More than 50,500 Coloradans signed up for health insurance via the Connect for Health Colorado marketplace through Monday, a 14% increase from the same period last year.

Division of Insurance cancels part of federal waiver on Colorado Option that critics called price-fixing

Open enrollment began Nov. 1 and will close Jan. 15. Three-quarters of applicants qualified for assistance, up from 73% last year and 70% 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. 

She said a number of factors may be playing a role in how many people qualify for assistance, including impact from the state’s reinsurance program and from federal pandemic stimulus money. Caballeros said two-thirds of people who sought but didn’t qualify for aid last year can do so this year.

Coloradans to save on health insurance premiums in individual and small group markets for 2022

“As the pandemic continues to affect our communities, it’s more important than ever that Coloradans have access to affordable and quality health coverage,” Kevin Patterson, CEO of Connect for Health Colorado, said in a statement.