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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Health Co-Ops Pave the Way for Change in OR

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Thursday, August 22, 2013   

PORTLAND, Ore. – In less than two months, Oregonians who need to shop for health coverage will be able to find and compare plans in the new health insurance marketplace, called Cover Oregon.

And they'll find some of the plans will look very different than any insurance they've seen before.

Dr. Ralph Prows describes the Oregon Health CO-OP as "a movement, not an insurance company." He's the CEO.

The organization asked people around the state what they want – and they said coverage should be simpler, with predictable out-of-pocket costs. So, Prows says, Oregon Health CO-OP members will notice a difference when they pay for medical services.

"What you have are just a simple series of co-payments,” he explains. “And you know exactly what it's going to be – and the doctor also knows what he needs to collect from you. And he doesn't have to then bill the insurance company, wait for them to pay, and then bill you again for whatever they didn't pay."

Other features include a flat $15 price for a phone call with the doctor when a medical question doesn't warrant an office visit – and coverage for seeing naturopaths who provide primary care services as well as MDs.

The co-op had to get what is called an innovative designation – special permission from the state – for its new approach. More traditional policies also will be available.

More than half of the people on the Oregon Health CO-OP board will be members. That alone is a big departure from typical insurance companies, some of which Prows says have highly paid boards and executives and focus on making a profit for shareholders. Co-ops, on the other hand, are nonprofit.

"The point is that any excess money beyond paying medical expenses that we have, will be turned back into either lower premiums or to health benefit programs for our membership,” he says. “Those are legally the only uses of our funds, aside from paying back our loans."

There are only 24 health insurance co-ops in the nation, and Oregon will have two of them. The Cover Oregon insurance marketplace opens on October 1. Individuals and small businesses can compare plans and sign up for coverage that begins on January 1, 2014.





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