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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories District board says it won't levy maximum tax rate after all Ashland gets new city parks director Man who tried to blow up DA's office faces 15 years in prison All evacuation advisories lifted for Rogue River Drive fire Jackson County plans low-cost pet vaccination clinic Crime, Courts and Emergency Services All evacuation advisories lifted for Rogue River Drive fire Emergency Services Fire levels historic Phoenix house Medford rainfall hits record, halts fire Short, masked man with a sickle robs Mini Pet Mart Politics and Elections Commissioner Skundrick plans final four town hall meetings Medford eyes electronic sign visual pollution Medford council veterans plan exit Medical marijuana patients run for council seat Former colleagues laud Atiyeh's 'practical' leadership Education Middle schoolers get a taste of college living Abraham Lincoln Elementary parents raise money for new playground State treasurer stumps for educational endowment measure Free meals program expands in Grants Pass Migrant student numbers soar Environment Stressed but off life support Rogue watershed councils plan to merge West Nile Virus found in mosquitoes collected near Central Point State news Nation - World Obituaries Michael Francis Cole Jr. Homer K. Kessler Death Notices Charlotte Beeson Toon Mary Louise (Dickey) Simpson Weather Photo Galleries Videos Web Cams Sports Latest Stories Manfred elected the next MLB commissioner (No heading) Beavers have a heated red zone session (No heading) Thompson Tradition Varsity 541 College Sports Beavers have a heated red zone session Thompson Tradition SOU men picked first, women second in CCC Freshman Hawkins catching on at OSU Running down Heisman contenders not named Jameis Pro Sports Manfred elected the next MLB commissioner (No heading) (No heading) Record Pace Controversial call helps Giants top White Sox Community Sports Results / Standings Second season a success for Rogues Runners defend titles in Mt. Ashland Hill Climb Locals shine in Dwarf Car Nationals opener Mustangs rout Alaska in opener Business Latest Stories If there's a way to fund energy savings, they'll find it Oregon's unemployment rate holds steady Blog: Big boy investors chasing after Grocery Outlet Blog: Once Upon A Time... Blog: AmericanWest owners seeking ways to cash out Real Estate News Median residential housing prices rise 10.7 percent, but may begin to level out People In Business People in business Transportation Medford airport has second-best June ever Agriculture Hail has local pear growers checking for damage Del Rio plans to add 50% more plants Harry & David sets sights on year-round operations Opinion Latest Letters to the Editor, Aug. 14 Our View: Cheers and Jeers George Will: Is the U.S. leaping into a new void? Dana Milbank: Golfing as the world burns Letters to the Editor, Aug. 13 Editorials Our View: Cheers and Jeers Our View: Police body cams provide a valuable tool Other Views: Curbing campus assaults Our View: Dark money flows into Oregon Our View: Cheers and jeers Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Aug. 14 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 13 Letters to the Editor Tuesday, Aug. 12 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 11 Letters to the Editor, Aug. 10 Guest Opinions Who I am and why I want to serve on the City Council City council members should be paid Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: Spur quicker consumption with quick pickling Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East - Part three of four Dutch ovens are a versatile way to cook outdoors Matt’s Favorite Pie Crust Peach Pie Food Community blog: Spur quicker consumption with quick pickling Dutch ovens are a versatile way to cook outdoors Matt’s Favorite Pie Crust Peach Pie Southwestern Baked Chicken Home and Garden Lawn talk Tips for keeping backyard birds cool this summer Bath time for the birds: You can help them stay cool and clean Learn to pick produce at the peak of ripeness Support the mycorrhizae! It could help your plants Health Community blog:Can We Define Quality Health Care? Patient numbers double at local clinics Shaking that plumb-tuckered feeling Community blog:Maybe the Movies Will Lead the Way Asante plans to open big outpatient clinic in Grants Pass Faith Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East - Part three of four Religion briefs Community Blog: Is Peace Possible in the Middle East part 2 Religion briefs Community Blog: Peace: The inward passage - by Bonnie Greenwell Milestones and Achievements Century Club New Arrivals Wedding: Schulman-Nadolny Stuss-Bones Births Tempo