FRISCO, Colo. (AP) - Colorado’s largest health care provider ended negotiations to enter a community health care alliance in southwest Colorado.
Centura Health has effectively dropped out of negotiations to collaborate with Southwest Health Alliance to negotiate rates with insurers and provide plans directly to consumers, Summit Daily News reported Tuesday.
Centura instead will offer its own discounted plan promising 20% savings from previous offerings.
Southwest Health Alliance is an offshoot of Summit County’s Peak Health Alliance.
Centura made the announcement with a paid advertisement in the weekend edition of The Durango Herald newspaper.
Centura owns and operates Mercy Regional Medical Center, one of Durango and southwest Colorado’s largest hospitals.
There was no single solution that worked for all Colorado communities, Centura officials said in a statement.
Peak Health CEO Tamara Pogue said Southwest Health Alliance worked with Centura for three months on a deal and made the announcement at the time when the state required Southwest Health Alliance to submit 2021 rates for approval, Pogue said.
“They were aware we would have to have the fee negotiations and rate schedules wrapped up this week,” Pogue said. “They made the decision seemingly last minute and didn’t give us many options moving forward.”
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