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Oregon Wants To Know What The Public Thinks About CCOs

The Oregon Health Authority is asking the public to say what it likes, dislikes and wants to change about the state’s 15 coordinated care organizations.

The CCOs were set up in 2012. But their contracts run out at the end of next year, and the state wants to know how they should change.

Should mental and physical health be better coordinated? Is there inequity in the system?

The survey is online until April 15.

The chair of the Oregon Health Policy Board, Zeke Smith, said the board is particularly interested in things that aren’t usually addressed in the doctor’s office.

“We want to figure out how we can move toward addressing what are called the social determinants of health, things like housing and things like education — so those pieces of a person’s life that really affect their health but are not about their relationship with their doctor or their health care system,” Smith said.

Oregon’s CCOs have been relatively successful, saving $2.2 billion in health care costs since inception.

The big unknown is how new policies introduced by the Trump administration could change the system.

Copyright 2018 Oregon Public Broadcasting

Kristian Foden-Vencil is a reporter and producer for Oregon Public Broadcasting. He specializes in health care, business, politics, law and public safety.