholders,

We are making great progress in developing our new eligibility system. While there is a lot of work ahead, we know it will bring major improvements to the way Coloradans apply for financial help (Advance Premium Tax Credits and Cost-Sharing Reductions) to lower their health insurance costs.

The new system, first discussed in this letter in February, is generating a lot of anticipation among stakeholders. We have added a new page to our web site to answer questions, report progress and to take your comments and questions.

As a reminder, the new system will be funded, developed and maintained entirely by Connect for Health Colorado and ready for the next Open Enrollment Period. We are undertaking this work to:

• Streamline the customer experience
• Continue to meet federal compliance obligations
• Control system enhancements and to add speed and flexibility to troubleshooting

I hope you find this new resource helpful and that you will share the link with anyone who might have a question or input.

Take care,

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

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

This year’s Legislature adjourned Wednesday after passing a couple of measures that will affect our customers and not passing three measures that we have been following aimed at easing the burden of high premiums.

What passed:

SB 136 will allow brokers to charge a fee when advising customers to buy a health plan if the broker does not receive a commission on the plan. They cannot charge a fee for enrolling people in Health First Colorado or CHP+ and they are required to notify customers in advance. The state Division of Insurance is working on related rules.

SB 132 calls for the insurance commissioner to make an actuarial analysis to determine whether expanding eligibility for catastrophic to Coloradans age 30 and above (without a hardship exemption) would reduce Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTC) for Coloradans or increase average individual health insurance premiums.

If the analysis finds such a change would do neither, the insurance commissioner would be required to seek a five-year waiver to allow the sale of catastrophic plans to all Coloradans. Such plans would remain ineligible for APTC support and would be sold through Connect for Health Colorado.

What did not pass:

HB 1205 would have provided financial assistance to Coloradans whose income is between 400% and 500% of federal poverty level and spend more than 20 percent of their household income on health insurance premiums.

HB 1392 would have created a reinsurance program to help health insurance companies with their highest cost members, allowing them to better contain increases in premium.

HB 1384 would have called for the state department of Health Care Policy and Financing and the state Division of Insurance to study three different healthcare coverage options, a Health First Colorado buy-in, a public-private partnership and a community- or regionally-based healthcare alternative.

In the News

Forbes reported more evidence of state Marketplace stabilization this week, as health insurance companies see improving profits in the individual market. Interestingly, the health insurance companies featured in the article are showing little interest in offering short-term plans.

Take care,

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

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

Our board Executive Committee has voted to support a bill introduced this week in the state Legislature aimed at lowering premiums for buyers in the individual health insurance market through creation of a reinsurance program. The program envisioned in HB 1392 would assist health insurance companies with high cost claims to keep premium increases down.

Containing premium costs through a reinsurance program is of particular benefit to buyers who do not qualify for tax credit help and is aligned with Connect for Health Colorado’s mission to “increase access, affordability and choice” to Coloradans buying health insurance.

Learn more about the legislation.

I mentioned last week that a new law will allow brokers to charge a fee for assisting a customer in certain circumstances.

The state Division of Insurance will develop rules on implementing the law. We have posted some information on our site, and you can read the text of the bill.

In the News

Wisconsin’s governor this week submitted a 1332 waiver request to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to establish a reinsurance program, similar to the waiver request that is called for in HB 1392. Wisconsin officials estimate the program could reduce premiums 5 percent, according to an article in The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Take care,

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

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

Yesterday the governor signed into law a bill that will allow brokers to charge a fee when assisting a customer buying a health plan that does not include a broker commission.

Brokers have played an important role in assisting our customers throughout our history and we expect that to continue. We also continue to work to inform our customers on the full cost of their coverage and will incorporate this change in future communications.

The Division of Insurance will develop rules on implementing the law. You can read more on the legislation, including the text of the bill.

In the News

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) this week released its Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2019. We are reviewing the 523-page document, which is broad in scope.

CMS released an accompanying fact sheet along with the full text.

The Washington Post also summarized some of the highlights of the rules in its coverage.

We will keep you informed of any impact this guidance will have on our customers or our operations.

Take care,

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

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

Please take note: We are in the process of moving our administrative offices to a new location. We will be at 4600 S. Ulster St., Suite 300, Denver, 80237 beginning Monday, April 2.

Our Board committee meetings on Monday, March 26, will be in our current location but the movers go to work as soon as those sessions adjourn. Administrative staff will be working in remote locations for the balance of the week while the move is under way.

We will provide new call-in information for the April 9 Board meeting with the agenda and support materials for the meeting. Those attending in person will want to go to the new address, which is in the Tech Center close to the I-25-I-225 interchange.

I hope to see you there.

In the News

The state Division of Insurance this week released comment on proposed federal rule changes to widen the availability of Association Health Plans (AHP). The letter to the federal Department of Labor points out concerns around the risk to consumers and the history of financial instability of such plans.

The Commonwealth Fund recently released survey results that the policy debate around the Affordable Care Act has created concern among Americans who gained coverage under the law that they may lose their health benefits. Concerning to us is the finding that three in 10 adults who have Marketplace or Medicaid coverage are pessimistic about maintaining it.

On the plus side, the Commonwealth Fund points out that Kaiser Family Foundation polling finds 54 percent of respondents have a favorable view of the Affordable Care Act, up four percentage points since January.

