& Wellness
The advantages of being active
The valley’s wellness centers
Methow At Home
Serving our community through the transitions of aging with dignity and respect
Hands-on help at home
Volunteer opportunities
Social connection
Life-long Learning events
Empowering older adults to stay independent, active, and connected to the community
Learn more methowathome.org 509.996.5844
Because everyone deserves a safe place to live, nourishing food, and the dignity of warmth in the winter.
For 60 years, Okanogan County Community Action Council (OCCAC) has empowered families and fueled economic strength when and where it matters most.
• Rent Assistance – Preventing homelessness and keeping families secure.
• Utility Support – Ensuring homes stay warm, safe, and powered year-round.
• Food Access – Partnering with nine food pantries to fight hunger across the county.
• Home Repairs & Weatherization –Protecting the health and safety of our most vulnerable neighbors.
When we invest in our collective wellbeing, families thrive -- and our entire community grows stronger.
WARM HOMES, CLEAN AIR
Woodsmoke contains fine particles (PM2.5) that can enter deep into your lungs and bloodstream. By switching to clean heating, you’re protecting your family’s health—especially kids, elders, and people with asthma or heart issues.
You and your family can upgrade, reduce or eliminate use of woodstoves by switching to cleaner heating sources such as EPA-certified woodstoves, pellet stoves or heat pumps. Contact Methow Valley Citizens Council today to apply for this program!
Methow Valley Citizens Council (MVCC) has partnered with the Washington State Department of Ecology and Valley Lumber in a unique program to help qualified folks recieve a new wood stove or pellet stove free of charge! APPLY FOR
woodstoveprogram
Just 20 old, non-EPA certified woodstoves can emit more than 1 ton of fine
HEALTH 2025/26 Methow Valley & Wellness Taking charge of your health
THEALTH & WELLNESS
Don Nelson: publisher/editor
CONTRIBUTORS
Marcy Stamper
Shelley Smith Jones
Sandra Strieby
Noelle Ferreira-De Puy
Okanogan County Community Action Council
Steve Mitchell
A publication of the Methow Valley News P.O. Box 97, 502 S. Glover St. Twisp, WA 98856 methowvalleynews.com
Tera Evans: advertising MyKenzie Bennett: design ON THE COVER
4 REAPING THE REWARDS OF AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
Make movement a priority
7 STRUGGLING WITH ALCOHOL? HELP IS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE
9 WELLNESS CENTERS OFFER A VARIETY OF SERVICES
Practitioners offer healthy alternatives
12 WHY ESSENTIAL NEEDS ARE CRITICAL TO COMMUNITY HEALTH
14 MEDICAID IS AT A PRECARIOUS CROSSROADS
Program cuts will hit Okanogan County hard
17 VACCINES ARE SAFE, AND SAVE LIVES
Consult your health care provider for the best guidance
We can’t all be as spry as this runner, but we can have an active lifestyle.
here are many aspects to personal health — some of them have to do with available resources and how to access them, others have to do with being proactive about your own wellness. In Health & Wellness 2025-26, we provide helpful information about how to find care, and how to attend to your own well-being.
This issue includes the most current update on the status of Medicaid, reviews some of the valley’s health care collectives that provide a range of services in one place, reiterates the value of vaccinations, and offers tips on how to stay physically active. And
more.
We’ve expanded our list of stories this year and added some pages to give the magazine more substance. We are able to do that with the support of our advertisers. They offer an array of essential services that are locally available, all related to some aspect of health care. The directory on page 19 is a valuable year-round resource that we hope you will take advantage of.
Despite its relative isolation, the Methow Valley has access to a wide variety of health care professionals who can provide both primary care and referrals for additional treatments. We’re fortunate that so many providers have chosen this community as the place they want to live and practice. Together, they form a cohesive network with an impressive range of treatment options, all devoted to the valley’s well-being.
Photo by Steve Mitchell
REAPING THE REWARDS OF AN ACTIVE LIFESTYLE
Make movement a priority
ADVANTAGES OF ACTIVITY
BY SANDRA STRIEBY
Physical activity is good for us — body, mind, and spirit. Movement can help us live longer, feel better, do the things we love, and be more productive at work. Here’s a look at what it can do for you and how to craft a more active lifestyle — even in the face of sedentary work and a busy schedule.
Physical and mental health benefits of being active are well documented. “There are the obvious benefits to physical activity such as improved cardiovascular health, muscle mass and bone density,” said Jenna Kokes, a physical therapist and co-owner of Winthrop Physical Therapy & Fitness. “Other benefits that I love are promoting a healthy lifestyle, improved cognitive function and self-esteem. Exercise makes you feel good — both physically and mentally.”
On the physical side, general benefits include “increased lifespan and health span (how long you live and the quality of your later life),
chronic disease management and prevention, weight control and … improved resting health markers (such as reduced blood pressure, blood glucose, resting heart rates and cholesterol),” according to Austin Hall, exercise physiologist with Confluence Health.
