Initiative for Affordable Health Care in Eagle County

Vail Valley Partnership (VVP) is a non-profit development organization focused on ensuring the community’s well-being and economic vitality by striving to make their region an attractive place to live and work. Back in 2019, they took on the challenge of tackling high health insurance premiums in Eagle County, which were among the highest in the country. They developed a comprehensive strategy centered on analyzing utilization and cost patterns, culminating in creating a regional purchasing alliance. The initiative sought to offer more affordable and sustainable health coverage options for individuals and employers in the area.

Vital to their plan was analyzing claims data from 2020-2021, sourced from the Colorado All Payer Claims Database (CO APCD). They combined this with existing data to spot trends in utilization and costs when compared to communities like Denver and the Front Range. By assessing Eagle County’s risk profile, VVP hoped to work closely with payers, providers, and employer groups to understand the unique health care challenges and opportunities in the region. Another key aspect of this project was understanding patient migration patterns—specifically, where residents sought care inside and outside the county—and pinpointing the services that prompted these movements.

Key Research Questions

The VVP wanted to answer several critical questions:

• Cost Analysis of Self-Insured Plans: How do the costs associated with self-insured employer plans in Eagle County compared to those in surrounding counties and other regions in Colorado?
• Identifying Cost Drivers: What were the primary cost drivers in Eagle County?
• Regional Cost Comparisons: How did the costs in Eagle County stack up against those in Summit County and a selected Front Range community?

Commitment to Inclusive Care

The Mountain Healthcare Coalition unites community stakeholders, including Vail Health, local governments, and businesses, to develop localized health care solutions that support both residents and businesses. It concentrates on providing affordable insurance options and addressing the unique needs of the county’s aging population.

By leveraging CO APCD data and forming a regional purchasing alliance, VVP’s project not only tackled immediate challenges in Eagle County but also set a precedent for other communities in Colorado. They focused on local solutions while uniting community stakeholders to make health care more affordable and accessible to everyone in their region.