CareOregon Advantage: Here for you through COVID-19 and beyond

CareOregon Advantage knows that you, our members, have many questions about COVID-19. We want to help you understand how to take precautions and how to access your benefits during this time. Health care providers are working hard to continue seeing patients, and your health is important to them.

COVID-19 vaccine

You may have heard the good news — the FDA approved a vaccine for emergency use. Studies have shown the vaccine is safe and effective. You may have questions about the vaccine. Here is what we know now:

• The Oregon Health Authority is creating a plan to deliver the vaccine in phases. You can learn more on their website by clicking here.
• It’s not yet known when people will receive the vaccine.
• If you have questions, you should talk directly with your provider.
• As we learn more, we will continue to update this page with more information and resources.

Keep getting the care you need

• Clinics are working hard to get you the care you need. Your primary care provider and the clinical teams in our network want to make sure you have access to physical, dental and mental health care and substance use treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Clinics are providing options including:
• Telephone and video appointments for new clients and ongoing services.
• In-person appointments, taking precautions to keep you and clinic staff safe.
• Call your primary care clinic to discuss your options. They will tell you what services are available, how you can see your provider and the best way to get care.
• Preventive and chronic care is especially important, and clinics are prepared to serve you. Contact your clinic to determine the best way to get care.
• Immunizations are vital, especially for kids under 2.
• Chronic condition care is more important than ever. Call your provider to manage your diabetes, asthma, substance use treatment or other conditions.
• For mental health and substance use treatment services, contact your clinic directly about how to get your needed supports. Many providers are holding appointments by phone or video, though some in-person visits are still available for those who need them.
• We know this is a difficult time. You are not alone. There are mental health and substance use treatment services available to you. Call us at 888-712-3258 to learn more.
• Dental offices are open and are taking steps to keep you and your family safe during COVID-19. Contact your dental clinic directly to find out what appointments are available. 
• Elective procedures have resumed. Authorizations for these procedures have been extended until January 1, 2021.
• You still have access to our network. None of your benefits have changed, and we are still here to ensure that your physical, dental and mental health care needs are met.

Here are some important things to know about COVID-19:

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your primary care provider. Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. Your provider can advise you on the best next steps, including how to get tested. For more information, click here.
• Who can get tested? Currently, providers are working with public health officials to determine whether or not people need to be tested, depending on the situation and the symptoms present. For more information, click here.
• Whenever possible, stay at home and practice social distancing. This is the most effective way to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• The Oregon Health Plan has created a Facebook page with helpful COVID-19 information in Spanish. Click here to see the page. 
• Pandemic EBT: Oregon is giving grocery money to families while school is closed. All families who are eligible for free or reduced price school meals will soon get funds on an Oregon Trail EBT card. Immigration status does not matter for Pandemic EBT. If you already get SNAP or free school meals, the benefit will automatically be added to your EBT card. Make sure your school has your current mailing address. If you weren’t getting help before the pandemic, apply online for free school meals at ode.state.or.us/apps/frlapp. Apply for SNAP at govstatus.egov.com/or-dhs-benefits. If you qualify for either program, you’ll also get Pandemic EBT.
• If your provider orders it, testing — including testing for the COVID-19 virus and antibody testing — is a fully covered service.

Watch for scams

Unfortunately, some people will try to take advantage of the worry around COVID-19. Please be on the lookout for:

• Ads for vaccines or medications that promise to heal COVID-19 or keep it away.
• Emails that seem to be about COVID-19 that will add a virus to your computer from a link or attachment.
• Phone calls asking for personal information.
• People coming door to door offering testing or prescriptions.
• Offers to let you pay to put your name on a list to get the vaccine, or to get the vaccine early.
• Someone calling, texting or emailing promising access to the vaccine and asking you to share your personal or financial information.

If someone calls claiming to be from CareOregon and you’re not sure, hang up and call our Customer Service department. If we called you, we will have a record of the call. For more information about possible scams during this time, click here.

Contact Tracing Update:

Contact tracing helps public health officials determine who may have come into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19. The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) will be making contact tracing calls, and we want you to feel safe answering their calls. Your information will be treated as a confidential public health record and will not be shared with other agencies, including immigration officials. Contact tracers will ask for the following information:

• Name, date of birth and where you live
• If you need an interpreter for a language other than English
• Race, ethnicity, language and disability information
• If you have any symptoms of COVID-19
• If you need a place to stay or have other needs to help you stay at home
• If they can contact you to monitor your symptoms and needs

If a contact tracer can’t reach you, they’ll leave a voicemail and ask you to call back. You will NEVER be asked for your social security number, immigration status or financial information. If someone calls and asks for that information, hang up. They are not part of local or state contact tracing efforts. 

Pharmacy updates:

• Refills: Medicare members can already fill for 90 days at a time. Please call your pharmacy if you need to refill your medications.
• Mail order: If you would like to fill your medication using a mail-order pharmacy, please call the pharmacy directly. Our directory of mail-order pharmacies is available here, or you can contact Pharmacy Customer Service. You can also call your local pharmacy, as they may offer home delivery service.
• Authorizations: If you have an approved pre-authorization that expires before the end of the year, check with your provider to see if the pre-authorization can be extended.

Interpretation access:

• If you speak a language other than English, we can help you get access to an interpreter. For phone interpretation, call our Customer Service at 888-712-3258 and we can help connect you to an interpreter.

Transportation options:

• Rides to appointments are still available. Drivers are taking precautions to keep you safe. Please call to ask about transportation options:
  • Ride to Care: 855-321-4899
  • TransLink: 888-518-8160
  • NW Rides: 888-793-0439

Learn what benefits you can access to stay healthy at home.

For helpful coronavirus facts from the Oregon Health Authority, click on your choice of language:

• English
• Spanish
• Arabic
• Simplified Chinese
• Traditional Chinese
• Hmong
• Russian
• Somali
• Vietnamese

Continue reading to find answers to frequently asked questions about the coronavirus.