17,000 More Coloradans Signed Up for Health Insurance Since Colorado’s Exchange Re-Opened Twelve Weeks Ago

Enrollment Remains Open Until At Least Aug. 15

DENVER — 17,282 Coloradans have signed up for a health insurance plan since Connect for Health Colorado re-opened enrollment on Feb. 8, with more than 7,500 sign ups in the last month alone. That uptick in enrollments coincides with the date that Connect for Health Colorado began offering increased savings on health insurance to residents of all income ranges following the passage of the American Rescue Plan.

“We’re here to provide relief to families who are figuring out their health insurance options at a time when the need for coverage has never been greater,” said Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “If you are looking for plans in your budget, now is the time to check out Connect for Health Colorado. We’re providing more savings on health insurance than ever before, and our doors are open until at least August 15th.”

Get Savings on Health Insurance Today

While enrollment is open through Aug. 15, 2021, remember thatthe sooner you enroll, the sooner your coverage begins. Three out of four customers could potentially find a plan for $25 or less after the new savings are applied. People who have received any unemployment benefits in 2021 may qualify for $0 plan options.

To find out whether you qualify for additional savings on health insurance plans, how much financial assistance you can receive and to see all the plans available to you, contact Connect for Health Colorado at ConnectforHealthCO.com or by calling 855-752-6749.

Preview Plans and Get Enrollment Assistance

Want to browse plans and prices before starting an application? Use our Quick Cost and Plan Finder tool to get an estimate of costs and to search plans based on what matters most to you.

Want more personalized assistance? Plan experts- certified Brokers and community Assisters- are ready to help you figure out exactly what kind of health coverage you qualify for and navigate all your options. The enrollment assistance and advice are free. Find an expert in your area and make an appointment today.

###

This media release is available in Spanish here.

Media Contact

Monica Caballeros | [email protected] | 720-496-2574

About Connect for Health Colorado

Connect for Health Colorado is a public, nonprofit entity established by the Colorado General Assembly in 2011 to create a health insurance marketplace. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families, and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help, and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information: ConnectforHealthCO.com

Connect for Health Colorado Offers More Savings to More Coloradans on Health Insurance Costs

DENVER — Starting today, Thursday, April 15, Coloradans seeking health insurance can access more savings as a result of the American Rescue Plan (also known as the “COVID relief package”) when they shop through Connect for Health Colorado®. The American Rescue Plan expanded financial help for health insurance plans that people buy via the federal and state health insurance exchanges through 2022. And, for the first time, ever, Colorado individuals and families of all income ranges can qualify for reduced premiums.

“We’re ready and eager to provide these savings to more Coloradans who need relief right away,” said Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “I encourage those who need coverage to sign up. If you were unable to obtain financial help in the past, now is the time to re-apply. You might be surprised how much you can save.”

What’s Different Now?

There is more financial help available to more Coloradans for health insurance.
- One out of five (21%) customers could potentially have a $0 premium if they were to stay with their current plan.
- Two out of three (64%) customers could potentially have a $0 premium if they were to enroll in the lowest cost plan available to them.
- Three out of four people could potentially have a $25 premium or less if they were to enroll in the lowest cost plan available to them.

People who were making too much money before may now qualify for financial help to reduce premiums.

Anyone who has received unemployment benefits for at least one week in 2021 may qualify for $0 and low-cost 2021 health insurance premium options when they shop through Connect for Health Colorado. The amount of financial assistance we provide will cover the entire cost of the second-lowest-cost Silver plan, but you can put that amount of help toward any plan available to you.

When Can I Get More Savings and/or Enroll?

You can submit a new application for financial help beginning today. Connect for Health Colorado is keeping enrollment open to anyone who needs health insurance through at least Aug. 15, 2021. But remember that the sooner you enroll, the sooner your coverage begins.

How Do I Know What I Qualify For?

Want to browse plans and prices before starting an application? Use our Quick Cost and Plan Finder tool to get an estimate of costs and to search plans based on what matters most to you.

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. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information: ConnectforHealthCO.com

Media Contact

Monica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-496-2574

More Coloradans Than Ever Are Using Colorado’s Exchange to Get Covered

DENVER — In a report released today by Connect for Health Colorado®, nearly 180,000 Coloradans signed up for a health insurance plan by the end of the Open Enrollment Period on Jan. 15 for 2021 coverage. The new report includes more detailed information about changes to premium costs and financial help by county, the improved customer experience and our outreach tactics.

