Colorado: Wow! Over 149,000 QHPs thru 12/17; up 7% w/4 weeks to go

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Connect for Health Colorado® Reports Increase in Healthcare Plan Selections for 2018; Open Enrollment Continues to January 12, 2018

DENVER —  More than 149,000 Coloradans selected healthcare coverage for 2018 through the state health insurance Marketplace through the December 17, 2017, a rate 7 percent ahead of signups one year ago, according to new data released today by Connect for Health Colorado®, mid-way through the Open Enrollment period for 2018 coverage.

“It’s not over, but the first half of this Open Enrollment period has set a solid pace,” said Connect for Health Colorado CEO Kevin Patterson.  “We are still enrolling Coloradans who buy their own health insurance through January 12.  I encourage everyone who does not have coverage yet to go to our site and see if they qualify for financial help. My message is, ‘Don’t leave money on the table.’ We know that too many Coloradans who qualify for help assume that they don’t.”

With nearly four weeks remaining in the current Open Enrollment period, Coloradans have already selected 149,006 medical insurance plans. The total was 139,509 for the comparable period in 2016. Seventeen percent of the medical plan selections are by customers who are new to Connect for Health Colorado and 83 percent are renewing customers.

Consumers enrolling now through January 12, 2018, will get health insurance that takes effect February 1, 2018. After January 12, individuals and families can buy coverage only if they experience a life change event such as such as marriage, divorce, having a child, losing employer-sponsored insurance, or moving to Colorado.

Last year's final QHP total was 161,568 people, and unlike most states, this was higher than the OE3 tally. That means Colorado is only 7.8% (12,562 enrollments) short of breaking their enrollment record. With nearly four weeks left to go, they have a very good chance of breaking it, an impressive feat given the insanity this year (and especially considering that Colorado is among the only states which went the "broad load" route for CSR costs).