For individual and family health insurance, Colorado Springs residents use Connect for Health Colorado, the state exchange. Open Enrollment for 2027 runs Nov 1, 2026 – Jan 15, 2027; enroll by Dec 15 for Jan 1 coverage. Military families on TRICARE usually don’t need a Marketplace plan until they leave service.
Updated for the 2027 plan year (October 2026). Reviewed by a licensed agent.
- TRICARE, separation and the Marketplace
- Key 2027 dates
- El Paso County’s 2027 rate picture
- Peak Vista and El Paso County Public Health
- Colorado Springs hospitals and networks
- Wildfire season and your coverage
- Just moved here?
- Subsidies and state help
- Health First Colorado and CHP+
- Getting help in El Paso County
- Frequently asked questions
TRICARE, separation and the Marketplace
Colorado Springs is one of the country’s biggest military communities, home to Fort Carson, Peterson and Schriever Space Force Bases and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Active-duty members and their families are covered by TRICARE, which counts as qualifying health coverage, so they generally don’t need, and can’t get a tax credit for, a Marketplace plan.
The Marketplace matters at transitions. Here’s when health insurance Colorado Springs military families should compare plans:
- Separating or retiring from service. Losing TRICARE opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period on Connect for Health Colorado. Compare before your coverage ends.
- Spouses and adult children. A dependent who ages out of TRICARE or loses eligibility after a divorce can also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
- Veterans. VA health care counts as qualifying coverage. Some veterans add a Marketplace plan for family members or for care outside the VA; if you’re enrolled in VA coverage, you won’t get a tax credit for yourself.
- Contractors and civilians. Defense contractors and civilian workers without employer coverage shop on the exchange like any other resident.
Learn more about Fort Carson resources, or see TRICARE’s West Region page for plan details.
Key 2027 dates for Colorado Springs
Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 15 for a January 1 start, or between December 16 and January 15 for a February 1 start. Connect for Health Colorado is offline for maintenance October 20–27, 2026.
Cigna is leaving Colorado’s individual market after December 31, 2026. Cigna members in El Paso County should pick a new plan during Open Enrollment; a Special Enrollment Period also runs through March 1, 2027. See our Open Enrollment 2027 guide for the full calendar.
El Paso County’s 2027 rate picture
Colorado Springs is in Rating Area 2, where final 2027 individual rates rise an average of 9.7%, according to the Colorado Division of Insurance. That’s slightly below the statewide 10% average, and the DOI estimates reinsurance lowers Colorado Springs-area premiums by about 13.5%.
Colorado Access, the state’s only new individual-market carrier for 2027, sells in Colorado Springs’ rating area, per Colorado Politics. Carrier lists vary by ZIP code, so compare every option before you renew.
Honesty.AI compares every El Paso County plan and your 2027 credit before TRICARE ends.
Peak Vista and El Paso County Public Health
Peak Vista Community Health Centers is a nonprofit federally qualified health center serving the Pikes Peak region. It’s a strong primary-care option if you’re uninsured, waiting on Health First Colorado, or on a high-deductible plan.
El Paso County Public Health serves more than 750,000 residents across 2,130 square miles, running immunizations and public health programs from its Garden of the Gods Road offices. Neither replaces a health plan for hospital care.
Health insurance Colorado Springs networks: which hospitals?
Colorado Springs’ hospitals belong to different systems, so check that your doctors and hospital are in each plan’s network before you choose health insurance. Colorado Springs families with young kids should also check the children’s hospital.
- UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central.
- Penrose Hospital and St. Francis Hospital, now part of CommonSpirit.
- Golisano Children’s Hospital, Colorado Springs, part of Children’s Hospital Colorado.
If you’re leaving TRICARE, your military treatment facility doctors won’t carry over. Make a list of the civilian doctors you want and search for them in each plan. Our guide on how to choose a health plan explains networks.
Wildfire season and your coverage
Wildfire is a real risk on the city’s western and northern edges. The 2012 Waldo Canyon fire destroyed hundreds of homes, and the 2013 Black Forest fire destroyed about 500 more, according to Colorado Public Radio.
