Enrollments at Colorado health insurance exchange rise to 9980

Posted: 12/02/2013 05:27:02 PM MST

Updated: 12/02/2013 06:01:30 PM MST

Enrollment in the state health exchange and expanded Medicaid programs ramped up steeply in the last half of November, with private policies climbing by two-thirds in two weeks.

Colorado's state-run exchange now has 9,980 members buying private policies, many subsidized by federal credits, since the Oct. 1 rollout of new Affordable Care Act reforms. That was up from 6,001 when the exchange last reported on Nov. 18.

The exchange totals are still far behind the board's worst-case projections for this point in the new program.

State Medicaid officials are having more success reaching milestones in their expanded public insurance program, with 64,290 more Coloradans now scheduled to receive assistance on Jan. 1. That also was up sharply from 47,309 in mid-November.

The Medicaid expansion allows adults making up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level to qualify for largely free health insurance, a significant expansion of those eligible under current rules. Already more than 700,000 Coloradans are on Medicaid and the children's CHP Plus plans.

'The pace of enrollments is increasing, including one day last week when close to 600 people signed up for private health insurance plans . . . ,' said a statement by Patty Fontneau, chief executive of the state exchange Connect for Health Colorado. 'We are making a strong push for enrollments in December and expect a busy month.'

Colorado's enrollments have not been slowed by the computer mess experienced in states allowing the federal government to manage their exchanges at healthcare.gov. But many applicants have complained their choices are put off by a complex Medicaid application that buyers must first fill out and receive a denial before proceeding to signing a private plan.

The exchange staff said last week it was extending the deadline for those who want coverage to start Jan. 1. Those buyers now have until Dec. 23 to sign for a plan and make a first payment.

Potential Colorado buyers also have been confused by conflicting claims about whether they can keep their current individual insurance. It now appears most who want to can renew an existing policy rather than buy through the exchange, but may face a cost increase, and will lose the chance to get a federal subsidy.

Michael Booth: 303-954-1686, mbooth@denverpost.com or twitter.com/mboothdp