And, since re-opening enrollment for uninsured Coloradans on Feb. 8, an additional 9,971 people have signed up for a health plan. That means Colorado’s Exchange has enrolled more people this year than in any previous year of our operation, and enrollment continues to remain open through at least Aug. 15.

“I’m so pleased by the response we’ve seen to keeping our doors open and knowing that more Coloradans have access to health care this year,” said Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “I continue to remind people who need coverage to sign up now. We have experts ready to help you and your family navigate your health coverage options.”

Curious about other findings from the enrollment report? We’ve broken down the key takeaways for Coloradans looking for affordable health coverage and considering using Connect for Health Colorado:

People who use Connect for Health Colorado can qualify for financial help and save money on health insurance costs. On average, people who qualified for financial help for this year are paying $152 per month for their health insurance coverage.
There’s more health insurance plan choice than ever before. Eight health insurance companies, plus two cooperative alliances, are offering a total of 159 medical plans through our Marketplace.
There’s a lot of enrollment assistance available, and people are using it to get covered. We have 919 Brokers and Assisters in total across the state helping people enroll this year. 58% of all customers used a Broker to help them enroll and pick the right plan, and 6% of customers went to a community-based Assister for expert application help.
Using an Enrollment Center increases the likelihood you’ll get the financial help you qualify for. Guided by our plan experts- Brokers and Assisters- in local communities, customers who connected with an Enrollment Center received help at a higher rate (77% statewide, 81% in rural areas) than the overall rate of 69%.
Coverage for people in rural counties is increasingly affordable. For a second year in a row, the majority of the largest increases in enrollments came from rural counties. Customers receiving financial help in rural counties paid slightly less ($151) for their selected plan premiums than customers receiving financial help in urban counties ($153).
More people are returning to Colorado’s Exchange to get covered each year. 83% of our customers returned to our Marketplace to find quality, affordable coverage to protect their health and finances this year.

Connect for Health Colorado publishes monthly updates on total medical enrollments, as we continue to enroll Coloradans throughout the year.

Starting this month, more Coloradans will be able to get more financial help than ever before on their health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado as a result of the American Rescue Plan (also known as the COVID relief package).

###

About Connect for Health Colorado

Media Contact

Monica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-496-2574

Connect for Health Colorado Extends Enrollment Period through at least August 15

DENVER — Yesterday afternoon, President Biden announced that the federal health insurance marketplace, HealthCare.gov, will extend the current enrollment period through August 15, 2021, to help as many people as possible get covered following the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

Connect for Heath Colorado® Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Patterson, released the following statement in response:

“We will follow the federal decision so that we can help as many Coloradans as possible get covered this year. Keeping our doors open through at least mid-August maximizes the number of people who can apply for financial help and enroll through our Marketplace, especially as our state recovers from the pandemic. We will share more details soon about how Coloradans who are newly eligible for benefits under the American Rescue Plan can get those additional savings.”

Connect for Health Colorado is working in coordination with the state Division of Insurance to develop an implementation plan for the portions of the law which impact Colorado consumers seeking health insurance through our Exchange. The new expanded savings for health coverage under the American Rescue Plan is expected to be available to Colorado residents starting in April, with changes taking effect as soon as May 1, 2021.

Connect for Health Colorado will release more information about when people who are newly eligible for financial assistance under the American Rescue Plan, as well as current customers, should come to our Marketplace to see how much they can save. The American Rescue Plan financial help changes are in effect through calendar year 2022.

Connect for Health Colorado is the only place where residents can get financial assistance for health insurance.

About Connect for Health Colorado

Media Contact

Monica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-496-2574

American Rescue Plan Makes Health Insurance More Affordable for More Coloradans Shopping through the Exchange

DENVER — Yesterday afternoon, President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (American Rescue Plan) into law. Connect for Heath Colorado® Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Patterson, released the following statement in response to provisions which strengthen the Affordable Care Act and increase affordability:

“We are thrilled and getting ready to implement the health coverage provisions outlined in this law. This expansion of financial help will provide greater access to savings on the health plans we offer. This means more affordable health insurance for many more Coloradans.”

The American Rescue Plan removes the 400 percent poverty level income cap to receive Advance Premium Tax Credits. It also updates the financial help calculation so that Coloradans will not pay more than 8.5 percent of their income on premiums based on the cost of the second-lowest-cost Silver plan in their area (also called the “benchmark plan”). As a result, Connect for Health Colorado customers will see an average savings of 49 percent or $56.30 on their monthly premium.

Connect for Health Colorado will develop an implementation plan for the portions of the law which impact Colorado consumers seeking health insurance through our Exchange. We will share more regarding how Coloradans can obtain the savings outlined in the law in the coming months. The financial help changes are in effect through calendar year 2022. Connect for Health Colorado is the only place where Coloradans can get financial assistance for health insurance.

