Colorado: 13.4K QHPs in first 15 days; 7.6K Medicaid

Connect for Health Colorado® and Colorado Medicaid Report Enrollment Gains

DENVER — Between Nov.1 and Nov. 15, more than 21,000 Coloradans enrolled in health coverage for 2016, either in private health insurance purchased through the state health insurance Marketplace or in Medicaid, or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+), according to new data released today by Connect for Health Colorado® and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

“We are very pleased with the number of initial sign-ups during the first two weeks of Open Enrollment,” said Connect for Health Colorado® CEO Kevin Patterson. “But I want to urge everyone to not put off their 2016 health insurance coverage. New customers and renewing customers have a number of choices to consider. I encourage all of our customers to review their options and complete their enrollment before the last-minute rush.”

Whether you are renewing or enrolling for the first time, you must complete enrollment by December 15, to have coverage January 1, and avoid a gap in your coverage. Connect for Health Colorado customers will have 188 individual plans offered for 2016, up from 176 last year. Open Enrollment runs through January 31.

Open Enrollment began November 1. During the first two weeks, 13,414 people enrolled in private health care coverage through Connect for Health Colorado®, which compares to 9,606 enrollments during the comparable period last year. The coverage gains include 7,394 in Medicaid and 261 in CHP+.

Colorado's exchange had 6,718 QHP selections in the first 8 days, or 840/day. Of course, that included 3 weekend days.

Today's update raises that to 13,414 in 15 days, or 894/day, or 6,696 over 7 days, or 957 per day for the second portion (2 weekend days).

On a larger scale, I'm still being cautious and assuming that Week Two enrollments dropped slightly (around 457K via HC.gov vs. 543K during the first week), but Colorado's numbers, scaled nationally, would suggest that they went up about 14% (around 618K on HC.gov for Week 2).

If so, I'll end up underestimating the Week 2 HC.gov tally by 26%, which I'd actually be perfectly fine with under the circumstances! We'll find out tomorrow...