September 9th, 2025 – Coloradans who buy their own health insurance plans are most familiar with Gold, Silver, and Bronze plans, but in 2026 many people will have access to a new plan color: Copper.
With little media fanfare, on September 4th CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) announced announced that Copper plans will be made much more widely available starting January 1st, 2026.
Previously, Copper plans were better known as Catastrophic plans and were only available to those under age 30 or those who qualified for a Hardship Exemption.
Copper plans have very high deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums, but they are fully Affordable Care Act–compliant, cover all federally mandated preventive care, and have historically been roughly 20% less expensive than Bronze plans.
Under the new rules, starting January 1st, 2026, people who are newly ineligible for Advance Premium Tax Credits and/or Cost-Sharing Reductions will be granted a Hardship Exemption.
It is not yet clear whether people who did not previously receive federal Premium Tax Credits in 2025 will have access to Copper plans through Connect for Health Colorado. However, CMS has stated that Copper plans will also be available carrier-direct, where Premium Tax Credits are not offered.
Fox News reports: “The Trump administration has effectively said that most Americans are now eligible for a hardship exemption, meaning anyone can buy a Copper plan.”
Stay tuned for more updates on how this will impact health insurance in Colorado and what the nuances of the new rules are.
