CareOregon/Columbia Pacific CCO to require contracted outpatient behavioral health providers; change already in effect for board‑registered associates

CareOregon and Columbia Pacific Coordinated Care Organization (CPCCO) officials told the Clatsop County Board of Commissioners that two behavioral‑health policy changes — a board‑registered associate billing change effective Aug. 1 and a requirement that routine outpatient mental‑health and substance‑use‑disorder (SUD) services be delivered by contracted providers effective Oct. 1 — are intended to improve quality, oversight and care coordination for Medicaid members.

The presentation said the board‑registered associate policy already took effect Aug. 1 and that the contracted outpatient network policy will go live Oct. 1. Rachel, a CPCCO presenter, said the changes are designed to align CareOregon with managed‑care industry standards and with a longer OHA (Oregon Health Authority) rule‑making timeline that may culminate in June 2026. “We are asked really to do more with less,” she said, and the policies aim to prioritize providers able to deliver team‑based, credentialed services for members with the most complex needs.

CareOregon and CPCCO told the board they began outreach and assessments in December 2024 and stepped up proactive contracting and member notifications this summer.…