A Grand Junction-based organization has been awarded a contract to provide health care coverage to Mesa County School District 51 employees.

The Mesa County School Board voted to enter into final contract negotiations with Monument Health to provide tier 1 health care services to district employees. A clinically integrated network, Monument Health works with health care providers and insurance companies to improve health care outcomes and lower costs.

The contract is expected to offer District 51 savings as well as save employees and their families as much as $3,500 a year in lower health insurance premiums. 

“Our plan will allow D 51 to balance its budget in one year and then sustain those savings by focusing on preventive, value-based care for its employees. This is a big win for everyone,” said Dr. Michael Pramenko chief medical officer for Monument Health.

Ashley Thurow, executive director of Monument Health, said she’s excited to deepen the relationship between the organization and School District 51. “It is a privilege to serve District 51 as their partner in employee wellness and well-being. We know the best health care is the kind that you never need to receive. Prevention is so important, and the cost savings from preventing unnecessary health care expenses will directly and positively impact D 51’s budget, which allows the district to stay in control of its health insurance premiums and to relocate dollars back into classrooms.”

Monument Health promotes improved outcomes and lower spending by guaranteeing access to primary care providers, encouraging annual exams and educating members on where to go for care.

Thurow said those efforts result in lower insurance premiums. For 2022,
co-branded products on the Connect for Health Colorado insurance exchange sold by Rocky Mountain Health Plans, a UnitedHealthcare company, were on average 8 percent lower than they were in 2021.

In addition to health care services, Monument Health also will provide its Good Life Wellness Solutions package to District 51 employees to support workplace wellness.

The new benefits plan will take effect Jan. 1. Open enrollment for district employees is scheduled to begin Oct. 1.

The single-source plan will replace a dual-option plan that also included Community Hospital in Grand Junction.

Thurow said the new plan will save District 51 money that can be used for other purposes. “We are parents and members of this community, too, and we are extremely humbled and proud to be able to save precious district resources that can be reinvested back into achieving D 51’s core mission to engage, equip and empower our kids and teachers.”

Chris Thomas, president and chief executive officer of Community Hospital, said the hospital submitted what he described as aggressive proposals to provide health care coverage, but didn’t match the proposal from Monument Health.

Thomas said he’s grateful, though, for the relationship between District 51 and Community Hospital. 

The district and hospital entered into a public and private partnership in 2012 to extend health care benefits to School District 51 and other organizations. The partnership offered access to primary care providers and specialists as well as savings on the most-prescribed drugs and incentives for people to control diabetes. The program also saved School District 51 millions of dollars on health care coverage, he said. “It was really rewarding work.”

Community Hospital will continue to advocate for choice in health care, Thomas said. School District 51 employees can choose to use Community Hospital as a provider, he said, although they’ll face different deductible and co-pay levels.