Health Insurance Assistance

On Your Own

• Apply for Health First Colorado (Medicaid) or Child Health Plan Plus via the links on the side panel.
• Apply for Connect for Health Colorado financial assistance:
  • Online at ConnectforHealthCO.com

With Help

• Apply for Connect for Health Colorado financial assistance:
  • Customer Service Center at 855-752-6749, Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• To navigate insurance affordability programs, apply or get help from a Boulder County certified Health Coverage Guide, email: HealthCoverage@BoulderCounty.org

The Affordable Care Act expanded access to affordable health coverage in 2010. Public health insurance programs, Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus–which provide free or very low-cost coverage, were expanded to cover more people. In Colorado, a private health insurance marketplace was created–Connect for Health Colorado–that offers financial assistance on a sliding scale through Advance Premium Tax Credits (APTC) or Cost-Sharing Reductions (CSR) to reduce private health insurance costs. Savings can be dramatic!

• Generally, you receive program eligibility and financial assistance results immediately. In some cases, your county office or Connect for Health Colorado will follow up with you after your submission to request additional information.
• When you enroll you will receive a confirmation email from Connect for Health Colorado that includes your health insurance company’s contact information. If you enrolled with a Health Coverage Guide, then that information also will be on the back of your Enrollment Information card.
• Your enrollment in your health insurance plan will be activated once you make your first premium payment.
• Those receiving tax credits have a 90-day grace period for late premium payments.

Changes to your household such as changes to income, household size, pregnancy, citizenship status, or loss of job-related insurance, etc., need to be reported:

• Within 10 days for Health First Colorado members
• Within 30 days for Connect for Health Colorado customers

If you are enrolled in a Marketplace plan with financial assistance, and after your change is reported:

• Your income goes up or you lose a household member you may qualify for less tax credit than you’re receiving. If you don’t report the change, you could have to pay money back when you file your federal tax return.
• Your income goes down or you gain a household member you could qualify for more tax credit than you’re receiving which could lower what you pay in monthly premiums, or you could qualify for free or low-cost coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Plan Plus.
• There is a change in your tax credit or cost-share amounts, you may remain in your existing plan with revised advance premium tax credits (APTC) or cost-share reductions (CSR), or purchase a new plan, or make changes to your existing plan within a 60-day Special Enrollment Period (SEP).
• You are Marketplace-eligible but no longer eligible for APTC/CSR, you may continue with or make changes to your existing plan without financial assistance, purchase a new plan without financial assistance, or cancel the existing plan — within a 60-day SEP.
• You are public health insurance-eligible, you may enroll in Health First Colorado (Medicaid) or Child Health Plan Plus (which may require an enrollment fee) or continue with your existing Marketplace plan without financial assistance, with Medicaid as a second payer.

See this resource for reporting changes and maintaining seamless health coverage.

When Premium Tax Credits are received in advance (APTC) to help pay for premiums, when taxes are filed, the IRS reconciles the APTC amount paid on your behalf with the amount that you were due based on your actual reported income. If the premium tax credit calculated on your return is more than the advance credit payments made on your behalf during the year, the difference will increase your refund or lower the amount of tax you owe. This will be reported in the ‘Payments’ section of Form 1040.

If the advance credit payments are more than the amount of the premium tax credit you are allowed, you will add all or a portion of the excess advance credit payments made on your behalf to your tax liability by entering it in the ‘Tax and Credits’ section of your tax return. This will result in either a smaller refund or a larger balance due.

• Connect for Health Colorado is the state’s health insurance Marketplace. Individuals, families and small employers can shop for and buy health insurance through the Connect for Health Colorado website. Boulder County is a Certified Connect for Health Colorado Enrollment Center and has trained Health Coverage Guides to help residents enroll in health insurance. Call 303-441-1000 or email healthcoverage@bouldercounty.org for more information or to make an appointment with a Health Coverage Guide.

• The Marketplace helps lower costs for people who are not eligible for Medicaid or employer-based coverage. The Marketplace is for U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents and all other lawfully present immigrants who currently buy insurance on their own, who are uninsured, or don’t have access to affordable coverage through their employer. Note: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) permit holders are not eligible.

• Financial assistance in the form of tax credits and cost-share reductions is available only for plans purchased through Connect for Health Colorado. If you are eligible for tax credits, they can be applied directly to your monthly premiums in order to reduce your monthly payment. A household of four earning up to $106,000 may still qualify for financial assistance to reduce the costs of premiums. Not sure about your household’s eligibility? Meet with a Health Coverage Guide to see if your family qualifies for tax credits.

• To learn more go to Connect for Health Colorado: www.ConnectforHealthCO.com or contact the Customer Service Center at: 1-855-752-6749 (1-855-PLANS-4-YOU)

Marketplace Client Information

• Steps to Have & Use Health Insurance
• Understand Your Health Insurance
• Confirm Your Enrollment
• Use Your Health Insurance
• Report Household Changes
• Provide Tax-filing Information
• Renew Health Insurance Annually

Health First Colorado Client Information

• Understand Health First Colorado (Medicaid)
• Understand Child Health Plan Plus

Tax Information Resources:

Publications