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.
Thousands of Residents Have Used the Marketplace to Enroll in 2023 Health Insurance
DENVER— This Thursday, December 8, is Get Covered Colorado Day. This day of action encourages as many Coloradans as possible to enroll in 2023 health coverage during the annual Open Enrollment Period, which runs through January 15. In the first five weeks of this year’s Open Enrollment, approximately 145,000 residents enrolled in a plan through Colorado’s official health insurance marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado.
Seeing how Connect4HealthCO announced 57.5K enrollees just 6 days ago, it's pretty safe to assume that they didn't have over 87,000 more Coloradans suddenly enroll in less than a week. Presumably the 145K figure includes auto-renewals of the remaining current enrollees who haven't actively signed up for a 2023 policy yet.
DENVER— Since November 1, more than 57,500 people have used Connect for Health Colorado’s marketplace to enroll in a health insurance plan. That’s 7,000 enrollments ahead of the same time period last year. Approximately 78 percent of those who have enrolled so far are qualifying for financial help that reduces the cost of plans.
Connect for Health Colorado’s Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Patterson, released the following statement:
“I’m so pleased that people are getting covered early in the enrollment period and that we’re continuing to see enrollment growth year over year. That tells me that our marketplace is giving people the options they’re looking for, at prices that are within their budget. For those who are waiting to sign up, I urge that you make an appointment with an enrollment specialist and enroll by December 15 to begin the new year with peace of mind.”
One of the most inane restrictions of the ACA in my view, as I noted in my "If I Ran the Zoo" wish list back in 2017, is that it doesn't allow undocumented immigrants to enroll in ACA marketplace health plans ("Qualified Health Plans" or QHPs).
I don't just mean that they aren't eligible for federal financial subsidies--that's a prohibition which I can at least understand, even if I don't agree with it. I mean that they aren't allowed to enroll in ACA exchange-based QHPs even at full price, as noted in Section 1312(f)(3):
(3) Access limited to lawful residents.--If an individual is not, or is not reasonably expected to be for the entire period for which enrollment is sought, a citizen or national of the United States or an alien lawfully present in the United States, the individual shall not be treated as a qualified individual and may not be covered under a qualified health plan in the individual market that is offered through an Exchange.
