Making health care work for absolutely everyone

We are a community-based 501c3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to ensuring equitable access to care for all our members, regardless of income or background.

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Mission

Our mission is to inspire and partner with others to create quality and equity in individual and community health.

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Vision

Our vision is for everyone to live in healthy communities, regardless of income or social factors.

History

In 1993, two Portland health care pioneers, Billi Odegaard and Dr. Peter Kohler, saw a gap in Oregon’s health care system. As the Oregon Health Plan emerged, they envisioned something bold: a health plan entirely focused on serving Medicaid recipients. Their vision was right on target and CareOregon was born.

1994

February 1: CareOregon launches, part of Multnomah County Health Department

1997

April: CareOregon gains 501(c) (3) nonprofit status.

2000

Under our umbrella, stakeholders including Multnomah County and Oregon Primary Care Association win federal CAP grant to improve administrative systems and centralize data. The result is Oregon Community Health Information Network (OCHIN), which we administer for two years.

2004...

With 12% of members consuming 60% of our budget, we start CareSupport — multidisciplinary care management that integrates social services and focuses on members with multiple complex conditions.

2004...

CareSupport evolves into the CareSupport and System Innovation (CSSI) program. We work with 48 network providers to develop a payment model based on quality measures better suited to Medicaid providers than standard pay-for-performance. CSSI leads to Primary Care Renewal.

2005

September: CareOregon buys the 315 SW Fifth Ave building from ODS.

2006...

CareOregon Advantage Plus launches as Medicare Special Needs Plan (SNP) for members dually eligible for OHP and Medicare.

2006...

At five primary care clinics, CareOregon pilots Primary Care Renewal project, a team-based approach that is a forerunner to patient-centered medical homes.

2010

2010-2012: CareOregon invests $11 million in community health clinics, helping create five new clinics to expand members’ access to primary care services. We transfer clinic ownership to a new nonprofit, Neighborhood Health Center, enabling those clinics to apply for designation as a Federally Qualified Health Center.

2012...

CareOregon helps establish five CCOs: Health Share of Oregon, Columbia Pacific CCO, Jackson Care Connect, Yamhill Community Care Organization and Primary Health of Josephine County; supports the start of Oregon’s Health CO-OP, a private nonprofit health insurer.

2012...

Multnomah County transfers its dental care organization to CareOregon.

2014

CareOregon celebrates 20 years of creating community well-being, with a float in the Rose Festival Starlight Parade, featuring Pharrell Williams’s “Happy,” our staff and members. The idea was proposed by Community Health Engagement Advocates, the CareOregon consumer advisory group established in 2010.

2015

Pharmacy team launches MEDS Ed, an ongoing education series featuring internal and external medical experts exploring topics relevant to clinicians caring for patients at community clinics.

2016...

First year we’re named in Oregon Top Workplaces and 100 Best Nonprofits.

2016...

First year we’re named in Oregon Top Workplaces and 100 Best Nonprofits.

2017...

CareOregon begins to integrate behavioral health benefits for CareOregon/Health Share, Jackson Care Connect and Columbia Pacific CCO.

2017...

May: CareOregon acquires Housecall Providers, which provides at-home medical and hospice care for complex patients.

2017...

We collaborate with Oregon’s nine Federally Recognized Tribes, Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA) and Oregon Health Authority to form Tribal Care Coordination to provide culturally appropriate services statewide for American Indian/Alaska Native members in OHP’s fee-for-service program.

2019...

We receive award notices for five-year contracts with the Oregon Health Authority for Columbia Pacific CCO, Jackson Care Connect and the Portland tri-county area’s umbrella CCO, Health Share of Oregon.

2019...

CareOregon begins work on bringing non-emergent medical transportation (NEMT) administration in-house in 2020.

2020...

CareOregon begins expanding telehealth options. Providers navigate the rapidly changing landscape of new technology and processes to continue delivering care to members.

2020...

CareOregon is honored to support Tribes and Urban Indian Health Programs interested in establishing Indian Managed Care Entities. The agreement allows us to work with Oregon Tribes and Urban Indian Health Programs interested in exploring IMCEs, a new federal option.

2020...

July: CareOregon Behavioral Health engages in groundbreaking collaboration with The Alliance for Culturally Specific Behavioral Health Providers.

2021...

A $2.5 million investment from CareOregon enabled Portland Fire & Rescue to launch Community Health Assess & Treat (CHAT) in the bureau’s new community health division. The pilot program, which aims to improve equity and access, addresses a major gap in community health.

2021...

The company instituted employee resource groups (ERGs) and a sabbatical program, and elevated personal and professional development into a strategic initiative.

2022...

