The only Colorado psychiatric hospital west of the Front Range will stay open for the foreseeable future after the community mental health center that owns the facility reached a deal with its main insurance payer. Mind Springs Health, which provides mental health services for much of western Colorado, announced Wednesday that it had reached a deal with Rocky Mountain Health Plans for a contract in the fiscal year starting in July. Mind Springs said the two sides also came to an agreement about a dispute over whether the insurer had overpaid West Springs Hospital.
“This new agreement with RMHP removes the immediacy of West Springs Hospital possibly closing,” Mind Springs said in a statement, which didn’t provide any financial details about the agreements. Mind Springs leadership had said in mid-April that the Grand Junction hospital . West Springs is one of only 11 psychiatric hospitals in Colorado.
Rocky Mountain Health Plans, which administers Medicaid on the Western Slope, didn’t answer questions about the agreements, but released a statement saying it was “pleased” with the outcome. “Our top priority is ensuring the communities we serve on the Western Slope have access to high-quality care. We are grateful for the time and support from community and state leaders in achieving this agreement,” the statement said.
Mind Springs had asked the state for $6.6 million, saying it had burned through its cash reserves while fixing problems agencies had identified in.
