CURRICULUM

Managed Care

A few years ago, Oregon endeavored to change its Medicaid program to a managed care model. Numerous capitated programs were established to provide managed care for Medicaid recipients. Two such programs service a large number of patients in the Klamath Basin. The Cascade Comprehensive Care (CCC) organization is the most active in Klamath Falls as it was formed by the local providers. Cascades East Family Medicine Residency Program, with its 30+ physicians, represents a large share of the providers comprising CCC.

Residents get first hand experience with managed care through their association with CCC. This includes living within its formulary, making appropriate specialty referrals and occasionally serving in the gatekeeper role. Upon graduation, residents are comfortable working within a capitation model. With recent changes in HCFA documentation and billing guidelines, we have also intensified our efforts to educate residents on the business aspects of delivering medical care.