If you live in Colorado and plan to buy or change your health insurance for 2026, you need to sign up during Open Enrollment. Each year, there’s a limited window when most people can sign up for coverage through the state marketplace. 

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For 2026 coverage, Colorado’s Open Enrollment runs from November 1, 2025, through January 15, 2026. 

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Enroll by December 15 if you want your plan to start on January 1. After January 15, most Coloradans won’t be able to get a new plan unless they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. But if you’re looking into health insurance alternatives for 2026, then direct primary care might be right for you.

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What Is the Colorado Marketplace, And How Does It Work?

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Colorado’s official marketplace is Connect for Health Colorado. It’s where you can compare plans side by side, see which doctors and hospitals are in network, check prescription coverage, and find out if you qualify for financial help. The marketplace centralizes your options from multiple insurers, allowing you to make an apples-to-apples comparison of premiums, deductibles, out-of-pocket maximums, networks, and plan types (HMO, PPO, EPO). 

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For 2026, Open Enrollment on the marketplace runs November 1–January 15, with December 15 as the deadline for a January 1 start date.

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Why You Should Sign Up Now

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Waiting to sign up for health insurance can cost you. 

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Outside of Open Enrollment, you usually can’t buy an individual or family plan unless you experience a qualifying life event (more on that below). Missing the window can mean going uninsured for months, paying the full price of care, or being limited to short-term stopgaps that may not cover pre-existing conditions or essential benefits. Acting early in the window also gives you time to compare plans thoughtfully, verify your doctors and prescriptions are covered, and avoid the mid-December rush. 

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And remember: enrolling by December 15 ensures coverage starts January 1, 2026—delaying beyond that date could push your effective date later.

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Can You Enroll After January 15?

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Not always. 

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You can only enroll with a Special Enrollment Period (SEP). An SEP is granted when you have a qualifying life event. Think loss of coverage, moving to Colorado, getting married, having a baby, or certain changes in income. In most cases, you have 60 days from the event to enroll, and some events (such as loss of other coverage) give you a window that spans 60 days before and after the event. You’ll typically need documentation to prove the change. The takeaway: outside of a few specific circumstances, you won’t be able to start or switch plans until the next Open Enrollment.

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Are There Alternatives to Traditional Insurance?

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We get it, signing up for health insurance can be confusing and overwhelming. You have a lot of options. Most of these options aren’t in your budget. You’re not sure which doctors or providers are in network. 

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Is there something similar that provides better value?

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While there’s no real substitute for major medical insurance when it comes to protecting against catastrophic expenses such as a serious accident, hospitalization, or surgery, there is a better way to handle your primary care: a Direct Primary Care (DPC) membership with Strive Direct Health.

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In the DPC model, you pay a simple monthly membership for comprehensive primary care. That typically includes same- or next-day appointments, extended visit times, secure messaging, wholesale-priced labs and medications when available, and a doctor who actually knows you. There’s no fee-for-service billing, no copays for office visits, and no insurance middlemen dictating your care. DPC is designed to make everyday health care accessible, proactive, and personal—so you can address problems early instead of waiting until they become emergencies.

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Note, DPC is not insurance. We strongly recommend pairing your Strive Direct Health membership with a high-deductible or catastrophic plan for hospitalizations, advanced imaging, surgery, or other large bills. DPC handles the routine and preventive care efficiently; your catastrophic plan is there for the rare but expensive events.

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New for 2026: Use your HSA or FSA for DPC

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A major policy change takes effect January 1, 2026: membership fees for direct primary care qualify as an HSA-eligible medical expense, with statutory monthly limits (currently set at $150 for individuals and $300 for families, indexed thereafter). Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) and HRAs are also permitted to reimburse DPC memberships starting in 2026 under the same federal changes. This removes a long-standing barrier for people who prefer the DPC model but want to use pre-tax dollars to pay for it. As always, confirm specifics with your employer or HSA/FSA administrator. 

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How DPC with Strive Direct Health Complements Marketplace Coverage

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With DPC, you get unhurried visits, direct messaging, proactive follow-ups, and transparent costs. That means fewer urgent care visits, fewer ER detours for issues that can be solved that same day, and fewer delays in diagnosis. Pairing DPC with a marketplace plan (often a Bronze or other HSA-eligible option) gives you comprehensive protection—day-to-day care through your Strive team plus financial backing for hospital-level events. If you choose an HSA-qualified plan, note that for 2026 the federal government has broadened HSA compatibility and clarified tax treatment for DPC fees.

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Who Benefits Most from Joining Strive Direct Health During Open Enrollment?

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DPC is a great option for everyone. But here are a few examples of people who can take advantage of every benefit:

• _{Families who want predictable costs and easy access to a clinician who knows their history}
• _{Professionals who can’t afford to wait weeks for a short appointment}
• _{Patients managing chronic conditions who need regular check-ins, data-driven tweaks to their care plan, and coordinated referrals when necessary}
• _{Anyone tired of surprise bills and five-minute visits}
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A Quick Open Enrollment Checklist

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• _{Confirm your network and prescriptions. Before you switch plans, verify that your preferred hospitals, specialists, and medications are covered. The marketplace makes it easier to compare networks and formularies across carriers.}
• _{Decide on your pairing strategy. If you’re joining DPC at Strive Direct Health, look at high-deductible plans that keep premiums lower but still shield you from catastrophic costs. Bronze and Catastrophic plans can be HSA-eligible, which may pair nicely with the new 2026 ability to use HSA dollars for DPC fees.}
• _{Mind the deadlines. Enroll by December 15 for a January 1 start. The final deadline for Open Enrollment is January 15, 2026. After that, you’ll likely need a qualifying life event to make changes.}
• _{Keep proof of life events. If you’re relying on a Special Enrollment Period, gather documentation and apply within your 60-day window.}

Ready to Take Control of Your Care? Get Started with Strive Direct Health

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Open Enrollment is the easiest—and often the only—time to secure or change your health insurance for 2026. Use the marketplace to compare plans, verify your needs, and enroll on time. Then supercharge your everyday care with a Strive Direct Health membership. Starting January 1, 2026, you can even use HSA or FSA dollars for DPC membership fees (subject to federal limits and your plan’s rules), making the combination even more cost-effective. 

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But you don’t have to stay with traditional health insurance if it doesn’t meet your needs.

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Join Strive Direct Health to make primary care simple, personal, and affordable. Have questions about pairing DPC with a marketplace plan or using HSA/FSA funds in 2026? Reach out today. We’re happy to help you choose the right path as you compare options during Colorado’s Open Enrollment. 

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