Types of Plans
Estimate and Explore: The fastest way to find the right plans for you
A wide range of health insurance options are available to you through Connect for Health Colorado; different types of plans, different insurance providers (see below), different costs and benefits based on what you need.
While all that choice helps ensure you’ll never get pushed into something you don’t need or that doesn’t fit your situation, it can also feel overwhelming.
To help you carve out the plans that will be the best possible fit for you, enter your information into our Estimate and Explore tool. Based on what you provide, you’ll see only the most relevant plans, with ways to organize by cost, provider, plan type and more.
Insurance companies offering plans through Connect for Health Colorado
Connect for Health Colorado works with Anthem, Denver Health, Kaiser Permanente, Rocky Mountain Health Plans/UnitedHealthcare, Colorado Access Choice by Access Connected Care Partners Inc., and Select Health to offer care to Coloradans statewide. Plans available for each carrier may differ across counties.
Comparing Different Types of Plans
Health insurance plans on Connect for Health Colorado are organized into three different levels to help you see, at a glance, a plan’s general approach to sharing costs with you. This can help you decide which plan level may be a good fit for you, based on how often you expect to need care.
Gold
Higher monthly premium with lower costs when you need care
Ideal if you:
Need frequent care and want lower costs
Silver
Moderate monthly premium with moderate costs when you need care
Ideal if you:
Are looking for balanced cost and coverage
Bronze
Lower monthly premium, higher costs when you need care
Ideal if you:
Are healthy and rarely go to the doctor
Gold plans: If you or your family have recurring medical conditions, then you may save money by selecting a Gold plan that has a higher monthly premium but pays more of your medical costs.
Silver plans: If you qualify for healthcare discounts called Cost-Sharing Reductions, Silver plans are a good fit for you. You must purchase a Silver plan to receive this form of financial help.
Bronze plans: If you are healthy and rarely go to the doctor, a Bronze plan with a lower monthly premium and higher costs when you receive care, might be a good fit for you.
Catastrophic plans for young adults
Catastrophic plans are available to individuals under age 30. They typically have a low monthly premium and a very high annual deductible. These plans are designed to protect customers from high-cost, worst-case situations like serious injury or illness.
Catastrophic plans are still required to cover the same essential health benefits as other plans sold through Connect for Health Colorado, including preventive services at no cost when delivered by an in-network provider, at least three primary care visits during the plan year (once all other medical costs are paid until the deductible is met.) After you reach your deductible, Catastrophic plans pay 100% of covered services for the rest of the plan year.
Colorado Option plans are not available at the Catastrophic level.
Colorado Option Plans
Colorado Option plans are available to all Coloradans who buy their health insurance on the individual market (e.g., not from an employer), and small employers with less than 50 employees. These plan types were introduced because of the Colorado Option law (HB21-1232) which aims to lower the costs of premiums and many health care services.
Our health insurance company partners offer Colorado Option plans in each county in which they offer other plans. These plans are standardized by the state of Colorado, and health insurance carriers are required to lower premiums for all Colorado Option plans.
Costs to go to the doctor for the most common services or to fill a prescription are the same for all Colorado Option standard plans within each metal tier, so it’s easier to know what you’ll pay. Plus, the copayments, deductibles and out-of-pocket maximum amounts are the same as well.
Colorado Option plan networks also include Certified Nurse Midwives and more community providers than before. The plan networks must also support its non-English speaking enrollees through enhanced language access and provider directory requirements.
Colorado Option Plans
also include the following benefits:
$0 Primary Care, Non-Preventive Visits
$0 Mental/Behavioral Health/ Substance Use Disorder Visits
$0 Prenatal and Postnatal Visits
$5 Diabetic Supplies, Inluding Continuos Glucose Monitors
$0 Diabetes Self-Management Education
Comparing HMOs and EPOs
| Healthcare considerations | HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans* | Eligible for only lower premiums: |
|---|---|---|
| Required to select a primary care physician (PCP)? | Yes | No |
| Referrals needed to see a specialist? | Yes (With some exceptions) | No (With some exceptions) |
| Number of doctors and hospitals that are in-network | Generally smaller | Generally larger |
| Able to use a Health Savings Account (HSA)? | An HSA can be used if the plan is bronze or catastrophic, or if the plan is a High Deductible Health Plan | An HSA can be used if the plan is bronze or catastrophic, or if the plan is a High Deductible Health Plan |
* Colorado Option plans may be either an HMO or EPO.
HSA Plans (Health Savings Account)
Both HMO and EPO plans can be high-deductible health plans that are designed for people with a health savings account (HSA).
- With a HSA plan, you are eligible to open a Health Savings Account through your bank or other financial institution that allow you to set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay health-related expenses. The tax savings allows you to reduce your overall healthcare costs. (Connect for Health Colorado does not open an HSA for members enrolled in an HSA-eligible plan. A Health Savings Account can be used ONLY if you have an HSA Plan – sometimes referred to as a High Deductible Health Plan or HDHP. All bronze and catastrophic plans on Connect for Health Colorado are now HSA-eligible.)
- HSA plans tend to have lower monthly premiums and higher deductibles.
- HSA plans do not pay for most medical costs until the deductible is met, meaning you are responsible for most of the cost of going to the doctor until you reach your deductible. You can use the money that you have set aside in your HSA to pay for these qualified medical expenses before your deductible is met.
