Colorado Sees Record Number Of Health Insurance Enrollees

Dec. 19--

More people than ever before met the first deadline for purchasing health insurance through the state's exchange.

Medical plan enrollments on Connect for Health Colorado totaled 149,006 through Sunday -- the vast majority meeting the first deadline. The figure marked a 7 percent increase from the same point in 2016.

The enrollment totals came despite months of uncertainty over the future of the Affordable Care Act, which congressional Republicans repeatedly tried to repeal. President Donald Trump also has sought to undermine the law by cutting outreach funding and removing certain subsidy payments to insurers.

"To me it says that people recognize the value of health insurance," said Luke Clarke, the exchange's spokesman, "and the importance of protecting their personal finances, and anticipating the unexpected medical costs that can set you back."

Friday marked the deadline to sign up for coverage for people living in the dozens of states that use the federal exchange, Healthcare.gov.

But Colorado and several other states that operate their own exchanges have allowed their residents extra time to find insurance plans for 2018.

Coloradans who missed the recent deadline still have until Jan. 12 to pick a plan for next year, though that coverage won't take effect until Feb. 1.

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