About Connect for Health Colorado

Media Contact

Monica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-496-2574

One Month In, More Than 4,000 Coloradans Sign Up During Exchange’s Uninsured Enrollment Period

DENVER- 4,683 previously uninsured Coloradans signed up for a 2021 health insurance plan through Colorado’s Exchange between Monday, February 8 and the end of day Friday, March 5. That’s more than 1,000 new medical enrollments each week during the first month of Colorado’s Uninsured Enrollment Period.

“I’m pleased that people are taking advantage of this time and getting covered,” said Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “If you’re already insured, but know of a friend, family member or neighbor who needs health insurance and help enrolling, you can refer them to one of our plan experts. We’re here to ensure as many people as possible get the right coverage to protect their health this year.”

A Few Reminders

Residents who are currently uninsured and who don’t qualify for Health First Colorado (Medicaid) have until May 15, 2021 to sign up for a health insurance plan during the Uninsured Enrollment Period.

Connect for Health Colorado is the only place where eligible Coloradans can get financial assistance to help pay for their health insurance. Nearly 7 in 10 people who apply are qualifying for financial help. Use our Quick Cost & Plan Finder tool to estimate how much financial help you could receive.

Free, virtual and in-person help is available from certified enrollment experts and at Enrollment Centers located throughout the state. Visit ConnectforHealthCO.com/we-can-help to find assistance in your area.

You can access a 60-day Special Enrollment Period and enroll in health insurance if you or someone in your household experiences a Qualified Life Event, like losing insurance from a job, getting married, or due to certain family and income changes.

###

About Connect for Health Colorado

Media Contact

Monica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-496-2574

Colorado to Re-open Enrollment for Individual Health Insurance

Move mirrors executive action by President Biden to ensure consumers can enroll amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Denver— Today, President Joe Biden issued an Executive Order that re-opens enrollment on the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. While the order pertains to states that use the federal exchange, healthcare.gov, Colorado’s exchange, Connect for Health Colorado will mirror the order by re-opening enrollment.

Coloradans without health insurance will be able to enroll in coverage through ConnectforHealthCO.com between Feb. 8 – May 15, 2021. Health insurance coverage will begin on the first day of the month following plan selection. This Special Enrollment period is for people who are without health insurance and begins a week earlier than the federal exchange.

In Colorado, the annual Open Enrollment for individual health insurance (meaning not from an employer) ended on January 15th. Connect for Health Colorado reported that nearly 180,000 Coloradans enrolled in 2021 coverage, which was around 8% higher than the enrollment figures for the previous year’s Open Enrollment.

Re-opening the exchanges is an effort to address the number of uninsured, and in particular help people who have lost their employer-based health insurance due to the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Colorado Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway offered this statement in support of this effort.

“I am encouraged to see President Biden and his administration take action on this front, acknowledging the fact that so many remain without health insurance due to the continued impact of COVID-19. The Division of Insurance will work with Connect for Health Colorado to make sure this additional enrollment period works to help Coloradans get covered.”

Connect for Health Colorado’s Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson released the following statement in response to the Exchange reopening enrollment:

“I’m pleased that we can offer another opportunity to help people protect their health and safety this year. Now is a great time to remind friends and neighbors who missed the Open Enrollment deadline that it’s not too late to sign up and that help is available. I urge Coloradans who haven’t enrolled yet to call us or visit our website to find free enrollment assistance near you.”

Colorado individual health insurance consumers can enroll through Connect for Health Colorado online at ConnectforHealthCO.com. Residents can get help by calling 855-752-6749 or find free, virtual enrollment assistance from certified Brokers and Assisters. In addition, Connect for Health Colorado offers tools such as the Quick Cost & Plan Finder that can help you check if you qualify for financial help and search for plans based on what matters most, including covered doctors, medications, monthly costs, and estimated annual costs. About 70% of people applying qualify for financial help. Enrolling through Connect for Health Colorado is the only way to receive financial help that can make health insurance more affordable.

###

Media Contacts

Connect for Health Colorado: Monica Caballeros | [email protected] | 720-496-2574

Division of Insurance: Vincent Plymell | [email protected] | 303-910-9614

About Connect for Health Colorado

About the Division of Insurance

The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI), part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), regulates the insurance industry and assists consumers and other stakeholders with insurance issues. Visit doi.colorado.gov for more information or call 303-894-7499 / toll free 800-930-3745.

