Individual and Family Health Insurance in Brighton, CO

What to know before you choose

ACA plans cover the essential health benefits by law: doctor visits, hospital and emergency care, prescriptions, maternity, mental health and preventive care, and they cannot turn you down or charge more for a pre-existing condition. Plans come in Bronze, Silver and Gold metal levels that trade a lower premium for higher costs when you use care, or the reverse.

Financial help depends on household income and size. The enhanced federal tax credits of 2021 to 2025 expired at the end of 2025, so for plan year 2026 the original rules apply: households between 100% and 400% of the poverty level pay a set share of income, from 2.10% to 9.96%, toward a benchmark Silver plan, and there is no federal credit above 400% (IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25). For 2026 coverage that ceiling is $62,600 for one person and $84,600 for a couple (2025 HHS poverty guidelines).

A worked example using the 2026 rules, as an estimate only. A couple with $60,000 of household income is at about 284% of the poverty level, so they are expected to pay about 9.46% of income, roughly $473 a month, toward the benchmark Silver plan in their area. The tax credit is the benchmark premium minus that amount, and it can be used on any metal level.

The same couple for 2027 coverage, the year you shop for this fall. 2027 plans use the 2026 poverty guidelines, $21,640 for a household of two (HHS), and the 2027 IRS table, which runs from 2.15% to 10.22% of income (IRS Rev. Proc. 2026-26). $60,000 is about 277% of the poverty level, so the expected share rises to about 9.51% of income, roughly $476 a month toward the benchmark Silver plan. The 400% ceiling for 2027 coverage is $86,560 for a couple and $63,840 for one person. These are estimates; the marketplace sets the final figures when you apply, and Colorado Premium Assistance may lower the premium further.

Reconciliation got stricter. Beginning with tax year 2026, if the advance tax credit paid during the year is more than the credit you qualify for, you repay the full difference on your tax return; the old repayment caps no longer apply at any income (IRS). An income estimate that is too low now costs more than it used to, so I ask you to update Connect for Health Colorado as soon as your income changes.

Lower incomes can also get cost-sharing reductions on Silver plans, which cut deductibles and copays. If your income points to Health First Colorado (Medicaid) or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+) for your children, I will tell you and show you where to apply. Every number I show you is an estimate; your final premium and credit are set when you enroll.

The part most people skip is the network and the drug list. Before you choose, I check that your doctors and the hospitals you would use are in the plan's network, and that your prescriptions are on its formulary at a tier you can live with. A low premium plan that leaves out your doctor is not a deal.

What I check for you, in order: your household size and a realistic 2027 income estimate; whether anyone in the household points to Health First Colorado or CHP+; your tax credit and any cost-sharing reductions; then each plan your doctors and hospital accept, priced with your prescriptions, comparing the premium after credits with the deductible and the out-of-pocket maximum. I take a commonsense approach: I ask questions, listen to your answers, and only then recommend the type of policies that will fit your unique needs.

Questions to ask me before you enroll: What income should I report, and what counts toward it? Is a Silver plan with cost-sharing reductions cheaper for me overall than Bronze? Is my doctor in this exact plan for 2027? Does my insurance company still sell in 2027? Is a Colorado Option plan a better fit? What do I do if my income changes mid-year?

Your needs and situation are unique, and I am committed to spending the time to get to know you so you get coverage and support that fits your lifestyle.

Colorado rules to know

Open Enrollment for 2027 runs November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for coverage that starts January 1, or from December 16 to January 15 for coverage that starts February 1 (Connect for Health Colorado).

Colorado adds its own help. Colorado Premium Assistance lowered premiums for more than 176,000 people in 2026 and continues for 2027, and the Division of Insurance estimates financially assisted customers will see an average net increase of about $20 a month from 2026 to 2027. Average individual market premiums rise 10% for 2027, and the state reinsurance program lowers premiums by 13.9% in the Denver metro rating area that includes Adams County (Colorado DOI, September 22, 2026).

Colorado Option plans, standardized plans with $0 primary care and mental health visits, continue for 2027 (Colorado DOI). One insurance company is leaving the individual market for 2027 and a new one is entering, so check that your 2027 plan still exists.

Coloradans who cannot use Connect for Health Colorado because of immigration status may qualify for OmniSalud, which has its own enrollment dates and lottery for SilverEnhanced Savings.

How and when to enroll

1. Gather your expected 2027 household income, everyone's date of birth, your doctors and your prescriptions.
2. Open Enrollment: November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Note that the Connect for Health Colorado website is down for maintenance October 20 to 27, 2026.
3. Outside Open Enrollment you need a qualifying life event, such as losing other coverage, moving, marriage or a new baby. Those Special Enrollment windows are usually 60 days.
4. I compare plans with you, you choose, and we enroll through Connect for Health Colorado so any tax credit applies. Report income changes during the year to avoid a surprise at tax time.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Estimating income carelessly. The credit is reconciled on your tax return, and from tax year 2026 any excess advance credit is repaid in full, with no cap.
• Letting a plan auto renew. Premiums, networks and even the insurance company can change for 2027.
• Buying a limited plan by mistake. The Colorado Division of Insurance warns that many low cost plans sold online are not ACA plans.
• Choosing Bronze to save premium when a Silver plan with cost-sharing reductions would cost you less overall.

How Lisa helps

• Tax credit and cost-sharing estimate based on your household income and size
• Metal levels explained by what you pay when you use care, not just the premium
• Doctor, hospital and prescription check before you choose
• Colorado Option and Colorado Premium Assistance explained in plain English
• Special Enrollment Period guidance after a life change, and ACA next to COBRA when you leave a job
• An annual review each Open Enrollment, starting November 1, 2026 for 2027 plans

Who it fits

You are self-employed, a small business owner, between jobs, working for an employer without coverage, or covering children or a spouse on your own. You want a plan that fits your budget and works with your doctors.