State of Colorado: beware of alternative health care plans

    With the 2019 open enrollment for individual health insurance having started Nov. 1, the Colorado Division of Insurance, part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies, reminds Colorado consumers to be vigilant regarding any health coverage options that are less than what they seem.
    Alternatives to standard health insurance, such as short-term plans and health care sharing arrangements, have limitations that consumers need to understand when they are shopping. Coloradans who are considering or ultimately enroll in such alternatives must be aware that these options do not offer full health coverage.
    “My goal is for people to make their health coverage decisions with their eyes wide open,” Interim Insurance Commissioner Michael Conway said. “There is a reason that these alternatives are cheaper. They cover less and consumers may not see the savings they expect as they pay more out of their own pockets.”
    “Because marketing around these alternatives is likely to increase, I’m concerned that consumers will be lured by perceived lower costs,” he added.

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