Nearly 180,000 Coloradans Signed Up through the Marketplace

DENVER — 179,661 Coloradans signed up for a health insurance plan by the end of the Open Enrollment period, according to preliminary data released today by Connect for Health Colorado®. This is about 8 percent above last year’s end of Open Enrollment total. 69% of the customers who enrolled in a 2021 plan qualified for financial help to reduce their monthly premium.

“I’m pleased that so many people took advantage of this year’s enrollment period,” said Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “It’s essential that we all have health coverage in place to protect ourselves and our families this year.”

Outside of the Open Enrollment period, Coloradans can still sign up for a health insurance plan through the Marketplace if they experience a Qualified Life Event, like losing job-based insurance, losing Health First Colorado (Medicaid) coverage or due to certain family and income changes. Residents can continue to get help signing up for coverage from certified Brokers and community-based Assisters.

For a deeper dive into enrollment and Marketplace changes during the Open Enrollment period for 2021 coverage, keep watching for the publication of Connect for Health Colorado’s End of Open Enrollment Report, By the Numbers, this Spring. Find past reports and monthly metrics at https://connectforhealthco.com/metric-and-reports/.

###

About Connect for Health Colorado

Colorado Sees 9% Increase in Health Insurance Marketplace Enrollments Ahead of Jan. 15 Deadline

DENVER — A year-over-year comparison shows Connect for Health Colorado enrollments are currently trending 9 percent higher. Nearly 172,000 people so far have signed up for a health insurance plan through the state’s official marketplace, surpassing last year’s Open Enrollment Period total of 166,850 sign ups.

But there is still time to enroll. With the Jan. 15, 2021 enrollment deadline approaching, Coloradans have just over a week left to choose a plan for coverage that will start Feb. 1.

“I’m thankful that so many people have found coverage through our Marketplace as the pandemic continues to devastate the health and wellbeing of our communities,” said Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “We’re here to help Coloradans secure financial help and choose a plan that gives them the care and peace of mind they deserve for this year.”

Before deciding that health coverage isn’t in your budget in 2021, first check how much assistance you could receive to reduce premiums through Connect for Health Colorado. About 7 in 10 residents who apply are qualifying for financial help to make premiums more affordable.

Individuals and families can also rest assured that every plan offered through Connect for Health Colorado includes essential health benefits and guaranteed coverage for people regardless of their medical history. All Marketplace plans include free preventive health care services, such as vaccinations, annual primary care check-ups and screenings.

“Last Call” Enrollment Events this Weekend

Residents can get free, virtual help to get covered from certified individuals and at Enrollment Centers located throughout the state. This Saturday, Jan. 9, people can find help at any one of the five virtual events we’re hosting, including this year’s keynote bilingual community resource and enrollment event, We’ve Got You Covered- Communities Coming Together to Cope with COVID / Hoy Por Ti Mañana Por Mi – Colaborando Para Una Comunidad Más Saludable Sin COVID.

About Connect for Health Colorado

Media Contact

Mónica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-496-2574

Connect for Health Colorado® Establishes Public Benefit Corporation to Increase Access, Affordability and Choice for More Residents

DENVER – Connect for Health Colorado®, the official health insurance marketplace for Coloradans, has formally launched a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC).

The PBC will offer health care ancillary products and services across the state as well as work to increase Coloradans’ health literacy.

This new organization will be a wholly-owned subsidiary of Connect for Health Colorado and will be a separate entity from Connect for Health Colorado. It will not affect residents’ ability to buy Qualified Health Plans and apply for financial help through our Marketplace.

One of the anticipated functions of the PBC will be to administer the plans and financial assistance to Coloradans according to the Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise. The financial help will be in the form of a separate state-funded subsidy and will be available to individuals and families in Colorado beginning in 2023.

“This new organization expands our ability to better address health coverage disparities in our state,” said Chief Executive Officer Kevin Patterson. “I look forward to helping more residents get covered and helping our State leaders implement solutions that improve the health of Coloradans.”

In October, Connect for Health Colorado’s Board of Directors appointed a Board of Directors to oversee the strategic vision of the PBC organization. Kevin Patterson, Connect for Health Colorado’s CEO, will serve as a member of the board.

###

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. Since 2013, we’ve been helping individuals, families and small employers compare plans, apply for financial help and buy health insurance. As Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, we are the only place to apply for financial help to lower the monthly cost of premiums. Customers can shop online; get help by phone or online chat from Customer Service Center representatives; and access expert, in-person help from a statewide network of certified Brokers and community-based Assisters. For more information: ConnectforHealthCO.com

Media Contact

Mónica Caballeros, [email protected], 720-496-2574