Upcoming Changes to Oregon CCOs (Coordinated Care Organizations)

Upcoming CCO (Coordinated Care Organization) changes in our area have been announced. This includes the addition of Trillium to tri-county options and the exit of Willamette Valley Community Health, currently serving Clackamas.

Please see the notice from the Oregon Health Authority below for details and informational links:

OHA held a webinar with stakeholders across the state on August 22 to share the latest information about CCO 2.0 and the organizations that will serve Oregon Health Plan members in 2020. The recording of the webinar is now available online.

Learn more about OHA’s communications plan for members with changes to their CCO choices, the next steps in the awards process, and what stakeholders and providers can do to support members during this transition.

The following materials are available for you to download and are posted on OHA’s CCO 2.0 website:

 

 

AASPIRE Seeking People with Autism and Caregivers to Review New Healthcare Toolkit – Opportunity to Earn $50

The Academic Autistic Spectrum Partnership in Research and Education (AASPIRE) is making a tool that people on the autism spectrum can use to tell healthcare providers important information. They are looking for people to review the tool and tell the researchers and share thoughts and impressions. The study takes about an hour. Participants can do the study over email, instant messenger chat, telephone, or, if in Portland, Oregon, in person.

You may be able to participate in one of the studies if you live in the U.S. and 1. You are an adult on the autistic spectrum or 2. You have assisted an adult on the autistic spectrum with healthcare appointments.

If you take part in the interview, you will be paid $50.

To learn more, follow the link or please contact Marcie Tedlow at
(503)494-1207 or tedlow@ohsu.edu.

Thanks to Genevieve Athens for the tip.

Dental Care Assistance for People with Disabilities Age 18 and Younger

The Doctor of Smiles Program for Special Needs Children with Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Down Syndrome and other neuromuscular conditions provides funding for dental care at the dentist of your choice for children 18 and younger.

This is sponsored by the Grottoes of North America.

Dental work must be approved BEFORE treatment will be funded (except for the initial exam, prophy, fluoride and x-rays which are paid for if the child qualifies for the program.) You can access more information including application forms at http://www.hfgrotto.org. Our local contact is Lloyd Fries, who can be reached at 503.357.6419.

Via the United Cerebral Palsy of Oregon and Southwest Washington newsletter.

Multnomah County Transition Resource Fair – April 9th in Portland

Reynolds School District in collaboration with Multnomah County School Districts presents the 2010 Multnomah County Transition Resource Fair.

Time – 10am – 6pm on April 9th, 2010

Place: Four Corners, Reynolds School District
14513 SE Stark Street, Portland, OR  97233

Independence Northwest will be sharing a table with several other metro area brokerages.

The fair will include resources on jobs, self-determination, health care, housing and training available to individuals living in Multnomah County and receiving (or preparing to receive) high school transition services.

For questions, please contact Shirley Burns (503.328.0428) or Shannon Selby (503.328.0423), the co-chairs of the 2010 Transition Resource Fair.

Local Options for the Uninsured

211 info has published a great article on local insurance options:

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, “Yes, the Uninsured Can Get Care,” Kristen Gerencher outlined health care options for the uninsured:

Lack of insurance doesn’t have to mean going without needed health care.

If you’re uninsured and seeking stop-gap care until you find coverage, you can triage your way to better health by understanding the tradeoffs of several care options.

With hundreds of thousands of people in Oregon and Southwest Washington left uninsured, we provide solutions to people seeking health care every day. It is a problem that is affecting everyone in our communities, not just those with extremely-low income. So, we thought we’d be proactive and suggest some local solutions to the issue the WSJ addressed — getting health care without having insurance. For phone numbers, addresses and more information about these services you can visit 211info.org a search your zip code and services under the “CLINIC” and “HEALTH” keywords or call 2-1-1.

The Oregon Health Plan is available for children, and some adults are being added through a lottery system. To apply, visit a DHS office or call 1-800-359-9517. Call 1-800-SAFENET to find out the address of the nearest DHS office.

Here’s a look at the types of health care available for uninsured people in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

  • Community health clinics: Sometimes called “free clinics,” these typically operate on a sliding-scale fee system based on patients’ income. Some will treat patients who are unable to pay even the sliding-scale fee. These nonprofits serve low-income uninsured people with chronic conditions such as diabetes and frequently offer other services such as immunizations. Some are specialized for specific populations, such as women or members of federally recognized Native American tribes. Many clinics have very limited hours and long wait lists for appointments. Some have walk-in services.
  • Retail clinics: These clinics, often operated by hospitals or pharmacy chains, offer walk-in visits with nurse practitioners or physician’s assistants. Prices for a visit are posted and generally are less than $100. The clinics often are open on nights and weekends. Providers can diagnose routine ailments such as flu or strep throat and prescribe medications as needed. The clinics generally don’t have doctors, diagnostic equipment such as X-rays or labs on site.
  • Urgent care centers:  Doctors provide treatment for infections, injuries, back aches and simple fractures. Prices are generally higher than those at retail clinics but may be less than $200. For example, the 211info database shows one urgent care clinic that posts its price as $55, with prescriptions and lab work costing extra. The centers often are open on nights and weekends. Doctors can stitch wounds, set broken bones, prescribe medicine for infections and treat other mid-level conditions.
  • Emergency rooms:  The most expensive option often requires long wait times for people with non-emergency conditions. Doctors have access to extensive diagnostic equipment, and people with serious conditions are often admitted to hospitals. Emergency rooms are open 24/7. People who are uninsured and low income can often request financial assistance or charity care if they need to be hospitalized.

If someone you know does not have access to the internet they can call 2-1-1 Monday-Friday 8am-6pm for answers to their health care questions.

Contributing Author: Deborah Willoughby, Call Center Specialist

National Disability News Resource

Disability Scoop is the first and only nationally focused online news organization serving the developmental disability community including autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, fragile X and intellectual disability, among others.

Five days each week Disability Scoop sifts through the clutter to provide a central, reliable source of news, information and resources. Plus, Disability Scoop is the only place to find original content and series like “Scoop Essentials” that take an in-depth look at what lies beyond the day’s headlines.

Visit Oregon Helps to Find Out What Services You’re Eligible For

Oregon Helps is an online clearinghouse that takes you through a series of questions online to determine what services you or your loved one might be eligible for. The site’s services are available in multiple languages. Check it out here.
Services covered include:

Food and Nutrition

  • Food Stamps
  • Emergency Food

Housing and Utilities

  • Federal Housing Assistance
  • Low-Income Energy Assistance (LIEAP)
  • Portland Water Bureau’s Financial Assistance Program

Children and Family Resources

  • National School Lunch Program
  • Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition Program(WIC)
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
  • Employment Related Day Care (ERDC)
Health Care

  • Oregon Health Plan

Veterans’ Services

  • VA Health Care System
  • VA/Military entitlements
  • Veterans’ Home Loans

Financial Benefits

  • Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
  • Child Tax Credit (CTC)
  • Federal Elderly/Disabled Tax Credit
  • Individual Development Accounts (IDAs)
  • Oregon’s Working Family Tax Credit
  • Oregon Dependent Care Tax Credit
  • Property Tax Deferral
  • Home Care Tax Credit
Senior and Disabled Services
  • Social Security
  • Social Security Disability Insurance
  • Supplemental Security Income
  • Medicare and Medicare Savings Program
  • Medicaid Long Term Care
  • Senior Drug Program
  • Employed Persons with Disabilities
  • Senior Farmers’ Market