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Denver School Board Extends Health Plans for 2026–27, Keeping Kaiser in Network

The move preserves access for thousands of employees during a reset of the bidding process next fall.

Overview

  • Directors voted 6–1 to continue contracts with Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare and MotivHealth through the 2026–27 school year.
  • The board ordered the district to reopen the health insurance bidding process next fall, allowing new proposals.
  • Board president Xóchitl Gaytán cast the lone no vote, warning the shift could weaken bargaining power and increase legal risk.
  • Roughly 5,800 employees and family members covered by Kaiser will keep their doctors for at least one more year.
  • Superintendent Alex Marrero declined to give a single recommendation after earlier backing a Kaiser exit, as a prior investigation found no wrongdoing and the teachers union pushed for an extension while criticizing cost projections and communication.