Last week I noted that Colorado legislators passed (and Gov. Polis signed) legislation to scrape together up to $100 million in emergency funding to backfill perhaps 40% or so of the federal tax credits the state expects their ~225,000 subsidized enrollees to lose in 2026 when the enhanced IRA credits expire this December:
...The Senate then approved House Bill 25B-1006, which would sell tax credits to bring in money for the Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise fund. That pays for programs to reduce individual insurance market premiums.
The bill aims to raise $100 million for that enterprise to soften the impact of the expiration of federal enhanced premium tax credits. Health insurance premiums for people who buy insurance on the individual market are expected to face an average of a 28% increase next year, with higher increases along the Western Slope.
As I noted last month, Colorado's ~321,000 individual health insurance market enrollees are currently staring down the barrel of massive premium hikes less than four months from today:
Every state government is handling this situation differently. In Arkansas and New Hampshire, the strategy seems to be to either shout at or beg carriers to re-file with lower gross premium increases for 2026. New Mexico, California and New Jersey, in contrast, are all retooling their existing state-based supplemental subsidy programs to help cushion at least some of the impact.
Colorado has around ~282,000 residents enrolled in ACA exchange plans, 80% of whom are currently subsidized. I estimate they also have another ~39,000 unsubsidized off-exchange enrollees.
Chaos from Congressional Republicans Leads to Average Premium Increases of Over 28% for 2026
Average increases as high as 38% have been requested for the Western Slope, and insurance companies estimate nearly 100,000 Coloradans will lose their health insurance coverage
DENVER - The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI), part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) released the preliminary information on private health insurance plans for 2026 for the individual market (for people that don’t get coverage from an employer plan). The filings will be public once the DOI finishes the preliminary completeness review on or about Friday, July 18.
With the pending dire threat to several of these programs (primarily Medicaid & the ACA) from the House Republican Budget Proposal which recently passed, I'm going a step further and am generating pie charts which visualize just how much of every Congressional District's total population is at risk of losing healthcare coverage.
USE THE DROP-DOWN MENU ABOVE TO FIND YOUR STATE & DISTRICT.
June is Pride Month — a time to find joy in community and celebrate the progress we’ve made toward becoming a more inclusive Colorado.
For several years, Connect for Health Colorado has proudly supported Pride Month events across metro and rural areas, connecting with and learning how we can continue to best serve all Coloradans.
We know our vibrant, diverse communities make us stronger.
That’s why we’re committed to providing everyone with the resources and support they need to find health coverage that works best for them, and feel confident and comfortable when they seek care.
Our support of Pride Month events is important, perhaps now more than ever. People in the LGBTQIA+ community face persistent disparities in health coverage and care; are more likely to be uninsured or underinsured; and too often, experience discrimination in medical settings.
That’s why we continue to prioritize outreach to the LGBTQIA+ community and build trust in communities throughout the state — working to ensure that every person feels supported when accessing coverage and care.
For over a decade, State-Based Marketplaces have provided private health coverage to tens of millions of Americans, ensuring their health, well-being, and economic security. The Americans who depend on the Marketplaces include working parents, small business owners, farmers, gig workers, early retirees, and lower and middle-class individuals of all ages, political views, and backgrounds who drive our local economies and make both our rural and urban communities thrive.
The legislation under consideration in the House will severely impact the ability of these millions of Americans to continue to access this coverage and the health and financial security they depend on today. This will make for a sicker, less financially secure American public and strain hospitals and health care providers by increasing uncompensated care.
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.
‘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.
Connect for Health Colorado Sets a New Record: 282,483 People Enrolled in Health Insurance for Plan Year 2025
Denver, Colo. – Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, announced today a record 282,483 Coloradans have enrolled in health insurance for plan year 2025, with 80% receiving financial assistance to reduce the cost of their premiums.
The total number of people who enrolled in health insurance plans for 2025 is 19% higher than the number who enrolled in 2024.
Denver, Colo.– Connect for Health Colorado, the state’s official health insurance marketplace, is celebrating a record-breaking open enrollment period, with 256,051 Coloradans enrolled in health coverage that begins Jan. 1.
To date, the number of Coloradans who enrolled in health insurance plans for plan year 2025 is more than the total number of people (237,107) who enrolled through Connect for Health Colorado last year.
The official total I was sent is 256,051 Qualified Health Plan (QHP) selections to date, which is 21% more than C4HCO had at the same point last year and 8% higher than last year's final Open Enrollment Period tally.
