Colorado exchange says this year’s enrollment smoother

Colorado’s health insurance exchange says that a new insurance-matching tool similar to Uber car sharing is helping the exchange meet demand during the open enrollment period for people who need to sign up for health coverage.

And an extended deadline doesn’t hurt.

Open enrollment ends in January for Connect For Health Colorado. But Thursday was the deadline for shoppers to have coverage in effect by Jan. 1.

The exchange says that more than 117,000 had signed up by Thursday, though exact figures weren’t available.

Connect for Health wants to see 217,000 people signed up by next summer. They say they are ahead of last year’s pace, helped by a new online tool connecting shoppers with insurance brokers.

The deadline was extended from Dec. 15 to Thursday because of heavy snow.