John Spannuth, ARNP, a locum provider at Family Health Centers in Twisp, detailed ways in which physical activity supports cognitive function: improving memory and attention and reducing the risk of cognitive decline and dementia. It can also reduce stress, anxiety, and the symptoms of depression, and contribute to improved sleep, he said.
Movement contributes to on-thejob productivity, too, feeding our brains with oxygen and nutrients, improving energy, and boosting mental performance. Although building movement into the work day may feel like an interruption, the mind and body reset can help you get more done and feel less stressed.
THE PERILS OF INACTIVITY
While healthy activity helps us live longer, stay independent, and better enjoy life, not moving our bodies undermines all those attributes of good living. Spannuth points out that inactivity can contribute to muscle weakness, joint
Photo by Steve Mitchell
stiffness, poor posture, and back pain. It can also increase the risk of dangerous conditions like heart disease, stroke, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, he said.
Kokes highlights “the significant increase in fall risk as you get older” as a major hazard of inactivity.
“Our patients who are out playing in their environment or who have a developed gym routine keep that strength as they age and perform significantly better during balance assessments,” she said.
Aside from the risks of disease and accidental injury, “it’s important to think and frame it in terms of your day to day,” said Hall. In his Cardiac Rehabilitation work, Hall typically sees older patients, for whom, he said, “important activities [include] being able to keep up with grandchildren, maintain the house and yard, and continue to do hobbies such as golf. Without a healthy base built upon physical activity, these activities become much more difficult or even impossible to perform, which to me is the biggest risk of all.”
INTEGRATING EXERCISE WITH DAILY LIFE
“To maintain a healthy lifestyle, it’s important to incorporate both dedicated movement time and incidental movement throughout the day,” said Spannuth. “I like to use the phrase, ‘What is your joyful movement?’”
Kokes concurs, saying ““You have to find what works for you and what you can maintain.”
“I … recommend trying to exercise outdoors as much as possible,” said Hall, noting that outdoor activity “seems to provide even more mental health benefits.” He also
recommended “having a friend or class to exercise with, because community can be a great tool for adherence to an exercise program over the long term.”
For many in the Methow, outdoor activities like hiking, biking and skiing are obvious ways to bring joyful movement to life. Spannuth also suggests considering classes — like yoga, Pilates, Zumba, martial arts, or spinning — for more structured workouts, or training at the gym or at home.
The great news about activity is that tiny amounts can make a big difference. That’s where the incidental movement that Spannuth recommends can come into play.
Australian research reported in 2022 showed a three-second exercise, repeated 20 times over four weeks, increased the study participants’ muscle strength. Those findings sparked considerable attention, but many other studies have shown that very short bouts of movement can make us healthier.
“Exercise snacks” have gained popularity as exercise physiologists find people benefiting from short periods of movement repeated throughout the day. Sedentary workers, especially, benefit from getting up and moving for a few minutes each hour. Sitting for long periods can affect sugar and fat metabolism, increasing inflammation and the risks of cardiovascular disease.
Hall describes exercise snacks as “shorter bursts of movement that can either be cardiovascular or muscular endurance focused … Emerging research has found both of these types of exercise snacks to be beneficial for cardio-metabolic health as well as brain health.”
“For cardiovascular-focus,
activities such as jumping jacks, quickly climbing a few flights of stairs, or even sprinting for 30 seconds for more-advanced exercisers are a few examples, while for muscular endurance focus, wall sits, push-ups, or crunches can be performed,” he said.
Getting up and moving for as little as a minute at a time can increase longevity and reduce the risk of heart disease, researchers have
reported. Even doing a few stretches, bends, and twists in your chair can help. So can standing up while using the phone, walking during meetings, or using an active work station — for instance, a sit-stand desk or treadmill desk. Taking a few minutes to do some filing, dust the office, or, if you work at home, knock a quick chore off your housekeeping to-do list lets you accomplish something at the same time you’re doing your body some good.
Setting an alarm or scheduling an alert makes it easy to remember to take a movement break. Using a timer that you have to turn off, and placing it out of reach — ideally in another room — will require you to get up and take a few steps.
GETTING STARTED
Hall and Kokes both emphasize the importance of working with health care professionals as part of developing and maintaining an active lifestyle. “Medical clearance should be sought out before starting
Photo by Steve Mitchell
any new exercise program for those with chronic health conditions, particularly cardiac, metabolic or renal issues, or any new concerning adverse signs or symptoms for those without any documented chronic health issues,” said Hall. If you’re not sure how to get started, physical therapists can help craft a movement regime based on individual needs, whether in response to an existing condition or proactively, to improve fitness and overall health. “Physical Therapy is a medically skilled intervention that utilizes diverse modalities to
treat people who are dealing with joint pain, muscular weakness, movement disorders, neurological issues, and imbalance so that they can be more independent in activities of daily living as well as participate in increased physical activities,” said Heidi Tibbits, inpatient physical therapist at Confluence Health.