Put your coverage in your go-bag: save a photo of each family member’s ID card, your policy number, your insurer’s phone line and your prescription list on your phone. If a declared emergency keeps you from enrolling on time, or you have to move, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period.
Just moved to Colorado Springs?
New residents arrive constantly, from military spouses starting civilian jobs to families following a transfer. Moving to Colorado can open a Special Enrollment Period, usually if you had qualifying coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before the move.
- Start a new account. Colorado runs its own exchange, so a HealthCare.gov account from your old state won’t carry over. Apply with Connect for Health Colorado instead.
- Report the move within 60 days. Coverage usually starts the first of the month after you pick a plan.
- Re-check every doctor. Your old plan’s network, even from the same brand, may not include Colorado Springs providers.
- Update your income estimate. A new job or a spouse’s change in pay shifts your 2027 credit.
Getting health insurance in Colorado Springs right after a move protects your family during the months when you’re still finding new doctors.
Subsidies and state help for Colorado Springs households
Only plans bought through Connect for Health Colorado get the federal premium tax credit and Colorado Premium Assistance, which is applied automatically for eligible customers. The enhanced federal credits expired at the end of 2025, so for 2027 the federal credit ends above 400% of the poverty level.
| Household | Adult Medicaid up to (138%) | Federal credit ends above (400%) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $22,025 | $63,840 |
| 3 people | $37,702 | $109,280 |
| 4 people | $45,540 | $132,000 |
Between those lines you pay from 2.15% to 10.22% of income for the benchmark Silver plan, and Silver plans add cost-sharing help up to 250% of poverty. See our 2027 subsidies guide and the affordable health insurance Colorado hub.
Health First Colorado and CHP+
Colorado expanded Medicaid, called Health First Colorado, to adults up to 138% of the poverty level. Children 18 and under and pregnant people with income under 260% may qualify for CHP+. Apply any time through Colorado PEAK or the Connect for Health Colorado application.
If a hospital bill is the problem, Colorado’s Hospital Discounted Care law limits what qualifying patients pay and replaced the Colorado Indigent Care Program in 2025.
Getting help in El Paso County
Connect for Health Colorado works with 89 partner organizations at 182 locations for 2027, including in El Paso County. Find a free assister on its assister page or call 855-752-6749.
Honesty is another way to sort out health insurance. Colorado Springs residents can reach Honesty.AI, the world’s first patented, licensed AI insurance agent, 24/7 by chat, voice or text, with no office visit. It works on your side and compares ACA, alternative and ancillary plans for your family. Honesty® Insurance Services, LLC is licensed in Colorado. Learn how Honesty.AI works, read the Colorado health insurance guide, or compare our guide to health insurance in Denver.
Your 2027 Colorado Springs plan, compared honestly
See every plan in your ZIP code, understand your federal and state help, and enroll before TRICARE or your old plan ends. Honesty Is Your Best Policy®.
Frequently asked questions
Do military families in Colorado Springs need a Marketplace plan?
Usually not while on active duty. TRICARE counts as qualifying coverage, so families covered by it generally don’t need a Marketplace plan and can’t get a premium tax credit for it. Losing TRICARE after separation opens a 60-day Special Enrollment Period.
How much are Colorado Springs health insurance rates rising for 2027?
The Colorado Division of Insurance says final 2027 individual rates in the Colorado Springs rating area rise an average of 9.7%. Your own change depends on your plan, so compare options during Open Enrollment.
Where can uninsured Colorado Springs residents get primary care?
Peak Vista Community Health Centers is a nonprofit federally qualified health center serving the Pikes Peak region. It is not insurance, so also check whether you qualify for Health First Colorado or a subsidized plan.
Which hospitals are in Colorado Springs Marketplace plans?
It depends on the plan. UCHealth Memorial, CommonSpirit’s Penrose and St. Francis hospitals, and Golisano Children’s Hospital belong to different systems, so check each plan’s directory before you enroll.
Can a wildfire let me change my health plan?
Possibly. If a declared emergency keeps you from enrolling on time, or you have to move, you may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Keep photos of your ID cards and policy numbers on your phone.
Keep learning: read the Colorado health insurance guide, the affordable health insurance Colorado hub, our Denver guide and the Open Enrollment 2027 timeline.