Latest stories 5 Things to Do This Weekend Third Fridays art walk in Medford Film festival kicks off annual 'Daedalus Project' Review: The joy of 'Godspell' is infectious Delta Halos and The Lures at Club 66 Theater Film festival kicks off annual 'Daedalus Project' Review: The joy of 'Godspell' is infectious Randall Theatre opens 'Godspell' Entertainment 'on the bricks' at OSF 'Shrek' comes to the stage as a musical Music Review: Béla Fleck pairs his banjo with Britt orchestra Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra at Pear Blossom Park Duke Street: 'On the Fly' Fleck to perform banjo concerto Sweet Ghosts at Oberon's Community Events 5 Things to Do This Weekend Dining Basil & Berries India Palace Taco Riendo Uber Herbal Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW OREGON HEALTH PLAN Patient numbers double at local clinics By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 11, 2014 @ 6:17 pm Updated Aug 12, 2014 at 2:03 PM By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 11, 2014 @ 6:17 pm Updated Aug 12, 2014 at 2:03 PM » Social News Almost 30 percent of Jackson County residents are on the Oregon Health Plan after enrollment surged during the rollout of the Affordable Care Act. With a population of 208,000, the county has 62,000 residents on the health plan for low-income Oregonians; 24,000 of them have signed up since December, according to the Oregon Health Plan. This explosive growth has been felt at doctor’s offices, hospitals and at two local organizations — La Clinica and Community Health Center — that are adding new staff and clinics to keep up with demand. La Clinica has more than doubled its OHP medical patients, from 5,000 at the end of last year to 11,000 now. The clinic also has seen an increase in dental patients covered under the plan. “It is rapid growth,” said Julie Wurth, communications director for La Clinica. To keep up with the demand, La Clinica has been hiring new doctors and nurse practitioners and will be hiring two more in the near future. A new health center at 730 Biddle Road should open next spring and will require hiring five additional doctors or nurse practitioners. La Clinica has 14 locations, which include seven at area schools, one mobile unit and six offices. Nick Cleveland, a 25-year-old Phoenix resident, signed up for the OHP last year. He works part-time as a cook and went to La Clinica for a checkup that was required as part of the signup. “It’s a really good thing in case I get sick and need it,” he said. Cleveland, who lives with his grandmother, said he found out in early January that he qualified. Both La Clinica and Community Health Center anticipate they will see 11,000 new OHP clients by the end of the year. William North, chief executive officer for Community Health Center, said the number of medical patients at his eight clinics who qualify for the OHP has doubled since last year, from 3,750 to 7,500. North said many patients who were previously uninsured now qualify for the health plan. Other patients who had sporadic access to medical care or who have chronic issues that worsened are seeking treatment now, he said. “We encourage them to come in and get a baseline physical,” he said. The two clinics that his organization operates provide orientations to help patients navigate the health care system. “It reduces anxiety about not knowing how the system works,” he said. North said he expects more patients will sign up, particularly in Jackson County, which has one of the highest per capita rates of those qualifying for the plan in the state. “It has a very high level of poverty,” he said. Karynn Fish, spokeswoman for the Oregon Health Authority, said her agency expected a surge of enrollees. “It’s not that it’s been more than anticipated,” she said. “It’s been sooner than we expected.” Fish said the state’s simplified enrollment process has made it more attractive for patients to sign up quickly. In a state with a population of almost 4 million residents, there are 971,000 who have signed up for the Oregon Health Plan, or almost one out of every four residents. Since Jan. 1, there have been 357,5000 new residents who have signed up. Fish said the federal government is picking up the costs to run the program as part of the Affordable Care Act. Reach reporter Damian Mann at 541-776-4476 or [email protected] . Follow on Twitter at @reporterdm. By Damian Mann Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Damian Mann Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 11, 2014 @ 6:17 pm Updated Aug 12, 2014 at 2:03 PM » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2014 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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