Oregon Health Plan Processing Center strives to make a difference

Tanya Martishev, OHP Processing Center public service representative, inputs client information for an OHP-Standard applicant.

"Our work is very satisfying because we are all in this to make a difference," says Linda Burleson, assistant program manager at the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) Statewide Processing Center. "We are here to help people."

The OHP Statewide Processing Center is located in north Salem near the Salem/Keizer border. At the processing center, Burleson oversees a staff of 193 employees, consisting of phone bank and eligibility workers. This busy team averages more than 23,000 phone calls a month and may process as many as 9,000 OHP applications in a one-month period.

Approximately 510,000 Oregonians are enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan. Additionally, 57,000 Oregonians are on the OHP Standard reservation list. With the list re-opened in October and continually growing, it means many more public inquiries and applications for staff to process.

"We're here to do whatever we can to help," Burleson says. "People work here because they care. Whether it is to answer a question on medical eligibility, review the status of an application with an applicant, process an application or refer OHP clients to appropriate resources, we're here to provide assistance."

OHP staff receive an average of six weeks training before working in the processing center. Burleson said the staff are very diverse and reflective of Oregon's population. The staff includes people who speak Spanish, Russian and Vietnamese, and a dedicated phone line accommodates non-English speaking callers.

Although 510,000 Oregonians are enrolled in the OHP, another 600,000 Oregonians remain without any health insurance. "We know that there are so many people out there that are hurting and in need," Burleson says. "Our staff is made up of people with enormous hearts who want to help Oregon families."