Client overview
Rocky Mountain Health Plans (RMHP) is a Colorado-based, not-for-profit health insurance carrier founded in 1974. Headquartered in Grand Junction, RMHP has grown to serve individuals, families, employers, and government program beneficiaries across the state. The organization is recognized as the Regional Accountable Entity (RAE) for Colorado’s Region 1, coordinating physical, behavioral, and social health needs for more than 200,000 Medicaid members.
RMHP stands apart through its deep community roots and commitment to improving health outcomes in western Colorado. By partnering with providers, local organizations, and state agencies, RMHP invests in programs that address whole-person health, reduce disparities, and strengthen the communities it serves.
In 2016, RMHP was acquired by UnitedHealthcare, giving the organization access to greater resources while maintaining its mission-driven focus on local communities.
Challenge
Colorado periodically recompetes its Regional Accountable Entity contracts. Phase II ran from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2025, and Phase III launched on July 1, 2025 following awards announced in September 2024. These cycles are multi-year rather than annual, and the new Phase III awards follow a formal RFP with an anticipated term of up to seven years.
Winning or retaining a RAE region rests on a comprehensive proposal that proves both operational strength and forward strategy.
Colorado’s RAE RFP scoring looks at licensing and regulatory readiness, organizational experience, key personnel, network development and management, member engagement and grievances, population health and care coordination plans, provider support and payment strategy, data and analytics, quality improvement, and compliance programs.
Incumbents are judged not only on plans for the next phase but also on demonstrated performance against required measures. The state defines key performance indicators such as total cost of care, emergency department use for ambulatory-sensitive conditions, well visits, behavioral health engagement, prenatal care, dental visits, obesity rates, and health neighborhood connections. RAEs are measured and publicly reported on these areas and must maintain behavioral health base standards.
Performance and compliance are audited during the term. Annual compliance reviews assess adherence to federal managed care rules and contract requirements and can trigger Corrective Action Plans for any partially met or unmet standards. This creates a documented track record that becomes relevant when contracts are rebid.
This procurement is also unusual from a marketing perspective. Most states contract with private managed care organizations through models that differ from Colorado’s RAE structure. Colorado’s RAEs are described as a unique approach to Medicaid administration, which limits direct analogs for
Our Strategy
Colorado’s RAE RFP scoring looks at licensing and regulatory readiness, organizational experience, key personnel, network development and management, member engagement and grievances, population health and care coordination plans, provider support and payment strategy, data and analytics, quality improvement, and compliance programs.
Incumbents are judged not only on plans for the next phase but also on demonstrated performance against required measures. The state defines key performance indicators such as total cost of care, emergency department use for ambulatory-sensitive conditions, well visits, behavioral health engagement, prenatal care, dental visits, obesity rates, and health neighborhood connections. RAEs are measured and publicly reported on these areas and must maintain behavioral health base standards.
Performance and compliance are audited during the term. Annual compliance reviews assess adherence to federal managed care rules and contract requirements and can trigger Corrective Action Plans for any partially met or unmet standards. This creates a documented track record that becomes relevant when contracts are rebid.
This procurement is also unusual from a marketing perspective. Most states contract with private managed care organizations through models that differ from Colorado’s RAE structure. Colorado’s RAEs are described as a unique approach to Medicaid administration, which limits direct analogs for
Solution
The RMHP Mission-in-Action paid media campaign was designed to guide stakeholders through a complete journey, beginning with broad awareness and narrowing to precise engagement with those most influential in the RFP process.
Top-of-funnel visibility was driven by Connected TV and YouTube, where video and banner placements introduced RMHP’s community impact stories at scale. These channels ensured that the six campaign pillars reached audiences across Colorado, with targeting segments refined to include government professionals, healthcare workers, policy groups, and UnitedHealthcare members.
Mid-funnel engagement was supported by Meta, where In-Feed and Stories placements encouraged users to explore campaign landing pages. A Denver Metro audience was created to concentrate impressions around the state capitol, where the majority of decision makers live and work. This group showed particularly strong interaction with the Mission in Action content, validating the strategy of pairing geographic focus with storytelling.
At the most targeted level, LinkedIn allowed us to reach specific organizations and job titles tied to the RFP selection committee. In-Feed ads and Conversation ads were deployed, giving us both broad visibility within professional feeds and the ability to deliver personalized messaging directly into inboxes. This approach made LinkedIn the most effective channel for aligning community impact stories with the people who would ultimately influence the RAE decision.
Together, these tactics ensured that RMHP’s stories were consistently visible across screens, from living rooms to social feeds to professional networks, creating a steady drumbeat of community impact ahead of the RFP rebid.
Services Provided
Campaign Strategy and Planning
Creative Production (Video + Blogs)
Landing Page Development
Paid Media Strategy and Management
Audience Targeting
Custom List Building
Organic and Paid Distribution
Reporting and Analysis
Results
The greatest accomplishment of this campaign was the creation of a suite of powerful community stories that brought RMHP’s impact to life in a way that had never been done before. These videos and written features gave stakeholders a human view into how RMHP investments translate into healthier communities, stronger organizations, and support for the most vulnerable Coloradans.
Once created, the stories became an always-on asset for RMHP. They were featured across organic channels throughout 2023 and 2024, building a steady drumbeat of visibility and credibility. To ensure they reached the audiences that mattered most, the stories were also supported with targeted paid media across YouTube, Connected TV, Meta, and LinkedIn. This allowed RMHP to reinforce its position with key decision makers through a thoughtful cadence of touchpoints rather than a single campaign burst.
The combination of organic distribution and paid amplification created a cumulative effect. RMHP was able to consistently showcase its leadership in health equity, innovation, and rural expertise while maintaining a strong presence in front of the stakeholders whose confidence was essential for the RAE rebid.
This effort ultimately supported RMHP in retaining its designation as the Regional Accountable Entity for Region 1 of Colorado.
Outcomes Included:
- More than 19 million impressions
- Over 3 million unique users reached
- 67,000 clicks generated across channels
- Sustained distribution of stories on RMHP’s owned channels through 2023 and 2024
- Paid media boosts that strategically dripped content to stakeholders throughout 2024
- Successful retention of RAE Region 1 through the 2024 rebid process
IMPRESSIONS
Unique USERS REACHED
Clicks generated
The campaign showed how a community-anchored health plan can use storytelling not only to retain its role as a Regional Accountable Entity, but also to preserve its ability to invest in innovative solutions and deliver exceptional care in the unique context of rural communities.