CareOregon served as presenting partner of the Starlight Parade and marked our first year in the Grand Floral Parade.

2022...

For the fifth year in a row, Portland Business Journal recognized CareOregon as a top philanthropic organization in Oregon in the Enterprise Category (companies with revenue at or above $100 million). Our cash contributions placed us as the state’s third-most-generous Enterprise company.

2023

To improve access to medications for members, CareOregon devised an innovative program in 2023. We collaborated with several pharmacy providers to install self-serve, prescription-pickup lockers throughout our service areas.

2024...

CareOregon advances behavioral health in Oregon with Strategic Healthcare Investment for Transformation (SHIFT) initiative.

2024...

CareOregon provides $2.5 million to launch Oregon’s only preventive medicine residency with partner OHSU.

2024...

CareOregon announces Dr. Nathalie Johnson Scholarship and first-ever recipients.

2024...

CareOregon and Columbia Pacific celebrate the grand opening of new Hawk’s Eye Apartments, a milestone in a collaborative effort to address the housing crisis impacting the health and well-being of people living in Northwest Oregon.

We support the needs of over 500,000 Oregonians through CareOregon Metro, Columbia Pacific CCO and Jackson Care Connect, providing Medicaid insurance benefits as a trusted partner in the Oregon Health Plan. Additionally, we provide Tribal Care Coordination (services specifically for American Indians and Alaska Natives with OHP) and operate CareOregon Advantage (a Medicare Advantage plan), CareOregon Dental (a dental care organization) and Housecall Providers (a home-centered medical care organization).

CareOregon members have access to integrated medical, dental and behavioral health benefits and much more through our family of organizations. We also connect members to housing, fresh food, education and transportation services.

CareOregon family

Helping Oregonians get the care they need

At CareOregon, we do more than manage benefits. We remove barriers, support providers and invest in healthier communities—because access to care is just the beginning.

Executive leadership

Eric C. Hunter

President and Chief Executive Officer, CareOregon

Eric C. Hunter serves as a member on all seven of the Board of Directors' committees. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in the health care field, Eric brings a deep knowledge of Medicaid policy, Medicare plan administration, commercial plans and the integration of physical and behavioral health care. Eric served most recently as Chief Operating Officer for Boston Medical Center Healthnet Plan. Previous roles include CEO for ValueOptions Behavioral Health in both Texas and Illinois, numerous roles with Schaller Anderson including CEO for Heartland Health Plan in Oklahoma. At Centene, he served as COO, Managed Health Services in Indiana, and served as COO of Total Carolina Care in South Carolina.

Amit Shah, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Shah previously served as CareOregon’s Senior Medical Director of Network and Clinical Support. Prior to joining CareOregon, he was the Medical Director for the Multnomah County Health Department. Dr. Shah has served as a board member of CareOregon, Jefferson Health Information Exchange, Northwest Regional Primary Care Association and is currently a member of the HealthInsight Oregon board of directors. Dr. Shah received his medical training at the Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and undergraduate degree in Molecular Genetics at the University of Rochester. He has a biomedical informatics certification from Oregon Health & Science University. He is board certified in family medicine and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Dee Cruz

Chief Finance and Strategy Officer, CareOregon

Dee Cruz brings extensive experience across health plan finance, enterprise strategy and operational leadership. Most recently, Dee served as Acting President and Chief Operating Officer at WellSense Health Plan. Prior to joining WellSense, she initiated the Office of Consumer Obsession at Cambia Health Solutions, served as Vice President of Operations at Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield and held leadership roles at Cigna.

Nora Leibowitz, MPP

Chief Medicaid Programs Officer

Nora joined CareOregon with extensive Medicaid and individual market experience in Oregon and nationally. She was previously a principal consultant helping states, health plans and community-based organizations develop programs that improve health access and outcomes. Nora was the Chief Policy Officer for Cover Oregon (exchange), where she secured federal program design funding, led interagency requirements development and responded to high-profile issues. She also supported multi-stakeholder health reform efforts and managed Medicaid rates development in Oregon and designed managed care programs for Rhode Island Medicaid. Nora earned her master of public policy and certificate in health administration and policy from the University of Chicago.

Jeremiah Rigsby, JD

Chief of Staff

Jeremiah moved to Oregon in 2011 to attend Lewis and Clark Law School. Before moving to Oregon, Jeremiah was a congressional aide to US Congressman Henry Cuellar (2006-2009) and US Congressman Kurt Schrader (2009-2011). During his time on the Hill, Jeremiah worked on a number of policy issues, but focused on health care policy through the development and passage of the Affordable Care Act. After completing law school, Jeremiah joined CareOregon to help develop and advocate for Medicaid and Medicare policy

Peter Lymm

Chief Operations Officer

Peter Lymm has more than 30 years of senior health care leadership experience across nonprofit health plans, provider organizations and health care technology. Most recently, Lymm served as Western Region Market President at P3 Health Partners and previously as Chief Operating Officer at Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island.

