Connect For Health Colorado: Limit On SilverEnhanced Savings Enrollments Met

Colorado Connect provides a type of financial help, SilverEnhanced Savings, to eligible Coloradans who are undocumented. See Appendix A for qualifications. As of December 6, 2022, Connect for Health Colorado has met the maximum allotments of enrollments with SilverEnhanced Savings applied.

Specifically, of as December 6 at 12:14 p.m., people who have not yet submitted an application with a result for SilverEnhanced Savings eligibility will only be able to enroll in plans on Colorado Connect at the full cost for the 2023 plan year.

Background

The Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise funds the SilverEnhanced Savings financial assistance. For plan year 2023, the Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise has allocated funding for approximately 10,000 individuals to receive the SilverEnhanced Savings on Colorado Connect.

Once Colorado Connect has enrolled 10,000 individuals with SilverEnhanced Savings, people who would otherwise be eligible for SilverEnhanced Savings will only be able to enroll in plans at the full cost.

Talking Points

Use these talking points to help guide conversations and answer questions about SilverEnhanced Savings with customers.

• We’re so pleased with the early interest and number of enrollments in the OmniSalud Program on Colorado Connect.
• Many of the people who are enrolling through the OmniSalud Program have also qualified for SilverEnhanced Savings, which is the financial help that lowers the cost of certain plans to $0.
• Keep in mind, there is limited funding and enrollments available for SilverEnhanced Savings, and the program is on a “first come, first serve” basis. For plan year 2023, there was funding for 10,000 individuals to enroll in plans with SilverEnhanced Savings applied. This financial help is no longer available for 2023 because we have reached the funding limit. 
• People who are undocumented will still be eligible to enroll in a full-priced plan on Colorado Connect through the OmniSalud program. Customers should enroll before January 15, 2023, which is the deadline for Open Enrollment.
• People who are undocumented who missed the opportunity to enroll in a plan with the SilverEnhanced Savings applied for 2023 can access affordable health care through hospital discounted care or emergency Medicaid in the case of certain emergencies.
• The Colorado Consumer Health Initiative has developed a visual aide for immigrant families that shows these coverage options for people in mixed-status households.

Frequently Asked Questions

We have had several clients that signed up for plans on Colorado Connect in early November say that they haven’t received their insurance card yet. Do you know what we should tell them as far as when to expect their cards?

Due to a known year-one system limitation, the Colorado Connect application does not generate a confirmation notice after customers submit their enrollments. However, these enrollments are counted and shared with issuers on a daily basis.

All health insurance companies have different processes and schedules for when they send out enrollment packets to members. Typically, companies send insurance cards in batches either in the middle or end of the month. It’s best to tell clients that they may contact their health insurance company to find out when they can expect to receive their insurance card.

Once a customer is enrolled in a plan with SilverEnhanced Savings applied, is that SilverEnhanced Savings plan with the 94% cost-sharing guaranteed for the year? If a customer reports that their income has increased and they no longer qualify for financial help, how does that affect their plan?

Connect For Health Colorado is still working on the details related to reporting changes and Special Enrollment Periods on Colorado Connect and will update you as soon as we have more information to share.

Now that we’ve hit the 10,000 SilverEnhanced Savings enrollment cap, will people still need to provide their income information in the application? 

Yes, people will still need to provide their income information in the Colorado Connect application even though we’ve hit the SilverEnhanced Savings enrollments threshold for plan year 2023.

Connect For Health Colorado's staff are looking at future enhancements that will help to make the system more dynamic based on what information is needed. Because there is no more funding this year, customers who would otherwise be eligible for SilverEnhanced Savings will not receive an application result telling them that they are eligible for SilverEnhanced Savings.

Should I continue to promote OmniSalud to individuals who are in the income range to qualify for SilverEnhanced Savings?

Yes, please continue to share information about the OmniSalud program to people who may qualify for SilverEnhanced Savings, but be aware that there is no more SilverEnhanced Savings funding for plan year 2023.

Customers can still purchase a full-priced plan for 2023 through the OmniSalud program, and SilverEnhanced Savings funding will be replenished next year. If individuals are eligible for this financial help when shopping for plan year 2024, they can apply starting Nov. 1, 2023.  

Will there be a waiting list for people who are likely eligible to enroll at some point during 2023 if spots open up?

No, Connect For Health Colorado is not expecting to create a waiting list or have additional spots for plan year 2023.

Will spots open up for SilverEnhanced Savings as people become ineligible due to reporting income changes?

No, additional spots are not expected to open up for plan year 2023.

If people who are undocumented miss the opportunity to enroll in a plan with the SilverEnhanced Savings applied for 2023, where else can they go to get affordable health insurance?

The Colorado Consumer Health Initiative has developed this visual aide for immigrant families that shows coverage options for people in mixed-status households.

The visual aid includes these other health insurance options for people who are undocumented:

• Enroll in full-priced Colorado Option plans on Colorado Connect.
• Obtain health care services using programs like hospital discounted care or emergency Medicaid in the case of certain emergencies.

Will there be more spots available (more than 10,000 individuals) for the plan year 2024?

Connect For Health Colorado is not sure yet.

The SilverEnhanced Savings funding is made possible by the state’s Health Insurance Affordability Enterprise (HIAE). The HIAE board has not yet made their final decisions for the funding available for SilverEnhanced Savings for plan year 2024, but their board meetings are open to the public. You can learn more about the enterprise and register to attend their public board meetings on their website here.

If people are enrolled in a plan with SilverEnhanced Savings applied this year, will they be renewed into their plan next year (i.e., will they be guaranteed a spot for 2024 coverage)?

Connect For Health Colorado is not sure yet. The strategy for 2024 plan renewals has not yet been finalized, but they are working on it.

Appendix A: The OmniSalud Program and SilverEnhanced Savings on Colorado Connect

Colorado Option plans will be made available to all Coloradans, regardless of documentation status, to purchase starting November 1, 2022.

WHAT is the OmniSalud Program?

OmniSalud is how Connect For Health Colorado is referring to undocumented Coloradans being able to compare and shop for health insurance plans on Colorado Connect, Connect for Health Colorado's public benefit corporation and new health insurance shopping platform.

WHAT is SilverEnhanced Savings?

SilverEnhanced Savings is a type of financial help for qualifying OmniSalud customers that offers $0 monthly premiums and requires insurers to pay 94% of medical expenses.

WHO is eligible for SilverEnhanced Savings?

Coloradans without documentation whose income is under the 150% of the Federal Poverty Level (that’s about $20,000/year for an individual, and scales up based on household size—see chart below) can qualify for SilverEnhanced Savings financial help. Qualifying customers must purchase plans with “Silver Enhanced” in the plan title to receive $0 premiums.

Applicants who don’t meet the income criteria can still purchase full-priced Colorado Option Bronze, Silver, and Gold plans on Colorado Connect.

If you have any questions, call us today at 866-568-9649!