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FAMILY
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, September 2, 2020
Eastern Oregon hospitals launch Summit Health
New Medicare
Advantage plans
available in Grant
County
By Jade McDowell
EO Media Group
Eastern Oregon hospitals
are partnering to launch a new
health insurance option.
The newly formed Sum-
mit Health will offer Medi-
care plans to residents of Uma-
tilla, Morrow, Baker, Gilliam,
Grant, Harney, Lake, Malheur,
Sherman, Union, Wallowa
and Wheeler counties. The
plans will be available when
open enrollment for Medicare
begins on Oct. 15.
Harry Geller, CEO of
CHI St. Anthony Hospital in
Pendleton, said the hospitals
involved have already had a
unique and “very successful”
partnership with each other
and Moda Health in improv-
ing outcomes for Medic-
aid patients through the East-
ern Oregon Coordinated Care
Organization.
“That mutual respect
and collaboration is a fun-
damental reason it has been
so successful,” he said. “It’s
a very refreshing working
relationship.”
Those same founders
of Summit Health are St.
Anthony, Good Shepherd
Health Care System, Grande
Ronde Hospital and Clinics,
Saint Alphonsus Health Sys-
tem, GOBHI, Eastern Ore-
gon IPA, Yakima Valley Farm
Workers Clinic and Moda.
Geller said right now in
Eastern Oregon there aren’t
many senior citizens partic-
ipating in Medicare Advan-
tage plans, and Summit Health
will be able to offer them more
choices. He said the provid-
ers were excited and optimistic
about the benefits to residents.
“There’s a big gap in the
market for this sort of plan,”
EO Media Group/Ben Lonergan
St. Anthony Hospital in Pendleton is among several Eastern Ore-
gon hospitals partnering to launch a new health insurance option.
he said.
Medicare Advantage is an
all-in-one type of Medicare
plan offered by private health
insurance companies under a
contract with Medicare. Those
plans bundle parts A, B and D
of Medicare coverage together
and sometimes offer addi-
tional benefits, such as dental
or vision that traditional Medi-
care doesn’t cover.
Dennis Burke, CEO of
Good Shepherd Health Care
System in Hermiston, said
offering Medicare Advantage
plans through Summit Health
will offer area senior citizens
more options, but it also gives
greater local control and flexi-
bility to the hospitals involved.
By receiving a flat, con-
tracted rate from Medicare
instead of per-procedure reim-
focus on Medicaid patients,
such as those on the Oregon
Health Plan, but Burke said the
EOCCO partners have learned
a lot from that partnership that
can be applied to the popula-
tion using Medicare.
“I think we’ve gained quite
a lot of experience doing that,”
he said.
Sean Jessup, president of
Summit Health, said the insur-
ance group is a partnership of
local providers with a track
record of working successfully
together, that patients already
know and trust. He said there
have been “limited options”
for for Medicare Advantage in
Eastern Oregon in the past.
“This product is for Eastern
Oregon, and operated by East-
ern Oregon providers,” he said.
Open enrollment for Medi-
care begins Oct. 15 and ends
Dec. 7. Medicare enrollees can
visit yoursummithealth.com
or talk to their local insurance
agent about plans offered by
Summit Health.
bursement, Burke said they
can use the money more cre-
atively for preventative care
and measures that can help
improve outcomes for patients
before they need an expensive
treatment.
One example he gave was
the hospital’s CareVan pro-
gram, which gives patients free
rides to appointments to ensure
they don’t end up canceling a
doctor’s appointment or not
seeking treatment in the first
place because they don’t have
a ride. A missed appointment
can mean a missed opportu-
nity to catch a problem early,
resulting in more expensive
and invasive treatment down
the road.
Coordinated-care organi-
zations, such as Eastern Ore-
gon Coordinated Care Orga-
nization, were founded on a
similar idea of reducing health
care costs through preventative
care and overcoming barriers
to care, such as limited trans-
portation. Those organizations
McCracken takes top spot in barrel racing Selecting the right face
coverings for children
By Steven Mitchell
Blue Mountain Eagle
A Grant Union High School student
took the top spot in barrel racing this
weekend at the Southern Oregon High
School Rodeo in Cottage Grove.
Bailey McCracken, a freshman,
took first place in average time in
barrel racing, an event where a horse
and rider attempt to run a pattern
around barrels in the fastest time.
