Missoula trustees press Bridge Health Alliance on $40 million school-insurance trust and provider pricing

Bridge Health Alliance representatives outlined to the Missoula County Public Schools Board on Nov. 11 a proposal to validate a new statewide school health trust created by statute (House Bill 332). John Doran, the alliance’s lead presenter, said the trust needs signed commitments covering at least 12,000 employees from 150 districts to qualify for a one-time $40 million legislative incentive and that participating districts would commit to a five-year participation period with an exit valve after year three if renewal costs exceed statutory thresholds.

Doran said the alliance’s strategy ties provider reimbursement to a multiple of Medicare (he cited targets near 2.2–2.3× Medicare in places), which the presenters argued would cap unit-cost growth and reduce the volatility seen in commercial pricing. “Tying pricing to Medicare gives stability — unit cost increases are constrained,” Doran said, and presenters pointed to prior state experience that…