Denver individual health insurance buyers will once again have option that includes UCHealth

Denver-area residents who buy their health insurance on the individual marketplace will once again have an option that includes UCHealth in its network, making it cheaper for them to get care within the health system.

Last year, UCHealth and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield failed to reach an agreement on rates. Since no other insurance companies selling on the individual marketplace in Denver included UCHealth in their networks, that meant patients who regularly received care there had to either find new doctors, or prepare to pay more out-of-pocket. Some were able to reach individual agreements to continue seeing specialists at in-network prices.

Starting in 2022, UCHealth will be back in Anthem's Pathway insurance plan in Denver. Last year, Anthem replaced it with a similarly-named plan that didn't include UCHealth in its network.

The hospital system also will be an option for people who buy Oscar Health's new Partners Choice plan. UCHealth spokesman Dan Weaver said they had worked with Oscar Health to craft a new plan.

UCHealth referred questions about the new agreement to Anthem, which didn't immediately respond.

"We believe patients should have a choice in where they receive their care and should be able to continue seeing their trusted medical team. With these new options on the exchange, patients will be able to make this important choice," Dr. Peg Reidy, chief medical officer at UCHealth, said in a news release.

Open enrollment on the individual marketplace starts Nov. 1 and ends Jan. 15. If you miss the open enrollment window, you can only purchase insurance on the marketplace if you have a qualifying event, like losing your job-based coverage or adopting a child.

An insurance plan's network is a factor to consider if you need to see specific providers, along with the monthly premiums you'll pay, how much you'll pay out-of-pocket if you need care and how much any prescription drugs you take might cost.