Vail Symposium and Vail Valley Partnership present special panel program on healthcare in the valley

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Mountain peaks are not the only thing sky-high in our community: Insurance premiums in Eagle County are among the highest in the country. Healthcare, unlike a waffle iron or a hula-hoop, is not a discretionary expense. Whether it is an annual check-up, a sports injury, or a serious illness, healthcare — and access to it — impacts everyone in our valley. However, the cost of wellbeing can be more painful than the symptoms it treats.

On Thursday, June 13 at 8:30 a.m. at Colorado Mountain College in Edwards, a panel of healthcare experts and elected officials will gather together to address the pain points in our healthcare system.

“There are many local ‘hot topics’ but few are as life-impacting as health care,” said Kris Sabel, executive director of the Vail Symposium. “We’re pleased to be able to partner with the Vail Valley Partnership to bring this group together to discuss not only challenges in our community, but also solutions.”

Join us as a panel of representatives from Vail Health, Centura, Kaiser and elected officials discuss rising healthcare costs, options for care and many other healthcare issues in the valley.

“Addressing the high cost of health insurance is essential to the continued success and growth of our business community across industry sectors,” said Chris Romer, president & CEO of the Vail Valley Partnership. “A ‘yes, and…’ approach is needed to fundamentally address the issue of health insurance cost; providers, insurance companies, and the government all need to be part of the solution and niche programs need to build on each other to support community needs. We look forward to exploring this in detail with our expert panel.”

About the speakers

Brent Bowman, vice president of strategy for Kaiser Permanente Colorado, is responsible for strategic planning and marketing and is the market leader for Colorado’s Northern, Southern, and Mountain Colorado service areas. Bowman joined Kaiser Permanente Colorado in 2004 and over his career he has served in various roles in multiple regions. Bowman is also board chair for Prime Health, a Colorado-based nonprofit organization that accelerates the adoption of emerging healthcare technologies that address community and safety net needs to improve outcomes and reduce costs.

Lee Boyles, president and CEO of St. Anthony Summit Medical Center, is a transformational leader with a focus on advancing our healing ministry, driving operational outcomes and implementing innovative market strategies, all while improving the health of our communities. Boyles collaborates with key community stakeholders to improve care for patients, increase access to health care and find creative ways to deliver care outside the walls of a hospital. He takes pride in inspiring others to believe in a positive health care future for our communities while navigating the significant changes in the healthcare industry.

Will Cook is the president and chief executive officer of Vail Health, a nonprofit community health care system with 12 locations across Eagle and Summit counties. With a 56-bed hospital, level III trauma center, urgent care clinics, cancer center, cardiovascular services, surgery, childbirth, physical therapy, internal medicine, endocrinology and more, Vail Health is the world’s most modern mountain health care system.

Representative Dylan Roberts has served in the Colorado House of Representatives since 2017. He represents House District 26 (Eagle County and Routt County) and, during his time in office, he has passed over a dozen pieces of legislation. He has been the lead sponsor of the bills to create a public health insurance option, to allow for health insurance co-op formation, drug price transparency and investigation, youth mental health education and suicide prevention and more.

Chris Romer serves as president & CEO of the Vail Valley Partnership (VVP). The Vail Valley Partnership is the regional chamber of commerce, destination sales and marketing organization, and economic development organization representing Vail Valley, Colorado. Romer also dedicates his time to a variety of industry boards and committees including the Western Association of Chamber Executives, Colorado Mountain College, and the Colorado Tourism Office.

Moderator Jon Stavney, executive director of Northwest Colorado Council of Governments (NWCCOG), is passionate about improving local government through sharing information, innovations and best practices. Stavney has worked with NWCCOG since 2016, but he learned public service while “on the job” in various roles over more than twenty years including serving as Mayor of the Town of Eagle, serving as an Eagle County Commissioner and Town Manager of Eagle.

IF YOU GO…

What: Healing What Ails Us: Affordable Healthcare In Our Community

When: Thursday, June 13, 2019. Doors open at 8 a.m.; program from 8:30 – 10 a.m.

Where: Colorado Mountain College | Edwards Campus

More information: Tickets are $25 prior to midnight on the day before the program; tickets are $35 after midnight and at the door. Visit www.vailsymposium.org for more information and to purchase tickets.