C4HCO

via Connect for Health Colorado:

DENVER — Open Enrollment for 2024 health insurance coverage starts today in Colorado, and people can expect more savings than ever before due to federal changes and innovative state programs.

Save on Monthly Costs

As the state’s official health insurance marketplace, Connect for Health Coloradois the only place where residents can qualify for and receive financial help for their health insurance.

The American Rescue Plan Act, which passed in 2021 and provides enhanced Advance Premium Tax Credits, is still in effect. That means people can continue to expect a higher level of financial help and people with higher incomes can now qualify. Currently, 77 percent of Connect for Health Colorado customers get financial help to lower the cost of health insurance. This year, three out of five Connect for Health Colorado enrollees will have a plan available to them with a premium of less than $10 per month.

via Connect for Health Colorado:

There Are Just a Few Days Left for Friday Health Plans Customers to Avoid a Gap in Coverage 

08/29/2023

• Customers must enroll in a plan by this Thursday to have coverage that starts Sept. 1

DENVER— Friday Health Plans customers have less than three days to choose a new health insurance plan before their current health insurance coverage ends. Last month, the Colorado Division of Insurance announced that it had asked the courts to move Friday Health Plans into liquidation, ending coverage for all Friday Health Plans customers on August 31, 2023. Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, continues to urge Friday Health Plans customers to sign up for a new plan on or before this Thursday, August 31, to avoid a gap in coverage.

via Connect for Health Colorado:

08/14/2023

• So far, about 46 percent of these customers have picked a new plan*

DENVER— Friday Health Plans customers have about two and half weeks* to choose a new health insurance plan before their current health insurance coverage ends. Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, is urging Friday Health Plans customers to sign up for a new plan before the end of the month to avoid a gap in coverage.

*Note that this press release was issued 9 days ago, so CO Friday enrollees actually only have 8 days left.

via Connect for Health Colorado:

Colorado’s Marketplace Offers Free Enrollment Help and Low-Cost Health Plans

DENVER— For the first time in more than three years, Coloradans who are no longer eligible for Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) will start to lose their coverage.

Why Coloradans Might Lose Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid Program)

This change was the result of federal legislation passed in winter of 2022: the Omnibus bill, otherwise known as the Consolidated Appropriations Act. It included a provision to end the requirement for states to keep individuals covered by Medicaid during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. 

The Department of Health Care Policy & Financing (HCPF) estimates that more than 325,000 current members will no longer be eligible for Health First Colorado coverage following their annual eligibility review. These eligibility reviews will be done in the anniversary month of when the person enrolled.

via Connect for Health Colorado:

DENVER— In its tenth year of enrollment operations, Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, is providing more financial help for health insurance, offering more local enrollment assistance and enrolling more people into coverage than ever before.

In a report published today, Connect for Health Colorado provides a comprehensive look at the Open Enrollment Period data and outcomes. (Connect for Health Colorado released preliminary enrollment totals from the Open Enrollment Period at the end of January.) This new report includes information such as average costs and enrollments by county and the significance of Broker and Assister enrollment assistance. Here are the highlights:

Making Plans More Affordable

via Connect for Health Colorado:

Tax Season is a Health Coverage Enrollment Opportunity 

DENVER— The annual Open Enrollment Period for health insurance ended mid-January, but Coloradans who missed the enrollment deadline could still have a special opportunity to sign up for health coverage as a result of the Tax Time Enrollment Program. 

The Tax Time Enrollment Program, which launched last year, provides Coloradans the opportunity to check a box on their state tax return to share their information with Connect for Health Colorado and the state Department of Health Care Policy & Financing for the purpose of obtaining health coverage. Through October 2022, approximately 1,700 people used the Tax Time Enrollment Program to enroll in a health insurance plan through Connect for Health Colorado.  

via the Colorado Dept. of Regulatory Agencies:

Consumer Advisory: Former Individual Market Bright Health & Oscar Health Enrollees Have Until March 1 to Choose New Coverage 

• Special Enrollment Period allows them to still get insurance for 2023. 

DENVER - People who had individual health insurance plans (insurance not from an employer) from Bright Health and Oscar Health in 2022 are reminded that they have until the end of February to choose a health plan from another company for 2023 insurance. 

Even though the regular open enrollment for individual health insurance plans concluded on January 15, consumers who had their Bright or Oscar coverage finish at the end of December are allowed a 60-day special enrollment period (SEP) because those companies did not offer plans for 2023. This 60-day SEP started on January 1 and will continue until March 1, 2023.

This morning the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a press release & Open Enrollment report which put Colorado's QHP selection total at 199,391 enrollees. Cut to this press release via the Connect for Health Colorado:

More Than 212,000 Coloradans Signed Up for Health Insurance Coverage During Annual Enrollment Period

DENVER – Connect for Health Colorado (the Marketplace) reports that 201,758 Coloradans enrolled in a health insurance plan during the Open Enrollment Period for 2023 coverage. That is an increase of approximately 3,000 plan enrollments above last year’s total.

via the Colorado Dept. of Regulatory Agencies (h/t Christine Monahan for the heads up):

Approximately 35,000 Coloradans Chose the Colorado Option During the 2023 Open Enrollment

• Insurance Commissioner Conway: “We’re working on making this program even better.”

DENVER - As announced by the Governor during his State of the State speech, the preliminary 2023 open enrollment figures for the Colorado Option make it clear that the Coloradans are excited and want the Colorado Option. 

As of January 10th, approximately 35,000 people have enrolled in Colorado Option plans - approximately 25,000 through Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s health insurance marketplace, and another 10,000 via OmniSalud. 

via Connect for Health Colorado:

Last chance to sign up for health insurance during the Open Enrollment season

This press release is available in Spanish. 

DENVER— This Sunday, January 15th, is the last day of Colorado’s annual Open Enrollment Period for health insurance. Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, reports that more than 192,000 people have signed up for a 2023 health insurance plan during Open Enrollment so far.

Note: This comes on top of this morning's report from CMS citing 186K Colorado enrollees as of 12/31.