The Springfield, Oregon—based regional insurer says provider consolidation is making it harder to keep health care costs down — and challenging to expand its footprint. It will focus on its Oregon, Idaho and Montana markets instead.
After problems led to thousands of Oregonians incorrectly disenrolled, the state has made fixes, restored coverage and will soon resume eligibility checks that were on hold during the pandemic
Feb 22
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The Capitol Building in Salem.
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JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT
New psychiatric, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities must prove their services are needed, but critics and supporters disagree on the certification system’s effects
Feb 15
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Sterling Hanakahi, 73, and Anita Hanakahi, 70, of Tillamook say they were blindsided when Texas-based U.S. Renal Care executives announced they would close their kidney dialysis center in the coastal community Feb. 23. Anita has relied on the center for the past nine years. For her and 10 other local patients, she said, local dialysis treatment is a matter of life and death.
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COURTESY OF ANITA HANAKAHI
Leaders of a California-based Medicare Advantage plan called SCAN Group and CareOregon, the Portland-based insurer that oversees government-funded care for 500,000 low-income Oregonians, said criticisms of their proposed merger don't recognize its benefits or the risks of inaction. The companies haven't disclosed long-term plans due to antitrust rules, they said — but growth is the goal.
Starting in 2024, the Central Oregon health system will no longer be considered in-network for Humana, HealthNet and WellCare — affecting about 6,000 seniors