PacificSource has reached an agreement with St. Charles to maintain its Medicare Advantage plans in Central Oregon
Members will see no disruption to care or coverage—Medicare Advantage plans will automatically renew for 2024 with no action required
(Bend, Ore.) Sept. 29, 2023—Today, PacificSource announced it has worked out an agreement with St. Charles Health System to ensure that its Medicare Advantage plans will continue in Central Oregon with no disruption in care or coverage to members. PacificSource Medicare Advantage members will automatically be reenrolled for 2024 plans with no action required.
While St. Charles Health System had previously stated it was reevaluating its ongoing participation in Medicare Advantage contracts, PacificSource worked with St. Charles to ensure continuity of coverage and services for PacificSource Medicare Advantage members through the entirety of 2024.
“This agreement is a positive result for our region’s Medicare-eligible seniors, and also some of its most vulnerable community members,” said Dr. John “Espi” Espinola, PacificSource’s president and CEO. “PacificSource will continue to advocate for our members to make certain that they can continue to access affordable, high-quality healthcare in Central Oregon. We are pleased to have secured this successful outcome with St. Charles and will continue to work with them to improve the Medicare Advantage experience for their patients.”
Medicare Advantage is for seniors and people with disabilities under 65, and offers more benefits than Original Medicare. PacificSource has 15,500 Medicare Advantage members of which 2500 are dual-eligible seniors, who qualify for extra benefits due to health, income, or disability needs. People choose Medicare Advantage because these plans offer more benefits with less cost. PacificSource Medicare Advantage plans offer vision, dental, hearing, and gym membership benefits that would cost thousands more per year with Original Medicare. Dual-eligible members of PacificSource also qualify for important benefits, such as grocery stipends.
“As a local not-for-profit serving Central Oregon for more than 25 years, PacificSource is proud of our track record of creative problem-solving to improve the health systems in our community,” said Dr. Espinola. “We are always ready to work collaboratively with our partners and never lose sight of who is most important when we discuss care and coverage—our members and their families. Serving them will remain our priority.”
About PacificSource
PacificSource is an independent, not-for-profit community health plan serving the Northwest. Founded in 1933, PacificSource has local offices throughout Idaho, Oregon, Montana, and Washington. The PacificSource family of companies employs more than 1,800 people and serves over 600,000 individuals throughout the Greater Northwest. For more information, visit PacificSource.com.