Thank you for the recent article on the cost of health insurance which pointed out the acute challenge of high premiums in rural areas of our state (“High health insurance prices mean ill winds in Colorado’s high country,” Dec. 10th.).
The issue has been ongoing in the southwestern Colorado region for years. I would like to share information on the assistance available to all Colorado residents through the Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC).
Too many people assume they make too much to qualify for the assistance, leaving their family finances vulnerable to ruinous healthcare expense. A family of four with an income of $100,000 qualifies to receive APTC help. For an individual, the upper limit is $48,500 a year.
In 2018, nearly 3,000 residents of La Plata County enrolled in health insurance through Connect for Health Colorado. Those who qualified for financial help are receiving, on average, $778 a month toward their health insurance premium. A family of four making $80,000 per year could have insurance options as low as $150 per month for the family.
While the tax credit assistance is not the full solution to high costs, I encourage anyone who buys their own health insurance to check what help is available at ConnectforHealthCO.com.
Coloradans have until Jan. 1, 2019 to enroll in health insurance for 2019.
Kevin O’Connor
Durango