Remaining Non-ACA Compliant Health Insurance Plans Will End in 2015

“The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) announced that all health insurance plans for individuals and small employers that do not meet Affordable Care Act (ACA) requirements will not continue into 2016 (note: this decision does not impact grandfathered plans, defined by the ACA as plans with an effective date prior to March 23, 2010). This means that insurance companies will not continue to offer these plans and consumers will not be able to renew these plans. For 2016, individuals and small employers that are not enrolled in grandfathered plans must enroll in ACA-compliant plans in order to receive coverage. Based on a survey of health insurance carriers the DOI conducted earlier this year and reflective of enrollment as of Dec. 31, 2014, 189,779 people will have their non-ACA compliant individual or small group plans discontinued by the end of 2015, and will have to choose a new ACA-compliant plan for 2016.

Insurance companies will notify all of their individuals and small employers who hold non-ACA compliant plans of the discontinuation. These notices must contain information about all available options; whether or not the company will offer plans that meet ACA requirements; finding ACA-compliant plans offered through Connect for Health Colorado; and the ability to purchase plans from other insurance companies. Additional information, including FAQs, can be found on Colorado.gov/health or by contacting the DOI Consumer Affairs at 303-894-7490 / 1- 800-930-3745 (outside the Denver metro area) or email questions to insurance@dora.state.co.us.” [Source: DOI]

Network Adequacy Report and Stakeholder Meeting – Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies

“The link to the network adequacy report and maps for the individual market were posted December 15th; because of the number of maps (and size of the file), the documents were posted separately, but can be found at: http://www.dora.colorado.gov/healthinsurance.

The Initial Network Adequacy Stakeholder Meeting will be held Tuesday, January 20, 2015, from 10:00am – 12:00pm at the 19th Floor Conference Room of the Civic Center Plaza building (address: 1560 Broadway, Denver CO 80202). The meeting will also be available via webinar (the details to access will be sent in future correspondence); we expect a high turn-out, and will have limited space available, so we HIGHLY encourage you and/or staff members to participate online when possible.” [Source: DORA]

ACA Stakeholder Meetings

“The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) will again be hosting a series of ACA Stakeholder Meetings this fall (2013) and spring (2014), to review and discuss all phases of the Binder/Rate Filing/Form Filing process for ACA compliant On- and Off-Exchange Health Benefit Plans for the plan year 2015. The meetings are proposed to start on October 14, 2013, at the DOI offices in Denver, CO.  

Prior to these meetings, DOI is seeking stakeholder input. For carriers that filed ACA plans for 2014, we are requesting input/suggestions on ways to improve and revise filings and binder requirements, procedures, and instructions.  We are also interested to hear what specific topics you would like to have  covered during these meetings Subjects the DOI is currently planning to address include: rate filing specifics, form filing requirements, binder requirements, templates, and dental filings. We intend to provide an agenda at the first meeting for meetings planned for the fall.

So that we may include stakeholder input, please send your suggestions, topics, input, and questions to Susan Buth at susan.buth@state.co.us by October 7, 2013. The DOI believes that providing information and listening directly to stakeholders as part of the design and revision of the filings process is paramount for success.” [Source: Colorado Division of Insurance]

Latest updates from Connect for Health Colorado!

• "As we informed you earlier this week, Connect for Health Colorado will be able to provide a broad choice of health plans to consumers when we open in October. On Wednesday, the Division of Insurance posted information submitted by health insurance carriers requesting approval to provide plans in the individual and small group markets in Colorado. A total of 11 carriers requested approval to offer plans through Connect for Health Colorado.Learn More. 
• On Thursday, Gov. Hickenlooper signed HB 13-1245 into law. This is regarding the funding mechanisms for Connect for Health Colorado. 
• The Board Finance Committee will meet Thursday, May 30, at 3:30 pm. Learn More.
• The Health Plan Advisory Group will meet Monday, June 3, at 10:30 am. Learn More." [Source: Connect for Health Colorado]

