Tri-County Medicaid Collaborative Lauds Federal Investment in Oregon Health Care

For Immediate Release: Friday, May 04, 2012

Members of the Tri-County Medicaid Collaborative today praised a federal plan to invest $1.9 billion into better care for people on the Oregon Health Plan. On May 2, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services gave preliminary approval to investing into coordinated care organizations over the next five years.

Coordinated care organizations, or CCOs, are the centerpiece of Oregon's health reform. On April 30, members of the Tri-County Medicaid Collaborative applied to the Oregon Health Authority to become a CCO. The Collaborative is a unique partnership of hospitals, health plans and counties working to form this hub for Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties.

The CCO will make it easier for people to make doctors' appointments and get the right test and medication at the right time. The goal is to catch health problems early, follow up and get people the care they need before they're in crisis. About 212,000 people in the tri-county area will benefit from the change.

"This is a major step toward a healthier Oregon," says Janet Meyer, interim chief executive officer for the Collaborative. "This is an investment in all our futures."

Sponsors of the Tri County Medicaid Collaborative are: Adventist Health, CareOregon, Clackamas County, Kaiser Permanente, Legacy Health, Metro Area Community Health Centers, Multnomah County, Oregon Health & Science University, Oregon Medical Association, Oregon Nurses Association, Providence Health & Services, Tuality Healthcare, and Washington County.

The public can learn more about the Tri-County Medicaid Collaborative at two upcoming public meetings.

• In Hillsboro on Monday, May 14, at 6 p.m. at the Public Services Building Auditorium, 155 N. 1st Ave.
• In Oregon City on Tuesday, May 22, at 6 p.m. at Clackamas Community College, Gregory Forum Building, 19600 Molalla Ave.

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