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Category: Naturopathic Medicine
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Updates from the Oregon Health Policy Board Public Forum on Health System Transformation
It is with great anticipation that I awaited the beginning of the Oregon Health Policy Board meeting. This follows on the heels of great news from Dr Bill Walters ND on The Integrator Blog that a naturopathic midwife was recently credentialed with a Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) with more to be added in the new year.As would be expected when attempting to coordinate wide accessibility for the meeting, it took a few minutes to be successfully up and running. Fortunately, the experiment of offering both live streaming and satellite locations allowed for over 200 web participants, 5 satellite locations throughout the state. Being a participant at this meeting, it was very encouraging to hear that there was a desire to include practitioners such as naturopathic physicians, licensed midwives, and other professions from Community Advisory Council’s to the Coordinated Care Organizations, members of the Oregon Health Policy Board, community members and representatives from professional organizations.
The Oregon Health Policy Board is still taking public comments at [email protected] with the subject: Health System Transformation Feedback. You can also send written testimony to the Oregon Health Policy Board at 500 Summer St. NE. Salem, OR 97301.
Here in Southern Oregon, individuals on the Oregon Health Plan’s Open Card can be seen at All Paths Naturopathy & Midwifery while we continue to work towards credentialing with one of the local Coordinated Care Organizations in the next year.
Stay Tuned!
Keep sharing your support for Oregon’s Medicaid patients to have the right to choose naturopathic doctors as their primary care physicians. -
Preserving patients right to choose licensed practitioners with the new changes to the Oregon Health Plan
As many may or may not have heard, Oregon has already begun to change the way it manages state medicaid patients. There are a number of modifications that are being implemented at different points in time and to attempt to explain everything here is not feasible at this point in time. What I can provide is a brief summary with what has already happened and some of the soon coming changes.Why change:
In order to help manage increasing health care costs and streamline care provided by a number of professional types. The hope and plan is that individuals requiring care for physical, mental and dental health and wellness can receive the care they need in an efficient and cost effective manner.
What is changing:
As of November 1st, 2012 many individuals on the Oregon Health Plan Open Card were transitioned to a regionally managed Coordinated Care Organization. Fortunately as a result of much hard by the Oregon Association of Naturopathic Physicians work Governor’s office and the Oregon Health Authority are allowing current open card members to continue care with their naturopathic physicians
What will be changing:
January 1st, 2013 new open cards will not be issued expect for special populations including First People’s and some individuals receiving both medicaid and medicare.
What this means:
Licensed providers who were seeing patients under the open card or were fee for service providers will not be able to continue the therapeutic relationships already established.
Who is affected:
Naturopathic Physicians, Licensed Direct Entry Midwives, possibly others.
What can be done:
The next meeting of the Oregon Health Policy Board will be December 11th, 2012, there is a public comment period which ends December 5, 2012. They are asking comments to be sent to [email protected] by Dec. 7 with the subject: Health System Transformation Feedback. You can also send written testimony to the Oregon Health Policy Board at 500 Summer St. NE. Salem, OR 97301.