Dr. Vern Saboe chiropractic physician will discuss the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) experience at the 3rd Annual Summit on Balance Pain Management Dec. 6, in Washington, DC, http://alliancebpm.org/
Dr. Saboe will review the process that lead to OHP now covering common back and spinal pain conditions and non-pharmacologic treatments in hopes of reducing opioid narcotic use and costly spinal surgeries. Saboe will cover how Oregon’s initial development of evidence-based back treatment guidelines led to coverage of integrated pain care combining standard medical care with chiropractic, acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, yoga, intensive rehabilitation, massage therapy, and/or supervised exercise therapy. What a Coordinated Care Organization is and how the above services are primarily provided through local CCOs where available as determined by each CCO will be explained.
In 2010 Governor Kitzhaber appointed Dr. Saboe to his Health Systems Transformation Team that created Oregon’s unique CCOs. In 2011 Saboe was then appointed by the governor to the new Health Evidence Review Commission that adopted the State of Oregon, Evidence-based Low Back Pain Management Guidelines.
In 2015 Saboe then served the HERC Back Lines Reorganization Task Force that resulted in common back and spinal pain conditions and the above listed treatments for the first time being covered for OHP patients beginning Jan. 1 of this year.
Saboe represents both the Oregon Chiropractic Association and the American Chiropractic Association.
