CCO Highlight: Yamhill CCO

All our member CCOs are doing a fantastic job ensuring that their members get the care that they need during this crisis, and this week we decided to highlight the work of a CCO that is not currently in our membership. Yamhill CCO is constantly innovating for the Oregonians living in their service area, and we wanted to share a heart-warming story of how our friend, Yamhill CCO, is aiding its community.

As the first waves of COVID-19 hit our state, Yamhill CCO was working to keep their members connected to the services they needed. As Yamhill’s team brainstormed, they realized that their Non-Emergent Medical Transport (NEMT) contracted service, which had taken a downturn, could be utilized to take members important places that are not traditionally covered under this service.

Yamhill gave their NEMT contractor the go-ahead to take their OHP members to health-related services: meaning that members could now utilize NEMT to travel to food pantries, grocery stores, the employment office, the bank.

Yamhill’s innovation will allow OHP members to safely travel from their home or shelter to essential services that they may otherwise not have had access to. These safe, clean, and free rides are incredibly helpful for vulnerable Oregonians as well, as members using the services will only have contact with only a single person during their ride, decreasing their risk of exposure.

This will also provide income to local Oregonians who make their earnings through the NEMT service that Yamhill has contracted with.

This initiative was set up as a Community Benefit Health-Related Services expense in less than two weeks from conception to fruition, and Yamhill CCO invested about $50,000 to jumpstart the program.

Yamhill does not intend to shut this program down when our State reopens, though. They’re hoping that with the kickstart to this program already completed, that they will be able to continue funding this service for their OHP members. As Yamhill gains insight into how COVID-19 has affected their budget and if this is a service that OHP members will need after the pandemic, they can begin making plans to continue this program as permanent.

Thank you, Yamhill CCO for your amazing investments in our communities, and your dedication to serving Oregonians. We look forward to working with you again in the future!