In November, enrollment in the Colorado Insurance Market jumped 14 percent over the same period one year ago, in 2020.
Photo by Austin Kehmeier. Courtesy of unsplash.com
Colorado is one of a few states in the U.S. that has its own official health insurance marketplace under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”). This official marketplace is called Connect for Health Colorado. As of Monday, more than 50,500 Coloradans have signed up for health insurance via the Connect for Health Colorado affordable health insurance marketplace.
This has been open enrollment time, which began Nov. 1 and continues through Jan. 15. Those interested in exploring affordable health care options can follow the open enrollment link and type in your zip code to view plans and rates, some as low as $1.00/day. If insurance seekers enroll in one of the healthcare plans in the official marketplace by Dec. 15, they can be covered by insurance by Jan. 1, 2022.
Also important to know, whether you are just hearing about us for the first time, or have been here in the past but didn’t qualify for help paying for health insurance at the time – it’s worth a look now. That’s because the American Rescue Plan (ARP) provides more financial help for health insurance and makes health coverage offered through Connect for Health Colorado more affordable. An individual can save an average of 52 percent more on their monthly premium after financial help is applied.
The percentage of applicants who qualify for assistance has been steadily rising.
Three-quarters of applicants this enrollment period qualified for assistance, up from 73 percent last year and 70 percent in 2019.
It’s not yet clear why enrollment is up, but the drivers behind the trend should become clear in spring 2022, said Connect for Health Colorado spokeswoman Monica Caballeros. Shea added that there could be a number of factors in how many people qualify for assistance, including the federal stimulus money (the American Rescue Act) and the state’s reinsurance program. According to Caballeros, two-thirds of people who tried, but didn’t qualify, for aid last year can qualify this year.
There is some confusion in understanding the affordable healthcare marketplace. This is because the official Connect for Health Colorado Marketplace is one thing; the marketplace plans set up by the Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”).
Then there are non-government plans, which is where the other Connect for Health Colorado comes in; it is not affiliated with the official marketplace and it is not a health insurance company. But it can connect you with multiple Colorado health insurance providers and brokers, giving you a streamlined way to compare your state’s options all in one place.
The options it presents include both the government marketplace plans (“Obamacare”) and non-government plans. By filling out a few pieces of information about yourself, you can be matched to the best plan that suits your personal needs.
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