Thursday, June 28, 2012

Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization Approved by the State


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 


Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization Approved by State 

On June 28, 2012, the Oregon Health Authority has provisionally approved Columbia Pacific
Coordinated Care Organization’s application to serve as a Coordinated Care Organization
Columbia Pacific CCO will serve Medicaid/Oregon Health Plan (OHP) recipients in Clatsop,
Columbia, Tillamook counties and parts of Coos and Douglas counties.
CCOs are key to the state’s groundbreaking effort to reinvent health care in Oregon. The goal is
to bring all types of health care providers, including medical, behavioral health, addiction
treatment—and soon dental—under a single umbrella to better serve individual communities.
Then, to put patients at the center of the health team, to reinvent care in a way that meets the
individual’s needs.
CareOregon and Greater Oregon Better Health Initiative (GOBHI) are partnering with
communities, social service agencies, providers and OHP members to form the Columbia
Pacific CCO. Since 1994, CareOregon has served OHP recipients in rural as well as urban
communities, with a current membership of approximately 160,000. GOBHI has a long history of
serving behavioral health needs in rural Oregon and has approximately 70,000 members.
“You should be able to enter the health system at any point, and then receive the help you need
to navigate all your health needs,” says David E. Ford, CareOregon’s CEO.
Health navigators that help individuals with multiple health issues manage their care will be a
part of the new CCO. And patients who struggle with homelessness, hunger or behavioral
issues will have a support system that helps them overcome these barriers to health.
“Health care should be set up for the patient’s convenience, comfort and their individual needs,
not based on outdated payment methods,” says Ford.
For example, under the CCO umbrella, if it better fits the health issue, patients could request an
e-visit or phone call with their provider, rather than going into the office. In the past, statemandated payment structures required that a patient visit the clinic in order for the doctor to be
paid.
“The member, the family, the community will be central to Columbia Pacific CCO,” says GOHBI
CEO Kevin Campbell. “Our goal is to create a support system that meets the needs of the total person, rather than separating out the mind from the body, or primary health needs from
specialty care.
“The first thing we did was hold public meetings to garner ideas from the community. We’ll have
members represented on the governance board and very robust Community Advisory Councils
in each area. Together, we’ll create a member-centered plan that can improve patient
experiences, health outcomes, and use health funding wisely to ensure the right care at the right
time.”

For more information, contact Jeanie Lunsford.

CONTACT:  Jeanie Lunsford
503-416-3626
lunsfordj@careoregon.org



If you have questions, e-mail Columbia Pacific CCO at CCOinfo@careoregon.org
or read more at tinyURL.com/ColumbiaPacific.

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