CareOregon says routine Medicaid outpatient mental health and substance use services must come from contracted providers for members beginning October 1, 2025.
Contracted-provider requirement
CareOregon’s July 31, 2025, behavioral health outpatient network update states that, effective October 1, 2025, routine Medicaid outpatient mental health and substance use services for CareOregon, Jackson Care Connect and Columbia Pacific members must be received from a contracted provider.
CareOregon identifies the affected care as routine Medicaid outpatient mental health and substance use services. The CareOregon extract does not name individual contracted providers or further define the routine services covered by this statement. It also does not describe exceptions to the contracted-provider requirement within the supplied notice.
Services outside the stated change
CareOregon says intensive outpatient services, partial hospitalization, residential treatment and electroconvulsive therapy are not affected by the contracted-provider requirement described in its update.
CareOregon also says these services may need prior authorization. The notice does not say that authorization is required in every case; CareOregon’s wording is that the services may need it. The supplied CareOregon extract provides no further details about authorization steps, eligibility, or how authorization decisions are made.
Medicare Advantage timing
CareOregon says non-contracted Medicare Advantage services continued through December 31, 2025. Its update separately gives October 1, 2025, as the effective date for the contracted-provider requirement involving routine Medicaid outpatient mental health and substance use services.
The CareOregon notice distinguishes the Medicare Advantage continuation from the Medicaid requirement. CareOregon does not state in this extract what applies to non-contracted Medicare Advantage services after December 31, 2025. No later effective date, extension, or replacement policy is included in the supplied CareOregon extract.
What this means for Oregon patients
For Oregon patients looking for treatment locally, CareOregon’s update signals that the listed routine Medicaid outpatient services are subject to a contracted-provider requirement from October 1, 2025, for the members it names. The directory lists 39 published clinics in Oregon, which may help people locate treatment options locally. CareOregon’s extract does not identify which providers are contracted.
This is general information, not medical advice.
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This report is educational and is not medical advice. Coverage, availability and eligibility can change; verify details with the named source or your care team.