She finished with an 18.07 in her first
go-round and an 18.10 in her second.
This was McCracken’s first rodeo.
“I was pretty nervous,” she said.
“But it was really cool, because it
was my first one, and I was compet-
ing against people who are older than
me.”
McCracken said she had just got
her horse, Chex, about five weeks
ago, and they have practiced together
quite a bit this summer and competed
at other events.
“It’s been going pretty good,” she
said. “I’ve placed pretty high in the
barrel races I’ve been to.”
Another Grant Union freshman,
Sarah Clark, finished in the top 10 in
pole bending, a timed event where a
Blue Mountain Eagle
Contributed photo
Sam McCracken, left, and John Day Les
Schwab Manager Ken Kirby pose for a
picture in front of the saddle the tire
store sponsored this year. The saddle
was on display after McCracken took first
in cow cutting at the Oregon State High
School Rodeo Finals in Prineville in June.
Bailey McCracken of John Day shows off
the jacket and check she won for placing
both days in barrel racing at the South-
ern Oregon High School Rodeo over the
weekend.
rider runs a weaving pattern around
six poles arranged in a line. Clark fin-
ished with a 22.17.
Two more fall rodeos will take place
this season. The next one will be in Cot-
tage Grove Saturday and Sunday and in
Condon Sept. 18-20.
Sam McCracken, who brought home
the state title in cow cutting at the Ore-
gon State High School Rodeo State
Finals in Prineville in June, will compete
Saturday.
He went to the National High School
Finals Rodeo in Guthrie, Oklahoma,
in July and finished in the top third in
reined cow.
Respite care available for
unpaid family caregivers
Blue Mountain Eagle
Unpaid family caregiv-
ers can receive help through
the Family Caregiver Support
Program through Commu-
nity Connection of Northeast
Oregon.
To apply, contact the care
coordinator at the John Day
Senior Center and complete a
Family Caregiver Support Pro-
gram application. If selected,
an in-home assessment will
be completed. If funding is
unavailable, the application
will be reviewed the following
quarter. If the applicant does
not meet the requirements, they
will be notified.
The family caregiver must
be:
• 18 or older caring for an
adult 60 or older,
• 18 or older caring for any
adult with Alzheimer’s, demen-
tia, age or related disorder,
• a grandparent 55 or older
caring for a grandchild 18 or
younger,
• a grandparent 55 or older
caring for an adult child with
disabilities or
• a parent 60 years or older
caring for an adult child with
disabilities.
Available program ser-
vices include up to $720 reim-
bursement per quarter for
in-home respite services, up
to $500 assistance with pay-
ing for home modifications
that help a family caregiver
provide care to a loved one,
up to $500 assistance with
paying for durable medical
goods that help a family care-
giver provide care to a loved
one and assistance paying for
home-delivered meals.
Contributed photo
Art at the Crossroads begins Friday
Blue Mountain Eagle
The 22nd annual Art
at the Crossroads open
regional show kicks off
with an opening reception
from noon to 8 p.m. Fri-
day, Sept. 4, at Crossroads
Carnegie Art Center, 2020
Auburn Ave., Baker City,
with live music by David
Salo.
The show will be avail-
able to view from 10 a.m.
to 5 p.m. Mondays through
Saturdays, Sept. 4-26, in
the upstairs gallery.
From 10 a.m. to noon
Saturday, Sept. 5, a dis-
cussion and critique will
take place with this year’s
judge, Malcolm Phinney.
Phinney of Wallowa
County is a painter and
sculptor. For more infor-
mation, visit phinneygal-
lery.com.
Face coverings are
Contributed photo
This acrylic painting ‘It’s a Beau-
tiful Day’ by Carrie Bellinger of
Mt. Vernon earned first place in
the two-dimensional category
at Art at the Crossroads in Baker
City last year.
required.
For more information,
call 541-523-5369, email
info@crossroads-arts.org
or visit crossroads-arts.org.
As schools begin the
reopening process, COVID-
19 brings some additional
requirements for students
in all Grant County school
districts.
The Grant County Health
Department wants to make it
as easy as possible for parents
and students to adapt to the
“Face Covering Requirement”
for students ages 5 and older,
according to a press release.
