Picking the best ACA plan in Colorado
The Colorado open enrollment period for 2023 opened on November 1, 2022, and will run through January 15, 2023. The Colorado ACA marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado, offers a number of plans for customers seeking healthcare, and the right choice for you can be difficult to determine. You must consider numerous factors when choosing the right healthcare plan, and we at Mira are here to help.
Best Health Plans in Connect for Health Colorado
For this article, we will find the best plans for a single unmarried 30-year-old female who does not smoke, has no disabilities, and makes $70,000 a year. To qualify for Medicaid in Colorado, a single adult’s salary must be at or less than 138% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). This individual does not qualify for Medicaid because she makes 543% of the FPL. However, she can still find a plan through Connect for Health Colorado as long as she is lawfully present in the United States and a resident of Colorado. She is also not eligible for any subsidies through Connect for Health Colorado.
The table below lists some of the best insurance plans for a 30-year-old unmarried female. The table provides you with the premium (the amount of money the insurance company will charge you each month for the insurance policy they are purchasing) and the deductible (a fixed amount you must pay each year before your health insurance benefits begin to cover the cost). The plans listed here are the best prices in each tier, but dozens of other plans under each tier can be explored on the website. When shopping for healthcare plans, you may encounter many more terms you are unfamiliar with. You can find these terms here.
| Tier | Plan | Premium | Deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
Bronze
| Elevate Colorado Option Bronze | $222.49 | $7,000 |
| Bronze | Bronze Standard Rx Copay | $223.85 | $8,550 |
| Bronze | Bronze HDHP | $225.35 | $6,950 |
| Bronze | Friday Bronze Basic | $253.91 | $9,100 |
| Bronze | KP Select CO Bronze 8500/50 | $259.35 | $8,500 |
| Silver | KP Select CO Silver 5000/25 | $323.00 | $5,000 |
| Silver | Elevate Colorado Option Silver | $296.83 | $5,000 |
| Silver | Silver Standard Rx Copay | $297.00 | $4,250 |
| Silver | Silver Select | $324.74 | $6,500 |
| Silver | KP Select CO Silver 4500/30 Rx Copay | $331.98 | $4,500 |
| Gold | KP Select CO Gold 2000/20 | $329.39 | $2,000 |
| Gold | KP Select CO Gold 1500/20 | $342.56 | $1,500 |
| Gold | Cigna Connect Flex Gold 2250 | $344.20 | $2,250 |
| Gold | Friday Gold | $344.44 | $2,000 |
| Gold | KP Select Colorado Option Gold | $346.12 | $1,600 |
The Connect for Health Colorado website matches our profile with 107 different plans, but we have included five different plans in each tier so that you can gain a better understanding of the deductibles and premiums that come with each tier.
What Should I Consider When Picking a Health Plan?
A couple of factors you should consider when picking a health plan are your health needs, financial situation, and travel frequency.
Your Health Needs
When purchasing a health plan, the most important thing to consider is your current and future health needs. If you regularly take prescription medications, your health plan should provide adequate coverage for prescription medications. When using the Connect for Health Colorado plan finder, you can input your current prescription medications, and the tool will provide you with plans that cover these medications.
Additionally, if you have preferences for physicians, pharmacies, facilities, or hospitals, you should ensure that your chosen plan has them within their network.
Your Financial Situation
After determining your health needs and preferences, you should determine how to budget your health insurance into your monthly expenses. Rent, transportation, and other miscellaneous costs should be factored into your assessment of expenditures. After budgeting your regular expenses, you can determine how much you can afford to pay toward your monthly insurance premium costs.
Freelancers and contractors should determine how insurance premiums affect their budget at their highest and lowest incomes. If you run into trouble budgeting insurance premiums into your expenses, we have compiled some ways you can lower them to make room for this essential service.
How much can you afford?
Once you have determined your monthly budget and expenses, you can choose which plan best fits your budget. If you find that a deductive is too high, you can offset that with a service like Mira that offers discounts on prescriptions, lab tests, and much more.
High-deductible health plans (HDHP) will have lower premiums. These plans are best suited for healthy individuals that do not anticipate significant medical expenses. A Health Savings Account (HSA) allows you to use your pre-taxed income towards medical expenses like deductibles. However, you cannot use it to pay for your monthly insurance premium.
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Average Lowest-Cost Premium in Colorado
| Bronze | Silver | Gold |
|---|---|---|
| $291 | $376 | $363 |
Source: KFF
What if you frequently travel?
If you travel frequently, you may need to look into Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plans. These plans provide out-of-network coverage and allow you to see specialists without a referral. However, these plans often have high premiums.
What happens if you can’t afford any plan on the exchange?
Colorado does not enforce financial penalties for not enrolling in a healthcare plan, but having reliable healthcare coverage is important.
Enrolling in a service like Mira may be a more affordable and practical option for a young, healthy adult. Mira provides discounts on prescription medications and lab tests and also allows you to have unlimited provider visits for as low as $45 a month, much lower than any premium on the Colorado exchange.
How to enroll in an ACA plan?
Signing up for a plan on Connect for Health Colorado may seem intimidating, but the website will walk you through the process. First, you must create an account by providing an email and basic information about yourself. After that, you need to follow three simple steps.
- Provide Relevant Information
- Consider what to look for in a plan
- Select the best plan
You can refer to this article here for a more detailed overview of the process.
ACA Health Plans in Colorado Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
After reading this article, you may still have some lingering questions. Below are some frequently asked questions about choosing the best healthcare plan for you.
Virtual care for only $25 per visit
Virtual primary care, urgent care, and behavioral health visits are only $25 with a Mira membership.
What health insurance terms should I understand during this enrollment period?
When shopping for a health plan, you should familiarize yourself with terms like HSA, deductible, benefits, premiums, and much more. Mira has compiled these terms in a list so you can make an informed decision on your health plan.
What requirements do I need to meet to be eligible in Colorado?
To sign up for a plan through Connect for Health Colorado, you must be lawfully present in the US and a resident of Colorado.
What are the benefits that my plan is required to provide?
All Affordable Care Act health insurance plans must provide ten essential benefits, known as minimum essential coverage. Any plan on the ACA exchange must include benefits like:
- Outpatient care
- Emergency care
- Inpatient care/hospitalization
- Pregnancy, maternity, and newborn care
- Mental health and substance use services
- Prescription drugs
- Rehabilitation services and devices
- Laboratory services
- Preventive care and chronic disease services
- Pediatric care
When is the special enrollment period?
If you miss the open enrollment period ending on January 15, 2023, you may be eligible for the special enrollment period. If you have had a qualifying life event such as the birth of a child, change in income, or health insurance loss, you will be eligible to apply 60 days before and after the event to enroll in a health plan through special enrollment. Healthcare.gov will provide the necessary information to determine if you are eligible for special enrollment.
Bottom Line
There are many factors to consider when shopping for the healthcare plan that is right for you. Your current and future health needs, financial situation, and travel frequency must all be considered. If you find the premiums available on Connect for Health Colorado are too high for your monthly budget, consider signing up for a service like Mira. Mira provides discounts on essential health services like primary care, prescription medications, and lab tests. Mira does not have a specific enrollment period, so you can sign up today!
Shandra is a junior at Yale University, where she is studying biomedical engineering. Before joining Mira, Shandra wrote in the science and technology column of a local newspaper. Additionally, she has experience writing healthcare policy, covering topics such as the American Rescue Plan Act, abortion rights, and expansion of Medicare eligibility.