Take care,

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

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

We released our End of Open Enrollment report this week, our most detailed look at the impact we are having across Colorado. This year, you will see that more of our customers are receiving help through the Advance Premium Tax Credit – 69 percent, compared to 61 percent last year – and the average level of monthly tax credit help climbed to $505 from $369 last year.

The number of users of our Quick Cost and Plan Finder tool increased more than five-fold, to 163,323, while the number of calls to our Customer Service Center dropped by one-third.

Even with a 23 percent reduction in the number of days in the enrollment period and confusion related to last year’s policy debate, our plan selections nearly equaled last year’s. Many of you receiving this message share in the credit for this success and I want to thank you and invite you to read the full report.

In the News

Predicting the future in our business is tricky but I took part in a panel this week that did it anyway. The Brookings Institution brought together a group to talk about the future of the Affordable Care Act. You can watch it or read a transcript.

And, while we’re looking forward, you might enjoy this article posted by Healthline on reasons to believe the Affordable Care Act will be with us a while.

Take care,

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

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

We took an important step forward this week with our board’s decision to move ahead on building a new eligibility system. With our own system, we will be able to provide customer’s a better application and enrollment experience and at the same gain more control and predictability for IT expenses.

A simplified path for enrolling with financial help can be expected to help us grow enrollment while getting more Coloradans the Advance Premium Tax Credit and Cost Share Reduction benefits that they are eligible to receive. We will continue to support Health First Colorado (Medicaid) enrollments and ensure that customers are routed to the right program, whether they begin at our site or with the PEAK application.

The new system will be in place for our next Open Enrollment Period. Learn more details about our plan.

We will be providing regular updates and taking stakeholder input as we progress.

Take care,

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

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

We were all glad to see the good news this week with the six-year reauthorization of the Child Health Insurance Plan. Known as Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) in Colorado, the program serves 75,000 children in the state and 800 pregnant women. They will be receiving notice from the department of Health Care Policy and Financing next week.

Learn more about sample letters, updates and statements from the department.

Tax Form Mailing

We are in the process of an important mailing of our own these days. Our customers will start receiving their Forms 1095-A next week. The form reports coverage dates and tax credit assistance levels to support them in filing their 2017 tax return. Copies of the form are also uploaded to online accounts.

Board Advisory Group

The Connect for Health Colorado Board Advisory Group currently has openings for a health insurance company representative and a provider representative. The deadline to apply is Friday, February 2, 2018. Learn more about these positions.

Take care,

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

To Our Valued Stakeholders,

We concluded our fifth Open Enrollment period last Friday with more than 165,000 plan submissions. That was nearly as many plan selections as we saw in our last Open Enrollment period, which was 22 days longer.

We have shifted gears for Special Enrollment Periods that have brought in thousands of customers each month in years past. Anyone whose 2017 plan was not offered for this year has until midnight March 1 to select a health plan and, of course, anyone experiencing a qualifying life change event such as marriage, divorce, having a child or losing employer-sponsored health insurance can enroll in a special enrollment period.

As we reported in a media release Tuesday, the numbers are in line with our target and assumptions that went into our annual budget.

Looking forward on reform

I had the opportunity to take part in a panel presentation last week with The Century Foundation on “Health Reform 2020.” The discussion on marketplaces that I took part in begins at 1:39 in this video and my portion on customers’ needs and Colorado begins at 2:12.

Take care,

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

Contact: Luke Clarke 720-496-2545

[email protected]

DENVER — More than 165,000 Coloradans selected healthcare coverage for 2018 through the state health insurance Marketplace by the close of Open Enrollment, according to new data released today by Connect for Health Colorado®.

“These are positive results that show us holding steady and in line with our targets for the year,” said Connect for Health Colorado CEO Kevin Patterson. “Despite the uncertainty that created some confusion in the market, we have seen volumes that nearly match last year’s longer Open Enrollment Period. I am happy to see so many families and individuals put this protection for their health and financial well-being in place for the year. We will be reporting our results in coming weeks in our annual End of Open Enrollment Report.”

The Open Enrollment Period for Coloradans who buy their own health insurance was 22 days shorter this year than last year’s period ¬— one that was extended three days past the original deadline of January 31, 2017, to accommodate a last-minute rush in sign-ups. The next Open Enrollment Period will begin November 1, 2018.

By the close of this year’s Open Enrollment, Coloradans had selected 165,777 medical insurance plans, an increase of 3 percent over the 160,968 medical plan selections for same date in 2017. When the last Open Enrollment Period closed on Feb. 3, 2017, the number of plan selections had reached 172,361.

Enrollments remain open through March 1, 2018, for anyone whose 2017 health plan was not offered for 2018. In addition, Coloradans who experience a qualifying life change event, such as marriage, divorce, having a child, losing their employer-sponsored insurance, or those moving into Colorado, have 60 days from that event to enroll in 2018 coverage.

Among the 2018 plan selections, 23 percent are by customers who are new to Connect for Health Colorado and 77 percent are renewing customers.

About Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado is a public, non-profit entity established 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 is the only place to apply for financial assistance in the form of tax credits to help lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access free, in-person assistance from a statewide network of certified Brokers, community-based Health Coverage Guides or Application Counselors. For more information: connectforhealthco.com