ICHRA savings in Colorado
64 Colorado counties price individual coverage below small group. Employers there save up to $4,175 per employee per year.
Last updated: August 16, 2026 · plan-year 2026, lowest-cost silver (age 50), same year both markets.
Top Colorado counties by savings
Monthly benchmark premiums: individual vs small group, 2026 plan year.
| County | Individual /mo | Small group /mo | You save | Annual / employee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta County | $684 | $1,032 | 33.7% | $4,175 |
| Routt County | $684 | $1,032 | 33.7% | $4,175 |
| Moffat County | $771 | $1,032 | 25.3% | $3,133 |
| Rio Blanco County | $771 | $1,032 | 25.3% | $3,133 |
| Archuleta County | $771 | $1,032 | 25.3% | $3,130 |
| Eagle County | $771 | $1,032 | 25.3% | $3,130 |
| La Plata County | $771 | $1,032 | 25.3% | $3,130 |
| Montezuma County | $771 | $1,032 | 25.3% | $3,130 |
| Summit County | $771 | $1,032 | 25.3% | $3,130 |
| Mesa County | $610 | $804 | 24% | $2,319 |
| Dolores County | $791 | $1,032 | 23.4% | $2,900 |
| Grand County | $791 | $1,032 | 23.4% | $2,900 |
Showing top 12 of 64 qualifying Colorado counties. Explore them all on the interactive map.
Colorado county savings pages
Every Colorado county where the 2026 benchmark gap tops $100/employee/month — each with its own local breakdown.
- Delta County 33.7%
- Routt County 33.7%
- Moffat County 25.3%
- Rio Blanco County 25.3%
- Archuleta County 25.3%
- Eagle County 25.3%
- La Plata County 25.3%
- Montezuma County 25.3%
- Summit County 25.3%
- Mesa County 24%
- Dolores County 23.4%
- Grand County 23.4%
- Lake County 23.4%
- San Juan County 23.4%
- Garfield County 12.2%
- Gunnison County 12.2%
- Hinsdale County 12.2%
- Montrose County 12.2%
- Ouray County 12.2%
- Pitkin County 12.2%
- San Miguel County 12.2%
The Colorado picture
Colorado's ICHRA geography runs opposite to its population: the Western Slope, not the Front Range, holds the widest estimated gaps on 2026 silver-plan data. Delta County leads the state's 64 qualifying counties at an estimated $348 per employee per month — about 33.7% below comparable small-group pricing — while only 13 counties statewide clear the $200 mark, and Denver-metro spreads are generally thinner. For 2027, Colorado insurers have filed a proposed 11% average individual-market increase, modest by this year's national standards and mentioned here only as context.
A Delta or Montrose-area employer — orchards, outfitters, healthcare practices, the trades — may be sitting on stronger estimated math than a same-size company in Denver or Colorado Springs, which reverses the usual assumption that the big metro gets the better deal. Front Range employers shouldn't rule the idea out, but the case there tends to rest on flexibility and cost predictability more than on a wide dollar gap. West of the Divide, the 2026 numbers themselves may carry the argument.
Colorado ICHRA FAQs
How much can employers save with an ICHRA in Colorado?
Across 64 qualifying Colorado counties, the 2026 gap between small-group and individual silver coverage averages 9% — up to $4,175 per employee per year in the strongest county. Figures are plan-year-2026 estimates (lowest-cost silver, age 50, same year both markets), not quotes.
Which Colorado county has the biggest ICHRA savings?
Delta County currently shows the widest 2026 spread in Colorado: individual $684/mo vs small group $1,032/mo — about 33.7% ($4,175/employee/year, estimated).
Does every Colorado county qualify for ICHRA savings?
No. Only counties where the individual market prices below small group make the list — 64 in Colorado for plan year 2026. In other counties a savings-driven ICHRA usually is not the right move, and an analysis will say so.
Where does this Colorado data come from?
Individual-market premiums come from the CMS Marketplace Public Use Files and small-group benchmarks from Ideon — lowest-cost silver plan, age 50, same county and same plan year (2026) on both sides.
Do Colorado's mountain and Western Slope counties really have cheaper individual health plans than Denver?
Relative to their own small-group markets, several do. On 2026 data, Delta County's lowest-cost silver plans price an estimated 33.7% — about $348 per employee per month — below comparable small-group coverage, the widest spread in Colorado, and other Western Slope counties follow the same pattern. Denver-area counties qualify too, but their estimated gaps are narrower. The comparison that matters is individual versus group within your own county, and that's the figure each county page shows.
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