Industry News: Medford Approves $23,000 Grant for Health Providers

The RV Times recently reported that the City of Medford approved a $23,000 grant to help attract local health care providers. The recipient of this grant is the newly formed Southern Oregon Alliance of Physicians & Providers (SOAPP). With a budget of $75,000, SOAPP will recruit primary care providers to Southern Oregon using the funds for transportation, food and lodging.

Brent Kell, SOAPP Board Chair and CEO of Valley Immediate Care, acknowledges that though the pay scale is low, emphasizing the quality of life in Southern Oregon will hopefully outweigh more attractive offers in other areas. It’s about creating awareness of what makes the Rogue Valley a good place to live and work. Other key factors that make Southern Oregon unique:

Oregon House Bill 2902 requiring insurance companies to reimburse at the same rate any health care provided by physician assistants as doctors.

Oregon has one of the lowest Medicare reimbursement rates in the nation.

Kell believes also that having a residency program in the Valley would attract new recruits. Though the Oregon Health Authority states that there are 450 primary care providers in this area, SOAPP analyzed the information and found that the number is about 250, due to providers keeping their license active but not currently practicing.

SOREDI is an active participant with SOAPP and applauds this great win for the Valley!