OCHIN Awarded $225,000 Grant from the Oregon Educators Benefit Board and MODA Health Innovations Award Program to Support Financial Stability of School-Based Health Centers (SBHCs)

PORTLAND, Ore., Aug. 5, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- OCHIN, Inc., one of the nation's largest nonprofit Health IT and professional services organizations, is pleased to announce that they have been awarded a $225,000 grant from the Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB) and Moda Health. Over the next three years, using their successful outsourced billing services, OCHIN will provide technical assistance and support to five SBHCs while teaching billing best practices, documentation, and workflows.

The OEBB and Moda Health Grant Program was created by a $3 million Moda Health contribution on behalf of OEBB. The purpose of the fund is to develop or enhance healthcare programs within OEBB communities and geographies in the state of Oregon. Although the initial goal of the grants is to impact as many OEBB members as possible, the broader aspect of the program is to have a positive impact on the overall community. This grant will enable OCHIN to help SBHCs gain sufficient knowledge and experience to perform their own billing and training in future years, putting into place sustainable, repeatable processes and procedures. The award, originally granted in October of 2013, is being implemented now to align with the 2014/2015 school year.

"This opportunity will increase the long-term viability of these SBHCs," said OCHIN CEO Abby Sears. "As the recipients of this award, we will leverage our established relationships and already-deep knowledge of billing services to support these vital community resources. The financial stability of these SBHCs is reliant on their capacity to support themselves, and this grant allows us to help them establish the building blocks to make this happen."

James Foley, Vice President at Moda Health and member of the OEBB and Moda Health Grant Committee added, "On behalf of OEBB and Moda Health, we are thrilled to be partnering with OCHIN in this meaningful and tangible way. The OCHIN mission to bring quality, affordable healthcare to all is in perfect alignment with the spirit of this grant."

About OCHIN
OCHIN is one of the nation's largest Health Information Networks and is recognized for its innovative use of Health IT to improve the integration and delivery of healthcare services across a wide variety of practices. OCHIN operates in 18 states, supports over 100 health center networks, and over 4,500 medical providers who serve over 2.5 million patients. Visit: www.ochin.org.

About OEBB
OEBB provides a comprehensive portfolio of employee benefit plans to 244 educational entities comprised of 140,000 employees and dependents. The program focuses on outcomes, innovation, creativity, and integrated care. Visit: www.oregon.gov.

About Moda Health
Moda Health is a multifaceted organization that provides medical, dental, pharmacy, vision, and professional liability insurance products, along with a variety of business services including benefits administration. Moda Health is headquartered in Portland, and its service area encompasses Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Visit: www.modahealth.com.

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SOURCE OCHIN