Colorado: Governors Issue Joint Letter Against Harmful Proposal to Disrupt State Marketplaces & Limit Access to Health Insurance

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DENVER ~ In response to the Marketplace Integrity and Affordability Proposed Rule (CMS-9884-P "Proposed Rule"), a joint letter has been issued by five state governors urging the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight (CCIIO) to withdraw the rule. The governors, including Colorado Governor Jared Polis, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Oregon Governor Tina Kotek, expressed concerns that the rule would restrict states' ability to regulate their health insurance marketplaces.

The proposed rule has caused alarm among the governors as it could potentially disrupt local healthcare landscapes and make coverage less accessible to residents. They fear that this could lead to confusion among customers and limit enrollment options for low-income families. This comes at a time when a record number of Americans, 24.2 million in 2024, have accessed healthcare through marketplaces.

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Governor Polis of Colorado stated that the Affordable Care Act has helped hundreds of thousands of Coloradans connect to affordable health care coverage. He urged the Trump administration and CMS not to raise health care premiums and protect coverage for millions of Americans. He also highlighted that the proposed rule could put record enrollment at risk and potentially result in millions losing coverage if subsidies are also cut through Congressional reconciliation.

Governor Pritzker of Illinois echoed similar concerns, stating that the proposed rule will cause confusion and make it harder for vulnerable Illinoisans to enroll in healthcare. He criticized the Trump administration for continuously trying to restrict access to health insurance for Americans.

The governors are advocating for withdrawal of certain harmful portions of the Proposed Rule which include restrictions on states' ability to set open enrollment periods and determine eligibility. They argue that states have intimate knowledge of their local healthcare landscapes and inconsistency in eligibility, benefits, and open enrollment periods will create confusion among consumers. This could ultimately destabilize markets which rely on risk calculation.

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Another concern raised by the governors is the elimination of enrollment options for low-income families. They fear that this could lead to a large number of residents becoming uninsured and leave hospitals and providers to foot the bill for their medical care.

Governor Wes Moore of Maryland highlighted the progress his state has made in terms of healthcare coverage since the Affordable Care Act took effect. He stated that the proposed rule would jeopardize this progress and limit access to healthcare options for Marylanders. He urged the Trump administration to reconsider this overreach and allow states like Maryland to continue making progress in providing affordable healthcare.

The full letter can be accessed on the governors' official websites. It remains to be seen how the Trump administration will respond to these concerns raised by state leaders.

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