State health insurance exchange officials on Monday said 6,144 people have signed up in the first eight days of open enrollment for 2015, well ahead of last year’s pace of 204.
The 6,144 sign-ups were predominantly renewals — 4,400 people re-enrolling through Connect for Health Colorado, according to its interim chief executive, Gary Drews.
“We have quite a way to go,” Drews said in a media telephone briefing Monday.
Among this year’s enrollees, Drews said, 3,400 are receiving financial assistance.
The 936 people who have signed up for dental insurance since Nov. 15 compares favorably with the 87 dental plan enrollments for this period in 2013.
Drews said a new streamlined, single-application system that merges the state exchange and Medicaid is working well.
He reminded potential enrollees that it’s a shorter enrollment period this time around, ending Feb. 15. And those who want their insurance effective Jan. 1 must sign up by Dec. 15, with their premiums due by Dec. 25.
“Get out, and shop early,” Drews said. “You really only have a few weeks left.”
He said 200 people are staffing the call center and more will be added as enrollment ramps up.
Free, in-person help is available in every county through more than 1,600 independent insurance brokers and 450 health coverage guides.
Connect for Health has opened 13 walk-in enrollment centers in 11 cities. These shops are in Adams County, Aurora, Colorado Springs, downtown Denver, Fort Collins, Grand Junction, Greeley, Lafayette, Lakewood, Pueblo and Wheat Ridge.
To find the location nearest you and hours of operation, visit: www.connectforhealthco.com/resources/person-help.
Enrollment started off slowly during last year’s open enrollment period, during the health-care law’s launch, because of computer glitches, a cumbersome application form and problems with the federal exchange. Later, however, a surge of enrollments brought numbers into the range targeted by exchange officials.
Electa Draper: 303-954-1276, edraper@denverpost.com or twitter.com/electadraper