Eric C. Hunter

President and Chief Executive Officer, CareOregon

Eric C. Hunter serves as a member on all seven of the Board of Directors' committees. With more than 25 years of leadership experience in the health care field, Eric brings a deep knowledge of Medicaid policy, Medicare plan administration, commercial plans and the integration of physical and behavioral health care. Eric served most recently as Chief Operating Officer for Boston Medical Center Healthnet Plan. Previous roles include CEO for ValueOptions Behavioral Health in both Texas and Illinois, numerous roles with Schaller Anderson including CEO for Heartland Health Plan in Oklahoma. At Centene, he served as COO, Managed Health Services in Indiana, and served as COO of Total Carolina Care in South Carolina.

Amit Shah, MD

Chief Medical Officer

Dr. Shah previously served as CareOregon’s Senior Medical Director of Network and Clinical Support. Prior to joining CareOregon, he was the Medical Director for the Multnomah County Health Department. Dr. Shah has served as a board member of CareOregon, Jefferson Health Information Exchange, Northwest Regional Primary Care Association and is currently a member of the HealthInsight Oregon board of directors. Dr. Shah received his medical training at the Drexel University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, and undergraduate degree in Molecular Genetics at the University of Rochester. He has a biomedical informatics certification from Oregon Health & Science University. He is board certified in family medicine and a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Dee Cruz

Chief Finance and Strategy Officer, CareOregon

Dee Cruz brings extensive experience across health plan finance, enterprise strategy and operational leadership. Most recently, Dee served as Acting President and Chief Operating Officer at WellSense Health Plan. Prior to joining WellSense, she initiated the Office of Consumer Obsession at Cambia Health Solutions, served as Vice President of Operations at Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield and held leadership roles at Cigna.

Nora Leibowitz, MPP

Chief Medicaid Programs Officer

Nora joined CareOregon with extensive Medicaid and individual market experience in Oregon and nationally. She was previously a principal consultant helping states, health plans and community-based organizations develop programs that improve health access and outcomes. Nora was the Chief Policy Officer for Cover Oregon (exchange), where she secured federal program design funding, led interagency requirements development and responded to high-profile issues. She also supported multi-stakeholder health reform efforts and managed Medicaid rates development in Oregon and designed managed care programs for Rhode Island Medicaid. Nora earned her master of public policy and certificate in health administration and policy from the University of Chicago.

Jeremiah Rigsby, JD

Chief of Staff

Jeremiah moved to Oregon in 2011 to attend Lewis and Clark Law School. Before moving to Oregon, Jeremiah was a congressional aide to US Congressman Henry Cuellar (2006-2009) and US Congressman Kurt Schrader (2009-2011). During his time on the Hill, Jeremiah worked on a number of policy issues, but focused on health care policy through the development and passage of the Affordable Care Act. After completing law school, Jeremiah joined CareOregon to help develop and advocate for Medicaid and Medicare policy

Peter Lymm

Chief Operations Officer

Peter Lymm has more than 30 years of senior health care leadership experience across nonprofit health plans, provider organizations and health care technology. Most recently, Lymm served as Western Region Market President at P3 Health Partners and previously as Chief Operating Officer at Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island.

Board of directors

Jacqueline Mercer

Apr 19, 2022, 13:58 PM
Title : Jacqueline Mercer
Chief Executive Officer, Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA)
Jackie serves as the CEO of NARA of the Northwest, an Indian owned and operated program with a full array of services for ambulatory medical care, mental health, substance abuse and family wellness for American Indians and Alaska Natives. NARA, NW provides education, physical and mental health services and substance abuse treatment in a manner that is culturally appropriate to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other vulnerable populations in the Portland area.
Jackie Mercer serves on the Quality and Health Outcomes committee.
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Jacqueline Mercer

Apr 19, 2022, 13:58 PM
Title : Jacqueline Mercer
Chief Executive Officer, Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA)
Jackie serves as the CEO of NARA of the Northwest, an Indian owned and operated program with a full array of services for ambulatory medical care, mental health, substance abuse and family wellness for American Indians and Alaska Natives. NARA, NW provides education, physical and mental health services and substance abuse treatment in a manner that is culturally appropriate to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other vulnerable populations in the Portland area.
Jackie Mercer serves on the Quality and Health Outcomes committee.
Categories :
Tags :

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