New Health Care Program To Bring Insurance Premiums Down For High Country Communities – CBS Denver

SUMMIT COUNTY, Colo. (CBS4) – No where does it cost more for Coloradans to get health care than in the high country. On Monday, Gov. Jared Polis announced projections for health care costs to decrease 33% for some people who will be enrolled in a new program.

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis announces declining insurance premium projections for mountain communities. (credit: CBS)

“(Polis) and the Colorado Division of Insurance (DOI), part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), announced premiums for individual health insurance plans from Peak Health Alliance in Summit County will see decreases ranging from 39% to 47% compared to last year’s premiums,” the governor’s office said in a news release.

The governor made the announcement in Keystone.

These decreases include savings from the state’s newly-passed reinsurance program, which is  funded for two more years.

BREAKING: @GovofCO is in Summit County talking about the #PeakHealthAlliance – the program is lowering insurance rates by 30%+
W/ hopes to make this model available to communities across the state. Details coming up at 6 on @CBSDenver #OriginalReporting #heathcare #insurance pic.twitter.com/3Igvl2sBd0

— Matt Kroschel (@Matt_Kroschel) September 9, 2019

Peak Health Alliance (PHA) brings together health insurance markets which include individual plans to negotiate prices with hospitals and doctors directly, rather than having insurance companies negotiate on their behalf.

“Now customers are banding together to solve a problem and it’s a model we are expanding statewide to save people money on healthcare. Peak Health is a great example of a community together to create real change,” Polis said.

Polis says he hopes this model can be used in communities elsewhere in Colorado, specifically areas in rural Southern Colorado.

People will be able to begin shopping this new insurance system in November with rates available Jan. 1.