|
 |
|
In this issue: |
|
|
The cold winter months are an ideal time to test your home for radon, because radon often reaches its highest levels when doors and windows are consistently shut.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas in the ground that enters buildings and homes through cracks and gaps in walls or floors, as well as through the water supply. It is odorless, tasteless and invisible, and long-term exposure to high radon levels can harm health.
Radon facts:
- Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the U.S. after cigarette smoking, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
- If you live in a home with high levels of radon, smoking cigarettes raises your risk of lung cancer by 10 times.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates radon is responsible for more than 21,000 lung cancer deaths per year in the U.S.
- In Oregon, approximately 276 radon-related lung cancer deaths happen each year.
- The only way to know if you have high radon levels in your home is to test for it.
Dangerous radon buildup can happen in any home, and OHA wants to encourage all Oregonians during National Radon Action Month (January) to reduce their exposure to radon by testing their homes for the gas and, if necessary, hiring a professional to reduce radon to a safe level.
Many home radon test kits cost between $20 and $30, and some people in Oregon may qualify for free test kits through OHA’s Radon Awareness Program, which are available while supplies last.
If you have questions about radon in Oregon or free test kits, call OHA’s Radon Awareness Program (971-673-0442) Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or email radon.program@oha.oregon.gov.
Also, print out the CDC’s “Radon for Kids” activity book, including fun puzzles, quizzes and artwork about radon!
|
|
Did you know that the vast majority of cervical cancers could be prevented by screening and vaccination?
Cervical Cancer Awareness Month (January) is your reminder to get screened for cervical cancer. Anyone with a cervix is at risk for cervical cancer, which occurs most often in people over 30. Long-lasting infection with certain types of human papillomavirus (HPV) is the main cause of cervical cancer.
When found early, cervical cancer is highly treatable and associated with long survival and good quality of life. That’s why screening tests and the HPV vaccine are so important. Learn more here.
Free cervical cancer screening is available to eligible people through OHA’s ScreenWise breast and cervical cancer screening program.
To be eligible for ScreenWise services, people must:
- Be uninsured, or underinsured (e.g., your policy does not cover screening or diagnostic services).
- Live in Oregon or intend to.
- Have a household income at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.
- Fall into one of the following two groups:
- Ages 18-39 and need breast or cervical cancer diagnostic services such as ultrasound, biopsy or colposcopy. For this age group, a health care provider must determine whether diagnostic services are needed.
- Ages 40+ and need breast or cervical cancer screening or diagnostic services. For this age group, a medical referral is not necessary. Examples of screening services include mammograms, Pap smears and HPV testing.
Proof of residency, income and insurance status is not required.
Learn how to become a ScreenWise patient, including finding a ScreenWise provider near you, by visiting this webpage. You can also call (877) 255-7070 for assistance.
|
|
|
 |
|
Health notes |
|
|
While most of Oregon’s health insurance plans, hospital systems and medical groups successfully limited health care cost increases between 2021 and 2022, OHA has determined for the first time that three health care organizations had unreasonably high cost increases.
OHA has established that, on average, health care spending in Oregon should not increase by more than 3.4% per person each year, unless the providing health care organizations have acceptable reasons for the increases. OHA found the following organizations exceeded that limit, without acceptable reasons:
- Moda Health’s Medicare Advantage plans, which had an 11.6% increase. (This plan ended in December 2024 and is no longer available.)
- United Healthcare Company’s Medicare Advantage plans, which had a 6.4% increase.
- Oregon Medical Group, a primary and specialty care clinic group based in Eugene, which had a 6.5% increase in costs for its patients with commercial health insurance.
Starting next year, OHA will begin requiring organizations that exceed the 3.4% increase limit without an acceptable reason to submit a performance improvement plan that outlines how they will make their health care services more affordable.
Each year, OHA’s Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target Program collects and analyzes data from health insurance companies and other sources to measure what people and organizations in Oregon collectively spend on health care.
OHA will report on Oregon’s health care cost growth between 2022 and 2023 this May. If health care entities consistently fail to meet the cost growth target, OHA can impose financial penalties starting in 2026.
|
|
 |
|
OHA answers your questions |
|
|
Questions are answered by experts at OHA, other state agencies or community partners.
Q: Aetna will no longer cover Providence Medical Group providers, because they are considered “out-of-network.” What Primary Care Providers (PCP) in Southern Oregon are accepting new patients with Aetna’s Medicare Advantage Plans? – Bylle, Jacksonville
A: Bylle, this is definitely a problem for Aetna’s Medicare Advantage plan members in many parts of the state. Aetna has a webpage dedicated to this development, which is due to a failure between the two parties to reach agreement on a new contract. As a result, Providence providers in most parts of the state are no longer “in-network” for Aetna Medicare plans as of Dec. 31, 2024. And as you point out, Providence providers in Jackson and Josephine counties will no longer be in-network as of Feb. 17.
Aetna is sending letters to its Medicare Advantage plan members offering assistance in finding new providers and inviting them to call the number on the back of their Aetna ID card. For those currently receiving treatment from a Providence provider, the letters will outline how to request “transition of care” coverage to continue receiving that care from the same provider, covered at the in-network benefit level for a period of time, pending Aetna approval. Medicare members will have 90 days (from the day their provider became out-of-network) to request transition of care. Learn more here.
You can also use this Aetna search tool to look for a PCP that is accepting new patients in your area. Enter your ZIP code and county, but when you get to the “Find Care” page, I recommend entering Medford as the location. I got many more local results that way. Being open to seeing a nurse practitioner (NP) versus a doctor (MD) will also yield more options.
Q: How does an amputee on the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) find a doctor to help with prosthesis? – Ginny, Milwaukie
A: As with most OHP benefits and services, the best way to find needed care, including amputee-related care, is to contact one's coordinated care organization (CCO). For example, in Milwaukie (Clackamas County), an OHP member's CCO is either Health Share of Oregon (503-416-8090) or Trillium Community Health Plan (877-600-5472).
One can also use the online provider search tools for Health Share and Trillium, entering “prosthetics” as a keyword.
If an OHP member doesn't know their CCO, they can call OHP client services at 800-273-0557 for help.
If you have questions about health topics in Oregon, submit your question here. Although we are unable to answer every question, we try to address those of interest to a broad audience. Please understand that we are unable to provide specific medical advice for personal medical conditions.
|
|
|
|
|