June 5, 2026 – Colorado’s individual health insurance market is about to get a “new” player, but it’s one with a long history in the state. The Colorado Division of Insurance announced that Colorado Access will enter Colorado’s individual marketplace for the 2027 Plan Year. Their new product line is called Colorado Access Choice.
Colorado Access is a local, nonprofit health plan that has served Coloradans for more than 30 years. This is actually a return, not a debut, since the organization exited the individual market back in 2016. In recent years it’s focus has been on Health First Colorado (Colorado’s Medicaid program) and Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+).
The whole idea behind Colorado Access Choice is continuity of coverage. A lot of Coloradans bounce between Medicaid, CHP+, and the marketplace as their income shifts, and every time that happens there’s a real risk of losing your doctor or your coverage during the gap. These plans are being built to smooth out those transitions so people can keep their trusted providers and coordinated care. That’s especially relevant right now, since redeterminations and policy shifts anticipated under H.R. 1 are expected to push more people off Medicaid and into the marketplace looking for coverage.
After Cigna’s exit in 2027, with Colorado Access joining, Colorado’s individual marketplace will still have 7 carriers for Plan Year 2027. Colorado Access expects to offer plans in 14 counties across Colorado. More carriers competing for your business is good news, generally meaning more plan options and more pressure on premiums.
Colorado Access Choice is a promising addition, particularly for anyone who transitions on and off Medicaid or CHP+, or who has been going without coverage. But it’s one new option among seven carriers, and the right plan for you still comes down to your specific providers, medications, and budget. More details are expected as Colorado Access works toward a planned go-live date of January 1, 2027, and open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1st through December 31st, 2026.
Provider networks and drug formularies are what determine whether a plan actually works for your specific doctors and medications, and those details won’t be final until plans are filed and approved later this year.
When the time comes, we’ll have reviewed the Colorado Access Choice plans alongside every other carrier on Connect for Health Colorado, so we can tell you honestly whether one of them is the best fit, or whether something else serves you better. Our services are 100% free, and you pay the exact same premium whether you enroll through us, through another agent, or directly through the marketplace.
Sources: Colorado Division of Insurance press release, Colorado Access