It’s important to check that your health insurance plan still covers everything you need, as insurance companies often change their plans from year to year, and your healthcare needs could have changed too. When reviewing your coverage during open enrollment, there are specific things that you will want to look for:
- Are your current providers covered? A good way to verify this is to speak directly to the billing department at your provider’s office and verify that your specific plan is accepted AND check the insurance carrier’s provider network.
- Are all of your current medications covered? And will they still be covered next year?
- Are you anticipating any upcoming procedures or tests? If so, be sure to check the copays, co-insurance, and cost-sharing rates for those on your plan.
- Does your insurance plan follow Colorado consumer protection laws? Learn more about these laws by clicking here.
Connect for Health Colorado (Colorado’s health insurance marketplace)
If you don’t have access to employer-sponsored health insurance, Medicaid, or Medicare, you might be looking to purchase private health insurance on Connect for Health Colorado. Open enrollment, which runs from November 1 through January 15, for coverage starting on January 1, is the only time you can enroll, change, or renew your Connect for Health plan unless you qualify for a special enrollment period due to a recent life event. You may qualify for a special enrollment period if you have experienced certain events, such as losing health coverage, moving, marriage, having a baby, adopting a child, or if your household income is below a certain threshold.
Connect for Health Colorado is also the only place where an individual can receive financial help to cover the costs of health insurance. They offer free resources, such as expert navigators and brokers, and if you get your health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado, please check out their plan finder tool to find the plan that best fits your needs.
If you receive your care at UCHealth, more information about the Connect for Health plans that cover providers can be found here: https://www.uchealth.org/today/health-plans-including-uchealth/
More information on open enrollment from our friends at the Chronic Care Collaborative can be found here: https://www.chroniccarecollaborative.org/open-enrollment/
