FamilyCare To Close; Health Share To Add Members

PORTLAND, OR — As the second largest provider of medicaid in the state, FamilyCare Health has assisted countless Oregonians for more than 30 years; but following the nonprofit's announcement that it will shut down by the end of January, a significant number of those medicaid recipients questioned what that would mean for their future health care.

Health Share of Oregon and Oregon Health Authority (OHA) officials last week ensured their respective members in the Portland metro region will continue receiving access to various health services through FamilyCare's transition, which is expected to become official Jan. 31 — thanks in part to an agreement reached with the OHA to extend FamilyCare's services a month longer than originally planned.

"Quality mental health and substance use treatment services are critical, as are stable patient provider-relationships — and we are keenly aware that any disruption in these life-saving services would create hardship and risk for the people who count on them," Health Share Chief Executive Officer Janet Meyer said in a statement. "With newly enrolled members starting Feb. 1, we see opportunity to think about delivering services in new ways, including expansion of co-located services."

Health Share reportedly has capacity to serve all Oregon Health Plan (OHP) members in the region and already has roughly 80 percent overlap with FamilyCare's network, officials said. Health Share coverage will officially begin Feb. 1.

"We are pleased that FamilyCare has agreed to continue serving vulnerable Oregonians for another 30 days," said OHA Director Patrick Allen. "This will give us more time to transition these members into other coordinated care organizations to ensure that they can continue to see their providers and continue to receive the care they need."

Contracted services already working with Health Share include Central City Concern, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, and Lifeworks NW, among others. According to Health Share officials:

"Health Share's behavioral health initiatives and programs reflect the collaborative efforts of Health Share and its partners as they work toward a regional system, one in which mental health and addictions services are administered with standardized care management throughout the tri-county area.
By bringing together services for mental health and substance use and breaking down geographical limitations among the three counties, Health Share members can access seamless coverage and care wherever they live.

"We've worked closely with both tri-county (Coordinated Care Organizations) over the last five years," Derald Walker, president and CEO for Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, said in a statement. "We are confident that Cascadia and other agencies like ours can provide Health Share's new members with the high quality behavioral health services they deserve."

OHA officials have also begun transferring soon-to-be-former FamilyCare members to Willamette Valley Community Health and Yamhill Community Care, along with Health Share.

Ultimately, officials agree, the big takeaway for OHP/medicaid recipients is that no one will lose coverage during the transition.

"Health Share staff have been working closely with health plan partners and OHA to ensure this is a smooth transition for those who will become Health Share's newest members," Meyer said. "I also want to stress that this is a small and close-knit community, and many of us have worked together with FamilyCare employees over the years and call each other friends. FamilyCare employees have dedicated their careers to helping others, and we are coordinating with all our partners on reemployment efforts."

Health Share is currently the largest CCO in the state, working with health plans that include Providence, Kaiser Permanente, CareOregon, and Tuality.

"Health Share works with our community to connect OHP members with the care and services they need to be healthy," Meyer said. "Through this transition, we will not lose sight of our ultimate vision of a healthy community for all."

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