Connect for Health Colorado representatives and Certified Health Coverage Guides are attending upcoming events during the countdown to the March 31 health insurance deadline of open enrollment. The guides will meet with local residents and business owners to answer questions, discuss new health insurance offered by the statewide health insurance Marketplace and assist with enrollments. The deadline for uninsured Coloradans to enroll in commercial health insurance for 2014 is March 31. After that, uninsured Coloradans cannot get commercial coverage until 2015 unless they have a special circumstance, such as losing a job that provided coverage or moving to the state. The next open enrollment period will be Nov. 15, 2014, to February 15, 2015. Coloradans can apply for Medicaid and Child Health Plan Plus at any point during the year. Connect for Health Colorado is a new health insurance marketplace and support network that allows individuals, families and small employers to compare and purchase health insurance and access new financial assistance to reduce costs. The Customer Service Center is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays, at 1-855-PLANS-4-YOU (855-752-6749). More information is available at http://www.ConnectforHealthCO.com.

Individual penalty for not having health insurance may be higher than you think

The penalty for not having health insurance in 2014 is not as simple as many people think, and probably more than the $95 minimum under the federal health law. The Tax Policy Center has an ACA Tax Penalty Calculator that can show the penalty amount with just a few clicks. Click here for the calculator.