Face covering means a
cloth, paper or disposable face
covering that covers the nose
and mouth. Wild Rags are
included in this description. A
face shield means a clear plas-
tic shield that covers the fore-
head, extends below the chin
and wraps around the sides
of the face. Many vendors
have child specific masks and
shields (some are attached to
hats or headbands).
Consider that a child may
be extra sensitive to the way
the covering feels on their
face, head and ears when
helping them select their
masks. Some go around the
ears, around the head or even
attach to hats, headbands or
glasses. Find the most com-
fortable option, and encourage
students to wear the covering
when in class.
Contact local schools for
specific requirements or call
the Grant County Health
Department for further infor-
mation at 541-575-0429.
FACE COVERING
(MASKS) AND
KIDS
Kids age 5 and older are
required to wear a mask,
and kids over 2 can wear
a mask, as long as they
are able to remove it
themselves. Here are a
few ideas to help your
child feel comfortable if
they feel unsure about
wearing a mask or other
face covering:
• Let your child choose
and decorate their mask.
• Try different styles to
see which is the most
comfortable.
• Put a mask on a favor-
ite stuffed toy or draw
one on a favorite book
character.
• Introduce the mask
when everyone is re-
laxed but not too sleepy.
• Practice wearing the
mask at home to help
your child get used to it.
• Play some “let’s
pretend” games with
characters who wear
masks.
• Point out other people
wearing masks while
you’re out.
• Masks/coverings
should not be ex-
changed with others
during school hours.
Applications due Sept. 15 for Grant
School District board vacancy
Blue Mountain Eagle
Grant School District 3 is accepting applications for a board
of director vacancy. Applicants must be registered voters for
one year. The term will run through June 30, 2021. Those inter-
ested in applying may pick up an application from Superinten-
dent Bret Uptmor, 401 N. Canyon City Blvd., Canyon City. The
application deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 15.
OBITUARIES
Hillsboro hunter killed by elk in Tillamook
Blue Mountain Eagle
A wounded elk killed a
hunter Saturday in Tillamook.
Mark David, 66, of Hill-
sboro was archery hunting
on private property in Tilla-
mook Saturday and wounded
a five-by-five bull elk but
was unable to locate it before
dark, according to an Oregon
State Police press release.
David and the land-
owner attempted to find the
wounded bull the next morn-
ing. At about 9:15 a.m., David
located the bull and attempted
to kill it with his bow.
The elk charged David and
gored him in the neck with
its antlers. The landowner
attempted to help David, but
he sustained fatal injuries and
died.
The elk was killed, and
the meat was donated to the
Tillamook County Jail fol-
lowing the investigation.
OSP was assisted by the
Tillamook County Sheriff’s
Office, Tillamook Fire and
Contributed photo
Rescue and the Tillamook
County Medical Examiner. This elk killed a hunter Sunday.
Last Week’s Temps
John Day ...........................................................HI/LO
Tuesday ........................................................... 89/59
Wednesday ..................................................... 89/54
Thursday .......................................................... 86/54
Friday ............................................................... 90/51
Saturday .......................................................... 88/54
Sunday ............................................................. 77/45
Monday............................................................ 73/53
24/7 F ORECAST
A UTOMATED : 541-575-1122
R OAD CONDITIONS : 511; TRIPCHECK . COM
NOAA W EATHER R ADIO FOR J OHN D AY
162.500 MHz
Joe Humbert
Joe Humbert, 35, of Unity passed away on Aug. 30 in Bend.
A graveside service with military honors will be held at 1 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 4, at the St. Andrews Cemetery in Canyon City. To
leave an online condolence, visit driskillmemorialchapel.com.
About Obituaries
News obituaries of 300 words or less are a free service of the Blue Mountain Eagle. The
paper accepts obituaries from the family or funeral home. Information submitted is subject to
editing. Obituaries submitted to the Eagle with incorrect information may be corrected and
republished as paid memorials. Obituaries longer than 300 words may be published as paid
memorials. Send obituaries by email, office@bmeagle.com; fax, 541-575-1244; or mail,
195 N. Canyon Blvd., John Day, OR 97845. For more information, or to inquire about a paid
memorial, call 541-575-0710.
W EATHER F ORECAST FOR THE WEEK OF S EPT . 2 - 8
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