What if the solution to Southern Oregon’s healthcare affordability crisis already existed—and was working in markets just like ours?

In this final episode of the series, we break down the most promising strategy for reducing healthcare costs in Southern Oregon: employer purchasing alliances.

Across the country, groups of employers are joining forces to negotiate better healthcare pricing, implement direct primary care, eliminate pharmacy middlemen, and redesign benefits around value instead of dysfunction.

The results? Lower premiums. Lower deductibles. Lower out-of-pocket costs. Better care.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How employer purchasing alliances create leverage small businesses can’t achieve alone • Why markets like Wisconsin, Montana, Idaho, and Colorado have reduced costs 13–17% using this model • How Direct Primary Care improves outcomes while lowering overall spending • Why reference-based pricing can cut surgical costs by 25–40% • How transparent PBM carve-outs reduce prescription spending • What it would take to build a successful employer alliance in Southern Oregon • How these reforms could save a typical local family over $5,000 per year

The bottom line: Southern Oregon’s healthcare crisis is not unsolvable. The economics are clear. The models already exist.

What remains is coordination—and the willingness of employers, policymakers, providers, and community leaders to act.

If you care about healthcare reform, employer-sponsored insurance, direct primary care, or the future of Southern Oregon’s economy, this episode is essential listening.