Colorado

Colorado

A couple of weeks ago I noted that Colorado was close to becoming the second state to implement their own state-level quasi-Public Option plan (Washington State was the first to do so a year ago).

I say "quasi-" because, similar to Washington's, Colorado's proposal isn't a "true" public option in the sense that the state itself would be administering a healthcare program by dealing directly with hospitals, doctors, drugmakers and clinics.

Instead, like WA's "Cascade Care" program, the state would instead design the parameters and requirements of the healthcare policies in question, but they would actually be administered by private insurance carriers and sold on the state's ACA exchange, Connect for Health Colorado. While it's hardly ideal, it would still be an important step forward.

Colorado

Now that I've developed a standardized format/layout & methodology for tracking both state- and county-level COVID vaccination levels by partisan lean (which can also be easily applied to other variables like education level, median income, population density, ethnicity, etc), I've started moving beyond my home state of Michigan.

Here's Colorado:

Colorado

I haven't really been following the saga of Colorado's H.B. 1232 "Standardized Health Benefit Plan Colorado Option" bill as much as I should have been over the past year. The last time I wrote anything substantive about it was over a year ago...in fact, it was just a few weeks before the COVID hit the fan:

  • The issuers will offer the plans on and off the Exchange in the individual market.
  • The issuers will offer qualified health plans (QHPs) at Bronze, Silver, and Gold metal tiers.
  • The premiums of the plans will reflect facility reimbursement levels that vary by facility. The formula for determining facility-specific reimbursement levels was provided by DOI, utilizing hospital specific financial information provided by HCPF. Maximum reimbursement levels by facility are set between 155% and 218% of Medicare payment rates.
  • The plans will be offered beginning in calendar year 2022.
  • The state intends to apply for a 1332 waiver and use Federal pass-through savings for additional benefits or expanded coverage. The Baseline scenario presented below reflects the current federal and state regulatory market, including a state-based reinsurance program. The second scenario reflects the results of offering a Colorado Health Insurance Option with additional benefits, a premium wrap and a cost-sharing wrap.
Connect for Health Colorado Logo

In addition to the 940,000 Americans who have enrolled in ACA coverage across the 36 states hosted by HealthCare.Gov to date during the COVID Special Enrollment Period, Connect for Health Colorado just announced that the Centennial State has enrolled over 17,200 more people via their own COVID SEP:

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.

Hmmm...I know they say "7,500 in the past month", but they reported 9,971 as of 4/07, so that should mean 7,311 in the past month. Huh.

Colorado

As I noted recently, I've relaunched my project from last fall to track Medicaid enrollment (both standard and expansion alike) on a monthly basis for every state dating back to the ACA being signed into law.

For total monthly Medicaid enrollment, the official Medicaid.gov monthly enrollment data is only available dating back to late 2013, and it's only current through November 2020. The Kaiser Family Foundation has also compiled the pre-2014 average enrollment for each state based on the 3rd quarter of 2013. In some states I've been able to find more recent enrollment data for December 2020 or later.

via Connect for Health Colorado:

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

Many Residents Can Find Coverage for Just A Few Dollars a Month

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?

This just in via Connect for Health Colorado:

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.

The main number here is nothing new; C4HCO had already announced the 180K figure back in January. The report itself contains a ton of key demographic stats & details, however, which I'll get to below.

via Connect for Health Colorado:

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.”

I actually posted this a couple of weeks ago, but am reposting it as a standalone entry for clarity. Via Connect for Health Colorado:

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.”

This just in via Connect for Health Colorado:

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.

That's an average of 180/day over 26 days for Colorado. I don't know exactly how many Special Enrollment Period (SEP) enrollees they had during the same time period in prior years, but I can estimate based on their monthly dashboards:

Pages

Advertisement