Associate Counsel

Associate Counsel

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This position is responsible for providing guidance and support on legal issues for the organization. This position serves as a core resource for the Legal Affairs team to ensure legal matters within CareOregon and affiliated entities are monitored, managed, and handled in a timely and effective manner.

This is a hybrid position with the expectation to be in office 1-2x/week in the downtown Portland office. We are looking for local candidates to Portland Metro.

Estimated Hiring Range:

$102,330.00 - $125,070.00

Bonus Target:

Bonus - SIP Target, 5% Annual

Priority will be given to candidates residing in Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Current CareOregon Employees: Please use the internal Workday site to submit an application for this job.

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Essential Responsibilities

• Serve as point of contact for internal questions or issues related to local, state or federal laws or regulations.
• Contracts:
  • Develop, draft, review, and/or advise on all contracting needs of the organization
  • Work closely with the Provider Contracting and Value-Based Payment team; may also serve other areas of the company to provide guidance on questions of law, regulatory requirements, and legal risk
  • Assist and advise business leaders in contract related negotiations, workgroups, and committees with external entities
  • Effectively utilize contract management software
  • Support the development of contracting best practices and dissemination of those practices across contracting staff; lead and contribute to contract management process improvement initiatives
• Legal Operations:
  • Triage, research, advise, and respond to internal inquiries
  • Oversee responses to external inquiries, including any subpoenas, requests for production, or court orders
  • Coordinate with outside counsel, as necessary, for matters related to litigation, arbitration, mediation, or other authorized matters of importance
  • Advise on, monitor, and/or resolve CareOregon’s and its affiliated entities’ legal disputes, keeping stakeholders updated on progress
• Apply growing legal knowledge in the following areas: Federal and state health care laws and regulations (e.g., Medicare, Medicaid, licensure, accreditation, general and malpractice liability, medical staff, patient care law, behavioral health, guardianships, etc.), corporate law, taxation, real estate, labor, and employment, antitrust, insurance, commercial and finance; assist in other areas, as needed.
• Provide legal solutions faced by CareOregon and its affiliated entities, and develop recommendations and solutions that are thorough, practical, and consistent with CareOregon’s mission and obligations.
• Assess and mitigate legal risk, and provide timely, concise briefings to the General Counsel or other members of the legal team, and, upon request, Executive Leadership about any identified business exposure and associated risks.
• Remain abreast of relevant legislative, regulatory, and legal developments that impact CareOregon and its affiliated entities.
• Provide input in the development of internal policies and self-serve legal resources for staff; facilitate staff trainings as applicable and necessary.
• Work closely with CareOregon’s compliance staff to ensure that subpoenas, record requests and other legal requests received by CareOregon are reviewed and communicated to necessary staff; monitor and follow up to ensure that responses are submitted timely.
• Work closely with government affairs staff to analyze new statutes and regulations to determine the operational impact and ensure compliance and proper implementation.
• Maintain all detailed support materials in a highly organized way.
• Participate in and manage special projects and activities as requested.

Experience and/or Education

Required

• Juris Doctorate Degree from an accredited law school
• Minimum 2 years of legal experience
• Member in good standing with the Oregon state Bar

Preferred

• Experience focused on healthcare transactional and healthcare operational advising
• Experience working directly with Medicaid or Medicare regulations and compliance, laws, and statues 

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

Knowledge

• Knowledge of or ability to quickly learn state and federal managed care program requirements, including Oregon Health Plan and Medicare health care laws and regulations

• Growing understanding of the operational impact of business and legal decisions

Skills and Abilities

• Proficient communication skills
• Effective organizational, research and writing skills
• Ability to handle unique, sensitive, and moderately complex legal matters, with supervisory guidance or and oversight
• Ability to apply legal knowledge, analysis, and judgment to address routine to moderately complex legal problems arising in the organization
• Ability to draft contract language and to translate policy changes into contractual terms
• Ability to obtain and retain knowledge of:
  • Government regulations as they relate to the administration of OHP and Medicare
  • The principles and practices of coordinated care
  • Health plan benefits, systems and procedures, changes in guidelines and regulations, changes in the health care services, changes in the legal/legislative arena that impact operations 
  • Health care public policy issues
• Ability to coordinate and communicate with a variety of contract parties and stakeholders
• Ability to work in a proactive manner with OHA and CMS
• Ability to coordinate and manage projects and negotiate favorable outcomes
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and work in an environment with diverse individuals and groups
• Ability to be proficient in the use of word processing and spreadsheet applications
• Ability to work in an environment with diverse individuals and groups
• Ability to work effectively with diverse individuals and groups
• Ability to learn, focus, understand, and evaluate information and determine appropriate actions
• Ability to accept direction and feedback, as well as tolerate and manage stress
• Ability to see, read, and perform repetitive finger and wrist movement for at least 6 hours/day
• Ability to hear and speak clearly for at least 3-6 hours/day

Working Conditions

Work Environment(s):         ☒ Indoor/Office    ☐ Community      ☐ Facilities/Security                       ☐ Outdoor Exposure

Member/Patient Facing:     ☒ No                        ☐ Telephonic       ☐ In Person

Hazards:  May include, but not limited to, physical and ergonomic hazards

Equipment:  General office equipment

Travel:  May include occasional required or optional travel outside of the workplace; the employee’s personal vehicle, local transit or other means of transportation may be used

Work Location: Hybrid-Office 2 days/week

We offer a strong Total Rewards Program. This includes competitive pay, bonus opportunity, and a comprehensive benefits package.  Eligibility for bonuses and benefits is dependent on factors such as the position type and the number of scheduled weekly hours. Benefits-eligible employees qualify for benefits beginning on the first of the month on or after their start date. CareOregon offers medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, and disability insurance, as well as health savings account, flexible spending account(s), lifestyle spending account, employee assistance program, wellness program, discounts, and multiple supplemental benefits (e.g., voluntary life, critical illness, accident, hospital indemnity, identity theft protection, pre-tax parking, pet insurance, 529 College Savings, etc.). We also offer a strong retirement plan with employer contributions. Benefits-eligible employees accrue PTO and Paid State Sick Time based on hours worked/scheduled hours and the primary work state. Employees may also receive paid holidays, volunteer time, jury duty, bereavement leave, and more, depending on eligibility. Non-benefits eligible employees can enjoy 401(k) contributions, Paid State Sick Time, wellness and employee assistance program benefits, and other perks. Please contact your recruiter for more information.

We are an equal opportunity employer

CareOregon is an equal opportunity employer.  The organization selects the best individual for the job based upon job related qualifications, regardless of race, color, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, age, veteran status, ancestry, marital status or disability. The organization will make a reasonable accommodation to known physical or mental limitations of a qualified applicant or employee with a disability unless the accommodation will impose an undue hardship on the operation of our organization.