Reviewed by Tina Price, licensed health insurance advisor, on October 30, 2026.
What the Colorado Option is, and whether it's right for you
Colorado Option plans are standardized bronze, silver, and gold plans. At each metal level, every insurance company uses the same copays, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums.
Last updated October 30, 2026
The short version
- Every insurance company must offer Colorado Option plans at bronze, silver, and gold.
- Within a metal level, cost-sharing is the same no matter which company sells the plan.
- The plans may be HMO or EPO. Check the network for your doctors.
- Premiums still differ by company and county, so compare them.
What it is
The Colorado Option is a set of standardized health plans created by a Colorado law. The state Division of Insurance sets the design. Connect for Health Colorado says every health insurance company in the state must offer them at the bronze, silver, and gold levels.
The aim is to make plans easier to compare.
What is the same at every company
Within a metal level, the benefits, copayments, deductibles, and out-of-pocket maximums are the same across insurers.
Certain services are covered before you meet your deductible. Connect for Health Colorado lists sick or injury visits, mental health office visits, prenatal and postnatal visits, and diabetic supplies as examples.
What can still be different
Each company still sets its own premium, network, and drug list. A network is the doctors and hospitals a plan has agreements with. Those three usually decide which plan is right for you.
Colorado Option plans may be HMO or EPO plans. HMOs generally need a primary care doctor and referrals to see specialists, with some exceptions, and networks are usually smaller. EPOs generally do not require referrals, and networks are usually larger.
The Colorado Option also includes more community providers and Certified Nurse Midwives in its networks, according to Connect for Health Colorado.
Does it cost less?
The state aims to hold premiums down for these plans, but a Colorado Option plan is not always the cheapest. Compare the monthly premium and the likely yearly cost for your household and county.
Financial help works through Connect for Health Colorado. If you qualify for the tax credit or cost-sharing reductions, they apply to plans sold on the exchange.
When it may fit, and when it may not
It fits if you want to compare plans on premium and network only.
It does not fit if your doctor is only in a plan outside the Colorado Option. Check your own doctors and medicines before you choose.
Next step
In our comparison, Colorado Option plans carry a label, so you can see them next to the other plans in your county.
Want a person to check your pick? A licensed Grove advisor will, at no cost.
Compare plansCall (970) 840-1130
Common questions
Is the Colorado Option a government plan?
No. It is sold by private insurance companies. The state sets the plan design, and every insurance company must offer it.
Does the Colorado Option work with tax credits?
It is sold through Connect for Health Colorado, where tax credits and other financial help are available if you qualify.
Are Colorado Option plans better than other plans?
Not by definition. They are easier to compare. Whether one is right for you depends on the price, your doctors, and your medicines.
Sources
- Connect for Health Colorado: what are Colorado Option plans?
- Connect for Health Colorado: types of health plans
- Connect for Health Colorado: get financial help
- Connect for Health Colorado: home page
This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice. Connect for Health Colorado decides eligibility and tax credits.