Colorado’s State-Designed Obamacare Option Gets Federal Go-Ahead

Nearly 10,000 Colorado residents are expected to gain health insurance next year after the Biden administration approved a state waiver request on Thursday to create the “Colorado Option,” a state coverage plan designed to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.

Colorado is the first state to adopt a Section 1332 state innovation waiver to create a new, more affordable state-based health insurance option, the Department of Health and Human Services reported. Section 1332 of the Affordable Care Act allows states to apply for waivers to test new strategies to improve access to high-quality, affordable coverage.

An estimated 32,000 Coloradans ...