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Keep health reforms that work, save money By Jennifer Lind Jan 22, 2017 12:00 AM A A When Jackson Care Connect member Kelleni Camacho of Medford took steps to improve her health, she brought her whole family with her. When Oregon set out to improve Medicaid for our most vulnerable residents, like Kelleni, we brought along whole communities. Today, 95 percent of Oregonians have health insurance and 98 percent of children are covered, thanks to the Affordable Care Act. The ACA created more ways for people to get health insurance, including expansion of Medicaid to more working poor families. Oregon’s unique approach to Medicaid — the Oregon Health Plan — has gained national attention for improving quality and member satisfaction while curbing costs. Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs), which deliver the Oregon Health Plan, have made even more progress: 50 percent more members have primary care medical homes. Avoidable emergency room visits dropped by 50 percent. Hospital readmissions have been cut by one-third. Oregon accomplished this while avoiding $1.3 billion in Medicaid costs since 2013. We kept cost growth to 3.4 percent a year, compared to 9.7 percent growth for Medicaid nationally. Coverage under the ACA helps more people receive regular, ongoing care. As a result, the use of high-cost emergency room visits declined. Also, untreated chronic diseases that used to result in radically expensive late-stage treatment are being addressed earlier, with lower costs and better outcomes for patients. Oregon’s special CCO formula goes further. We have the freedom not only to cover medical care, but to improve conditions that create wellness and lower health costs. Current ACA and Medicaid funding methods help Jackson Care Connect make wellness a priority everywhere — not just at the doctor’s office. Jackson Care Connect partners with a Medford nonprofit on a program to help members target some root causes of poor health. Our member Kelleni entered the program, where she learned nutrition and fitness methods that helped her shed more than 100 pounds. Her health is greatly improved today, and for life. She brought these nutritional changes into her home and improved her entire family’s health, even her son’s school performance. Notably, Kelleni, who used to need emergency room treatments two to six times per month for multiple chronic medical conditions before her program, has used the emergency room only once in the past year. By investing in a holistic approach to health and wellness, we are reducing medical costs overall while significantly improving people's lives. Jackson County benefits from the ACA in other ways, such as the requirement for mental and behavioral health coverage. This gives us the resources to help our Jackson County members with opioid and other addictions. When affected individuals and their families recover from addiction, all become better able to work, succeed in school, contribute to their communities and stay healthy. Jackson County has a lot at stake in seeing a smooth transition from the current Medicaid coverage provided under ACA to the next set of policies aiming to improve our citizens’ health. We are fortunate to be represented by Congressman Greg Walden, who has worked on behalf of rural Oregonians in the southern and eastern parts of the state for almost two decades. The committee he leads is charged with developing meaningful solutions for publicly funded health care. This work is critical to rural residents, where in some areas as many as 40 percent of people rely on Medicaid for health care. The loss of coverage could create a tidal wave for our working families and their local economies. The ACA has not been a perfect solution for everyone. But Jackson Care Connect is a witness to the good that the ACA and current Medicaid funding have done in our communities. Our county has benefited by having more of our family and friends get health coverage: 92 percent, compared to only 80 percent before 2014. The Oregon Health Plan — through CCOs working with local providers — has delivered on the promise of more coverage, better care and reduced spending. Change must preserve the gains we have made. As Congress takes up repeal of the ACA, we hope Congressman Walden and his colleagues find in Oregon a proven example of how state and federal policy can work together for the benefit of communities like Jackson County, and individual Oregon Health Plan members like Kelleni. — Jennifer Lind is the CEO of Jackson Care Connect, a CareOregon company and nonprofit coordinated care organization serving more than 30,000 residents who are Oregon Health Plan members.