Colorado: C4HCO releases final 2025 Open Enrollment Period report; record 296K QHPs total!

I realize the Musk/Trump Administration is attempting to turn the United States into a fascist regime while simultaneously burning the federal government to the ground and pushing the economy into a global recession, but hey, you gotta take positive news where you can find it.

With that in mind, via Connect for Health Colorado:

‘Biggest Enrollment Period Ever’: Connect for Health Colorado Releases its Annual Report on Open Enrollment 

Denver, Colo.– Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, released its annual open enrollment report today. This year’s By The Numbers report includes new data and information about the record-breaking open enrollment period for plan year 2025, which enrolled 296,449 people in health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado and Colorado Connect, Connect for Health Colorado’s public benefit corporation. 

The official 2025 OEP enrollment tally is 282,481 people as far as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is concerned; the additional 13,968 enrollees did so via a separate, state-operated & funded platform which primarily caters to undocumented immigrants, who are offered more limited state subsidies to help them cover their premiums.

The report also includes more information about federal and state financial help that lowered costs for customers; growth in enrollments in rural areas; expert assistance available to customers; and interactive maps showing enrollments, plan prices, and financial help by county.

“This year’s report tells us there’s growing demand for affordable, comprehensive, quality health insurance – and that Connect for Health Colorado is meeting this critical need for hundreds of thousands of Coloradans,” said Kevin Patterson, chief executive officer of Connect for Health Colorado. “This has been our biggest enrollment period ever. That’s due, in part, to our continued effort to inform people about their health insurance options and available financial help, as well as state and federal policies that increased access to affordable health coverage.”

All About Costs

In 2025, federal enhanced Premium Tax Credits and Colorado’s cost-sharing reductions helped lower the cost of monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs for a record number of people. Notably, 80% of customers qualified for financial help this year. 

Enhanced Premium Tax Credits – passed by Congress in 2021, and extended in 2022 through plan year 2025 – returned more than $972 million as tax credits to customers; and 3 out of 5 customers could find a plan for $10 or less per month after tax credits were applied. 

“I cannot overstate the importance of federal enhanced Premium Tax Credits,” Patterson said. “They make a tremendous difference in cost savings for everyday people across Colorado, and it is absolutely crucial they continue beyond 2025.”

Additionally, Colorado’s cost-sharing reductions lowered deductibles, copays for prescriptions or doctor visits, and coinsurance for hospitalizations for 82,331 customers. 

Improving Rural Access to Coverage

One of Connect for Health Colorado’s strategic goals is to advocate to improve access to coverage in rural areas of Colorado. 

In 2025, nearly 26% of enrolled customers live in rural areas. Staying with a five-year trend, the majority of the largest increases in enrollments came from rural counties. In fact, 12 of the 15 counties experiencing the most significant growth are located in rural areas. 

The Impact of Expert Assistance

Connect for Health Colorado’s certified health insurance Brokers and community-based Assisters help customers understand and navigate their health insurance options. They guide customers through the application and enrollment process, share information about financial assistance, and help them understand how insurance works and how to use their coverage when they’re enrolled. 

In 2025, about 66% of all enrollments were completed with the help of a health insurance Broker or Assister, and 53% of appointments with Assisters were conducted in a language other than English.

Year-Round Support

While open enrollment for plan year 2025 has ended, people can still buy health insurance or make changes to a current plan year-round if they experience certain life changes. Find a list of qualifying life changes on Connect for Health Colorado’s website. 

Connect for Health Colorado’s network of certified insurance Brokers and enrollment Assisters are available to help year-round, are located throughout Colorado, and can provide free support in multiple languages. Those who experience a qualifying life change are encouraged to learn more about their options at ConnectforHealthCO.com or by calling 855-752-6749.