Sometimes. Open enrollment in Colorado opens on November 1 and lasts until the middle of January. Outside of that, you need a reason, and the list of reasons is longer than most people think.
A life change opens a 60 day window. These are the common ones.
- Losing coverage from a job
- Getting married or divorced
- Having a baby or adopting
- Pregnancy, which counts in Colorado before the baby arrives
- Moving to Colorado or to a new part of the state
- No longer qualifying for Health First Colorado
- A change in income that changes what help you qualify for
The clock starts on the day of the change, so don’t sit on it.
Two programs are open all year. Health First Colorado, which is Colorado’s Medicaid, and CHP+ for kids and pregnant women take applications any month if your income fits.
Tax time is a side door. When you file your Colorado state taxes, there’s a box you can check if you’re uninsured. Checking it can open an enrollment window for you.
Buying outside the marketplace doesn’t get around this. Plans sold directly by insurers follow the same calendar. We explained how that route works in our post on buying off the marketplace.
If you left a job, COBRA can also keep your old plan going for a while. It’s usually expensive, but there’s no gap.
Not sure whether your situation counts? That’s a quick question for our team, and we’ll tell you which window you’re in and how long you have. Around the metro area, our page on Denver health coverage shows what the plans look like.
And if nothing applies, November comes around fast. Our five minute checklist will get you ready for it.