Medford, Ore.— Jackson Care Connect just received word that the Oregon Health Authority intends to continue its contract with the coordinated care organization (CCO) to manage health care services for its 30,000 Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid) members in Jackson County. The state agency announced its intent to award contracts to CCOs across the state today. Jackson Care Connect, a part of the CareOregon family, is among those chosen from an initial review of applicants.

“We are the only CCO awarded a full 5-year contract in Jackson County, and we are empowered with the full faith of the state to move forward,” says Jackson Care Connect’s CEO Jennifer Lind. “As the sole nonprofit CCO serving southern Oregon, our application was backed by more than 40 letters of support from local partners and providers. We are looking forward to continue working with them and furthering our mission of improving the health, well-being, and equity of our community.”

“We are proud of the exemplary work in Southern Oregon, which we have shown by consistently meeting the state’s targets on quality metrics,” said Eric C. Hunter, president and CEO of CareOregon. “This work serves thousands of managed Medicaid patients in Jackson County, and we are as committed as ever to improving health among our most vulnerable neighbors.”

As the new CCO 2.0 emerges, Jackson Care Connect and its providers will continue their commitment to improving patient experience, improving population health and reducing costs.

“The work we’ve done together with our CCOs and partners, and that CareOregon has been doing since before CCOs were created, makes us well positioned to implement the policy goals that define CCO 2.0,” Hunter said. “We know we will succeed in achieving these goals, because they are the right thing to do and we have been working on them for years. This is CareOregon’s 25^th anniversary year, and based on that experience, we expect to continue to meet and exceed the expectations our members and our friends and neighbors have had for us, for at least the next 25.”

The new contracts will be effective January 1, 2020.