Questions are answered by experts at OHA, other state agencies or community partners.
Q: I am a 70-year-old man. I have been with Oregon Medical Group in Lane County for decades, but last year I lost my primary care doctor. Now, I can't get my annual wellness check and lab tests. They say I will be assigned a new one, but it’s just not happening. I understand there are many people in our community that are experiencing the same problem due to a shortage of doctors. Do you have any suggestions? I have Medicare with a United Healthcare supplement (Medigap) plan. – Rich, Eugene
A: Rich, you are definitely not alone regarding recent changes at Oregon Medical Group. In Lane County, despite a limited number of primary care providers (PCP) taking new patients with Medicare, we did find a few options you might consider.
For immediate needs, the Zoomcare clinic in Springfield told us you could get an appointment within 24-48 hours, as that is the Zoomcare model, be it for primary or urgent care needs. Call 844-966-6777.
We also called the county, and there are several Lane County Community Health Centers that serve Medicare members, with wait times for your first appointment being about a month or two. The clinics are listed here, and the ones accepting new patients for primary care are Delta Oaks, Brookside and Charnelton clinics in Eugene, and the Riverstone clinic in Springfield.
The Kaiser Permanente Chase Gardens facility in Eugene is another option (541-225-3410) for the long term. It would require dropping your Medigap policy and switching to a Kaiser Senior Advantage plan, which you cannot do until the annual open enrollment period which begins Oct. 15, for coverage beginning Jan. 1, 2026. You would also be bound to Kaiser’s network of providers and pharmacies. For specialty services not provided at the Chase Gardens facility, such as colonoscopies or other specialty care, Kaiser contracts with PeaceHealth and other local groups, so you would not have to travel outside the county for most of your medical needs. Note: If you switch from Medigap to an Advantage plan, you will have a 12-month trial period during which you can switch back to the same Medigap plan. After 12 months, however, you cannot switch back. To learn more about this option, we recommend first calling Oregon’s Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) team at 800-722-4134, and they can provide objective, nonbiased counseling.
Anyone on Medicare can call 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227) to find providers near them, or enter a zip code into this search tool for PCPs. Check out Oregon’s 2025 Guide to Medicare.
Q: I see that my pharmacy now sells a test kit for Influenza A & B. Are those the flu strains circulating now? – Kathy, Roseburg
A: Influenza A and B are the two strains that circulate each flu season among humans, with Influenza A accounting for about 97% of cases in the U.S. so far this year. Influenza A spreads faster and mutates more frequently than Influenza B and is far more likely to cause a pandemic. There are other flu strains that do not affect the human population, which you can read about here.
Regardless of which flu strain someone may test positive for using the at-home tests, the symptoms and recommended treatment are the same. Take care of yourself – rest, hydrate, stay home – and a health care provider may prescribe a course of the antiviral medication oseltamivir (aka Tamiflu). This article from the Cleveland Clinic summarizes Influenza A and B nicely.
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.
|