[Webinar] 2013 Budgets and Strategies: Colorado's Health Agencies

When: Wednesday, January 9, 2013 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM MST

"This webinar will begin with an overview of Colorado's health-related state agencies: the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, the Colorado Division of Insurance, and the Colorado Department of Human Services. In addition, it will explore  the Governor's budget for the upcoming fiscal year and what it tells us about each department's strategy going into the 2013 legislative session..."  Click here to register.  [Source: Colorado Health Institute]

Division of Insurance Launches Consumer Education Effort

Jo Donlin,  Director of External Affairs for the Division of Insurance, speaks about the strong outreach effort underway to educate the citizens of Colorado how health care reform will affect their coverage and how the Division of Insurance can be a valuable resource for them.  She says, "I think that there’s a lot of information out there, both good and bad, about health  insurance and what consumers need to know about what’s changing and what’s not changing. Getting good information out there is one of our goals."  Click here to read the full interview with the Health Care Advocacy Program.

Colorado Health Benefit Exchange Public Stakeholder Input Meetings

On June 29th, The Governor’s Office, the Division of Insurance, and the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange convened a public webinar that discussed the process of selecting an Essential Health Benefits (EHB) benchmark plan for Colorado.  Two public stakeholder input meetings have set arranged to follow up this webinar.

Public stakeholder input meetings:

Wednesday July 18, 2012
10 am to noon
National Jewish Health
1400 Jackson Street
Denver CO 80206
(more details will be posted soon)

Tuesday, July 31, 2012
1 pm to 3 pm
History Colorado Center
1200 Broadway
Denver CO 80203
(more details will be posted soon)

Click here for more information.

Colorado’s Essential Health Benefits Benchmark Plan - Webinar

The Governor’s Office, the Division of Insurance and the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange will convene a public webinar on Friday, June 29, from 10 to 11 a.m., to discuss the process of selecting an Essential Health Benefits (EHB) benchmark plan for Colorado.  Colorado will choose an EHB benchmark plan in the coming months that establishes minimum health benefits required for many health insurance plans beginning in 2014.  In addition to answering common questions about the process, the webinar will provide an introductory overview of Colorado’s options for an EHB benchmark plan.  Click here to register for the webinar.

Essential Health Benefits Stakeholder Meeting - January 18

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently issued a bulletin which outlines the proposed regulatory approach to establish the essential health benefits package (EHBP) which will be required for health benefit plans offered in the individual and small group markets. The purpose of the bulletin is to allow stakeholders to review and comment. Comments on the proposed process are due to HHS by January 31, 2012.

The Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI) and the Colorado Health Benefit Exchange (COHBE) have partnered to host a stakeholder meeting on January 18th to collect public comment.

This meeting is the first of many steps to address the development of an EHBP for Colorado, and it will not be the only opportunity for stakeholder input. This meeting will focus exclusively on the question of the process of creating a Colorado EHBP, and will not discuss the content of the EHBP, including individual benefits, benefit levels, and cost-sharing structures.

Individuals and organizations wishing to share input with the DOI and COHBE regarding the bulletin are encouraged to do so in writing any time before close of business on January 19, 2012. Stakeholder input may be sent to jo.donlin@dora.state.co.us. Please limit your input to questions related to developing Colorado's
EHBP and exclude considerations regarding EHBP content.

Meeting Logistics

• Date: January 18, 2012
• Time: 10:30am - 12:30pm MDT
• Location: COPIC, Mile High Room, 7351 E. Lowry Blvd., Denver, 80230
• Call-In: 1-888-330-9939 PIN# 632148#

All updates and information will be posted at www.colorado.gov/healthreform, www.dora.state.co.us/insurance, and www.getcoveredco.org. The original bulletin may be found at http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/files/Files2/12162011/essential_health_benefits_bulletin.pdf.