A Local Approach to Better Healthcare

Background

When Summit County was given the dubious distinction of the most expensive healthcare premiums of any county in the US, community leaders took action.

In 2017, The Summit Foundation, a community non-profit in Breckenridge, Colorado, created a task force focused on tackling healthcare. With a lot of data analysis and a little help from the state legislature, Peak Health Alliance was formed in 2019 and began offering plans in Summit County for the 2020 plan year.

Today, Peak is a locally managed 501(c)3 non-profit healthcare purchasing alliance that is licensed and regulated by but operated independently of the State of Colorado.

Our mission is to leverage the negotiating power of an entire community to bring more affordable healthcare to individuals, families, and businesses.

• We are owned by our members, including individuals, insured, and self-funded groups, funded by a member access fee included in premiums.
• Our operations are funded by a member access fee included in premiums.
• For the 2022 plan year, Peak’s ACA-compliant plans are carried by Bright HealthCare in 8 counties across Colorado, including Dolores, Grand, Lake, La Plata, Montezuma, Park, San Juan, and Summit.
• Peak is not an insurance company, TPA, or medical provider.

How Peak Works

By analyzing local claims data, Peak identifies what residents in a community are paying for care. It then uses this analysis as a starting point for negotiation with hospitals and carriers. We then negotiate and design ACA-compliant plans based on each community’s needs.

Because Peak does not bear risk, we solicit bids from carriers to carry and offer our plans in the regions we serve. For the self-insured, Peak offers access to its negotiated rates directly to the employer’s chosen third-party administrator.

Building Success with Local Leadership

Each county we serve has different needs, different cost drivers, and different approaches to providing care. To ensure success, we rely on local steering committees that play a vital role in building locally focused solutions and help maintain strong community connections and build strong provider relationships.

Real Insurance, Real Results

Although our focus is on local care, Peak members have access to ANY medically necessary care—even when it cannot be provided in their community. Our statewide network of hospitals includes not only the entire Centura statewide network, but also University Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado.

Peak has saved more than $10 million dollars across the communities it serves. It means money that would have been spent on premiums can flow back into the economy.

Beyond simply reducing premiums, Peak focuses on expanding access to providers of critical services with innovative plan designs that include options like dental and vision, unlimited primary care visits, flat-rate imaging, and free behavioral health therapy visits. 

A Full Suite of Options for Business

Peak has played a role in helping small businesses of nearly any size offer health insurance—often for the first time— through ICHRA, an innovative, tax-free reimbursement program that helps control cost and maximize choice. Peak also offers health insurance solutions for businesses of any size, including group and self-funded plans.

Why it Works

Peak’s emphasis on data and analytics and the strength of its membership gives it the ability to work directly with local doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers. 

By partnering with employers, local hospitals, providers, and community leaders, Peak builds more robust, cost-effective plans for communities. They ensure good coverage and access to local care without the barriers imposed by out-of-reach premiums, copays, and deductibles.

Click to learn more on our FAQ page.