Taking the mystery out of the letters C, C, and O [Statewide]

The alphabet soup of government program names can be confusing. This post is intended to keep Oregon Health Plan recipients from scratching their heads when they hear the term “CCO” tossed around.

CCO stands for Coordinated Care Organization. Local communities across the state are setting them up right now. The intent of the CCO is to make health care for the state’s 650,000 OHP recipients more seamless than it has been in the past, thanks to an infusion of $1.9 billion from the federal government over the next five years.

The most important thing to remember is that OHP medical benefits will not change once the CCOs start to operate, which will be as early as August in some areas of the state. Premiums or copayments will not change, either.

What exactly is a CCO?

Coordinated Care Organizations are networks of all types of health care providers who offer care for physical, mental or dental conditions. They have agreed to work together in their local communities to help OHP members get and stay healthy. CCOs will focus on prevention and helping people manage chronic conditions, like diabetes.

Will I notice that anything is different?

The goal of CCOs is to improve the communication among OHP clients’ health care providers and make it easier to receive better care. Because this system of coordinated care is thought to be superior to the existing way of delivering health care, all OHP members will be asked to join. If you have an OHP plan and you like your current health care providers, every effort will be made to ensure that you continue to receive care from them. Once you are part of the network, you will notice one major difference: You will have one plan that covers all of your healthcare needs, whether it is to get a tooth checked or make sure your blood pressure medicine is working. That is because your local CCO will manage all of your care.

What if I don’t have a doctor?

Under CCOs, OHP clients who don’t currently have access to patient-centered care will have more options available. The vision is that additional services and supports will be in place for OHP clients who have chronic conditions or other health issues.

How will I find out when my community has a CCO?

Once your local CCO is set up, you will be notified at least 30 days before it goes into effect about what you need to do to join.