Division of Insurance Announces Deadline for Health Insurance Companies

DENVER, April 26 -- The Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies issued the following news release:

Today, the Division of Insurance (DOI), part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), announced the dates that health insurance companies will need to file their plans and premiums for the individual and small group markets for the 2018 plan year, as well as the dates that the DOI will make that information public.

* June 19, 2017 - Deadline for health insurance companies to file their proposed individual and small group plans and premiums for the 2018 plan year with the Division.

* July 14 - DOI will make these proposed plans and premiums available to the public.

* August 4 - Deadline for comments from the public.

* Late Summer / Early Fall - Release of final, approved plans and premiums for 2018.

* Nov. 1 - Open Enrollment Period for 2018 begins.

There are two changes to note from past years.

* The DOI is pushing back the deadline for the companies to submit their plans and premiums. In past years, the date has been in mid-May, but this year it will be June. 19.

* The Division has typically released these filings to the public about two weeks after the deadline, once it conducts a cursory review to ensure all of the necessary components have been included in the companies' submissions. However, this year, the DOI is extending that time by two weeks. On June 30, the Federal government is expected to release important information regarding the Risk Adjustment program. The Risk Adjustment program provides payments to companies that enroll more high-cost members. The extra two weeks provides time in which the insurance companies might adjust their plans and premiums depending on the information the insurers receive on June 30th.

"This is a very different year for health insurance, full of uncertainty," said Insurance Commissioner Marguerite Salazar. "Because of the many unknowns, the companies have asked for more time to develop their premiums. The Division wants to be flexible, with the hope that a clearer picture emerges before June."

When available, on July 14, consumers will be able to view and comment upon the 2018 submissions from health insurance companies at the Division's "Health Insurance Filings and Approved Plans" page (https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/dora/node/100241).