Freelancers, contractors, gig workers and small-business owners — coverage that isn't tied to an employer, and may be tax-deductible.
Not a government marketplace. Health Enrollment Center is operated by Sprinter Insurance Agency LLC.
Colorado runs its own marketplace, Connect for Health Colorado, so residents enroll through the state rather than HealthCare.gov. It also offers the standardized 'Colorado Option' — state-designed plans that made up roughly 47% of 2025 enrollments — which lets you compare like-for-like benefits across carriers. About 282,000 residents are covered through the marketplace, and Colorado expanded Medicaid, so subsidies generally begin above 138% of the poverty line.
When you work for yourself, nobody hands you a benefits package. The good news: as a self-employed person your income is what determines your ACA premium tax credit, and self-employed people often have more control over their Modified Adjusted Gross Income than W-2 employees do. Structuring income and deductions well can meaningfully lower what you pay for a marketplace plan.
Self-employed health insurance premiums are frequently deductible above the line on your federal return (the self-employed health insurance deduction), which effectively discounts your coverage again at tax time. Pairing an HSA-eligible high-deductible plan with an HSA is a common strategy for 1099 earners who want to shelter income and build a medical nest egg.
We help Colorado freelancers and business owners compare marketplace plans (with subsidies) against private off-marketplace plans side by side, so you can weigh network breadth against price without guessing.
Colorado runs its own exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, rather than using HealthCare.gov. That matters more than it sounds: state-based exchanges set their own Open Enrollment dates, can recognize special enrollment situations the federal marketplace does not, and sometimes administer state-only programs that have no federal equivalent. Check the Connect for Health Colorado calendar rather than assuming the federal dates apply to you. Colorado runs its own exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, and also offers standardized 'Colorado Option' plans — so residents enroll through the state rather than HealthCare.gov.
If your 1099 income puts you above roughly 138% of the federal poverty level, Colorado's Medicaid expansion isn't your lane — the premium tax credit is, and self-employed people have more control over the Modified Adjusted Gross Income that sets it than almost anyone. The one thing to watch is the floor: estimate a year low enough and the marketplace will route you to Medicaid instead of a subsidized plan, so estimate honestly and update it when the year comes in stronger. Colorado expanded Medicaid (Health First Colorado) to adults up to 138% of the poverty line, so lower-income residents may qualify for no-cost coverage while marketplace premium tax credits apply above that threshold.
The carriers writing individual business in Colorado include Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, Select Health, Rocky Mountain Health Plans and others. Networks and pricing are set county by county rather than statewide, so the same carrier can be the best value in one metro and the wrong choice an hour away. We quote Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins — and every county in between.
Don't see yours? Call a licensed agent — most answers take under two minutes.
It depends on your income and who needs coverage, but for most self-employed residents of Colorado a subsidized ACA marketplace plan is the strongest option — it's guaranteed-issue, covers pre-existing conditions, and the premium tax credit is income-based. We compare it against private plans so you see the full picture.
No. Colorado runs its own exchange, Connect for Health Colorado, and residents enroll there. A licensed Colorado agent can enroll you in the same plans at no extra cost.
Through Connect for Health Colorado, the exchange Colorado runs itself — not HealthCare.gov. A licensed agent can enroll you in the same plans at the same price. Because Colorado sets its own calendar, check the Open Enrollment dates against Connect for Health Colorado rather than assuming the federal ones apply to you.
The carriers writing individual business in Colorado include Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Kaiser Permanente, Cigna, Select Health, Rocky Mountain Health Plans and others. Which of them is actually competitive depends on your county rather than the state — the lineup and the networks in Denver are not the lineup in Fort Collins. We are independent and compare across all of them rather than steering you to one company.
Start with your ZIP. Two quick questions, then a licensed agent brings you the plans you actually qualify for — no cost, no obligation.