Keystone, Colorado (January 20th): Peak Health Alliance, a non-profit health insurance purchasing cooperative based in Summit County, Colorado, has announced its receipt of a $250,000 grant from The Colorado Health Foundation (TCHF) to expand its health insurance purchasing model to new communities across Colorado.
“We’re extremely grateful to The Colorado Health Foundation for their support,” said Claire Brockbank, CEO of Peak Health Alliance. “It’s an honor to not only be recognized for our success lowering the cost of healthcare across the 8 counties we serve today, but to receive the confidence and support to bring relief to even more communities in the future.”
The grant provides resources needed during the critical early stages that help identify potential savings and ultimately lead to negotiations with providers, hospitals, and carriers. Efforts are underway in Routt County for the 2023 plan year, and discussions have begun with several counties on the Eastern Plains and Southwestern Colorado.
For Brockbank and Peak, the initial work is often the most labor-intensive and complex, sometimes taking several months. “Exploring a community’s health insurance needs requires a deep dive into data and analysis,” she said. “TCHF’s grant will allow us to further evaluate what’s driving costs and whether a purchasing alliance model can bring relief,” said Brockbank.”
“The Colorado Health Foundation is extremely proud to continue our partnership with the Peak Health Alliance,” said Dustin Moyer, program officer at The Colorado Health Foundation. “Their commitment to being driven by the community they serve reflects a core tenant of the Foundation’s work. We see the critical value helping people and communities realize the immense power they hold when working together to create lasting change.”
At the end of 2021, it’s estimated that Peak’s membership grew to more than 9,000 members, saving communities an estimated $10,600,000 in premiums.
Brockbank noted how important community engagement has been to Peak’s success and why it’s an important part of the TCHF grant: “It’s our mission to advocate for our members; that starts by understanding local needs and where Peak can help address them,” Brockbank said. “Coalition-building is not only a great way to introduce ourselves, but it sets the table for the grassroots support and local leadership we count on when we launch,” she concluded.