A nonprofit health insurance cooperative that has become one of Gov. Jared Polis’ talking points in his push to curb insurance costs in Colorado’s rural and mountain communities is adding six more counties to its coverage area.

The Sky-Hi News in Grand County reports Monday that Peak Health Alliance is expanding into Archuleta, Dolores, Grand, La Plata, Montezuma and San Juan counties, maintaining its momentum on cutting down high insurance costs in the high country.

The coop formed in Summit County late last year and has matured quickly.

The alliance was an initiative of the Summit Foundation to create a nonprofit health insurance purchasing cooperative that could leverage purchasing power with partners such as Centura Health and insurance carriers such as Rocky Mountain Health Plans and Bright Health to make health-care rates more competitive.

The governor and Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate pushed through bills to help out rural co-ops to curb insurance costs in those communities.

Polis held a ceremony with Peak Health Alliance in September to announce the efforts are expected to help curb premiums by 29% to 47%.