The healthcare landscape in the U.S., particularly for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, is constantly evolving. Recently, a significant development has emerged from the union of two prominent non-profit healthcare organizations: CareOregon and SCAN Group. This merger has given rise to HealthRight Group, a new entity poised to reshape how healthcare is delivered, especially to underserved communities. For Oregonians familiar with CareOregon’s long-standing commitment to local health, the question arises: Is Scan Health Care In Oregon now, and what does this partnership mean for the state’s healthcare future?
This article delves into the details of this merger, exploring the formation of HealthRight Group and its potential impact, particularly focusing on the Oregon context and the role of CareOregon within this new national organization.
HealthRight Group: A National Force Rooted in Community Care
In December 2022, CareOregon, a well-respected Oregon-based healthcare provider, and SCAN Group, a California-based organization known for its SCAN Health Plan, announced their definitive agreement to combine forces. This wasn’t a typical acquisition, but a merger of equals, driven by a shared mission to enhance healthcare access and quality for vulnerable populations. The resulting organization, HealthRight Group, is designed to operate as a not-for-profit leader, channeling the combined expertise and resources of both entities towards serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries across the nation.
The core principle behind HealthRight is to amplify the strengths of both CareOregon and SCAN, creating a larger, more impactful organization without sacrificing their individual missions or community focus. Dr. Linda Rosenstock, Chair of the SCAN Group Board, articulated this vision, stating that the merger aims to “solve the most complex challenges in our healthcare system and compete effectively as not-for-profits in a marketplace all too often dominated by companies valuing profit over mission.” This sentiment underscores the commitment of HealthRight to prioritize patient care and community well-being over profit maximization, a refreshing approach in today’s healthcare industry.
CareOregon’s Continued Commitment to Oregon within HealthRight
For those concerned about local impact, especially in Oregon, it’s crucial to understand CareOregon’s position within HealthRight Group. Reassuringly, CareOregon will maintain its brand identity, its separate board, community advisory councils, and staffing. Eric C. Hunter will continue to lead CareOregon as CEO and President, while also taking on the role of President of HealthRight’s Medicaid Division. This structure ensures that CareOregon’s deep roots and understanding of Oregon’s specific healthcare needs remain intact.
Damien Hall, CareOregon Board Chair, emphasized the complementary nature of the merger, noting that while “CareOregon and SCAN have different strengths and specialties, we are united in our commitment to providing high quality care to the communities we serve and address healthcare disparities.” This suggests that the partnership is designed to be synergistic, allowing CareOregon to benefit from SCAN’s national expertise and resources while continuing to focus on its Oregon mission.
SCAN Group’s Expertise and National Reach Enhancing Oregon’s Healthcare
While SCAN Health Plan primarily serves members in California, Arizona, and Nevada, its expertise and innovative approaches to healthcare, particularly for older adults, are now indirectly accessible to Oregon through the HealthRight Group. SCAN’s focus on addressing challenges like chronic illness, access to care, and health inequities aligns perfectly with CareOregon’s mission. The merger brings SCAN’s mission-aligned medical groups, including Welcome Health, Healthcare in Action, and HomeBase Medical, into the HealthRight portfolio, offering a broader range of services and expertise that can potentially benefit Oregonians through CareOregon’s initiatives and service expansions in the future.
Dr. Sachin Jain, presently CEO of SCAN Group and now CEO of HealthRight, highlighted the strategic advantage of this union: “For far too long, America’s not-for-profit managed care organizations have operated at a scale disadvantage to their larger for-profit competitors. HealthRight aims to bring together two complementary organizations to benefit from greater scale, while maintaining focus on the people and communities they serve.” This increased scale allows HealthRight, and by extension CareOregon, to innovate further, invest in better services, and potentially negotiate more effectively within the healthcare market, ultimately benefiting patients and communities in Oregon and beyond.
Looking Ahead: The Future of HealthRight and Oregon Healthcare
The formation of HealthRight Group represents a significant shift in the non-profit healthcare sector. By combining the strengths of CareOregon and SCAN Group, HealthRight is positioned to become a leading force in improving healthcare access and quality for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. For Oregon, this merger signifies a strengthening of CareOregon’s capabilities and reach, backed by the resources and expertise of a national organization.
While SCAN Health Plan isn’t directly offering health plans in Oregon, the creation of HealthRight Group effectively expands SCAN’s health care vision and expertise into Oregon through its partnership with CareOregon. Oregonians can expect CareOregon to continue its dedicated service, now with the added benefits of being part of a larger, nationally focused organization committed to the same mission of community-centered, high-quality, not-for-profit healthcare. The merger is expected to finalize in 2023, and as HealthRight Group takes shape, its impact on Oregon’s healthcare landscape will be a development to watch closely, promising a potentially brighter and more robust future for patient care in the state.