In addition, said Kokes, “We can help program a routine that fits into your day/schedule and that meets your specific fitness/ health goals. We are the exercise experts who also have the medical
background to keep you safe and progressing towards your goals. A program for cardiovascular health or diabetes management is very different than training for the Sunflower or prepping for your upcoming ice hockey season.”
Hall, Kokes and Spannuth all recommended moderation when introducing new activity. “In general we don’t recommend starting [at] 100% effort. Pace yourself to avoid muscle strains and injury that will ultimately set you further behind,” said Kokes. Spannuth suggested using a fitness tracker
or pedometer for motivation and to track incremental change.
“It is important to understand that although exercise is beneficial in the long-term, it is a new short-term stressor that … your body … must respond to,” said Hall. Increasing activity levels slowly will “ensure that your body is able to keep up to these new demands,” he said.
Finding your own joyful movement, and building it into your life with care, truly can enhance every facet of your health and well-being.
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STRUGGLING WITH ALCOHOL? HELP IS AVAILABLE RIGHT HERE
SUBMITTED BY A LOCAL MEMBER OF A.A.
Six months shy of my 40th birthday, I was finally honest with myself that I had a problem with alcohol and could no longer tell myself I’d have only one drink.
I drank alone every night, and I was missing far too many days of work. I count myself fortunate to have had a friend in Alcoholics Anonymous, who suggested meetings I might attend, and I did so, and I kept going back without drinking between meetings.
Today I have 36 years of living sober, and better than that, I did not lose my job or the house I was buying. Living sober, I regained my self-respect, and my quality of life has steadily improved.
I learned in A.A. that alcoholism is a progressive disease and it can be deadly. This is substantiated in an article on webmd.com by John Donovan, written March 24, 2023: “Alcohol dependence is progressive; what might seem harmless at first can get worse if it’s not treated.” At the beginning of every A.A. meeting, this preamble is read: “Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of people who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from alcoholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization, or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.” (Reprinted with permission of the AA Grapevine Inc.)
HELPFUL QUESTIONS
In the A.A. pamphlet. “Is A.A. for You,” there are 12 questions you can answer.
• Have you ever decided to stop drinking for a week or so, but only lasted for a couple of days?
• Do you wish people would mind their own business about your drinking — stop telling you what to do?
• Have you ever switched from one kind of drink to another in the hope that this would keep you from getting drunk?
• Have you had to have a drink upon awakening during the past year?
• Do you envy people who can drink without getting into trouble?
• Have you had problems connected with drinking during the past year?
• Has your drinking caused trouble at home?
• Do you ever try to get “extra” drinks at a party because you do not get enough?
• Do you tell yourself you can stop drinking any time you want to, even though you keep getting drunk when you didn’t mean to?
• Have you missed days of work or school because of drinking?
• Do you have “blackouts”?
• Have you ever felt that your life would be better if you did not drink?
With four or more “yes” answers, you may have a problem with alcohol; only you can decide whether you think A.A. is for you. We learn to live one day at a time without alcohol, and we find that life becomes more manageable.
Our “Open” meetings are for anyone wanting to learn more about A.A. Our program has helped millions of alcoholics in more than 180 countries achieve sobriety. Still, we understand our program is not for everyone. Some people may require professional counseling or treatment.
Luckily for people in the Methow Valley who think they have a problem with alcohol, there is a solution
in A.A. that began here in 1944, and we now have an AA meeting every night of the week. See the meeting schedule published weekly in the Methow Valley News or call our Hotline Number for more information: (509) 826-6299. A.A. schedules can also be found at both the Twisp and Winthrop Post Offices, and other locations throughout the valley. Sometimes people think that if they quit drinking, life will be dull and the fun is over. We like to tell people, we are not a glum lot. It is surprising how much laughter you will hear and participate in at an AA meeting. Plus, we have potlucks, picnics, and other social gatherings. When you travel, you are likely to find an A.A. meeting to attend wherever you go.
Our name, Alcoholics Anonymous, should assure you, we will respect your anonymity. We close each meeting with the statement: “In the tradition of anonymity, we ask that who you see here, and what you hear here, let it stay here.”
WELLNESS CENTERS OFFER A VARIETY OF SERVICES
Practitioners offer healthy alternatives
BY NOELLE FERREIRA-DE PUY
Residents of rural communities often understand the barriers of receiving affordable and reliable health care services. In the Methow Valley, several wellness centers seek to make physical, mental and emotional wellness more achievable.
Blue Heron Health Collective, Methow Valley Wellness Center, Liberty Bell Family Medicine, and North Glover Healing Center offer holistic, primary and preventative care as an alternative to paying the high costs of hospital or doctor visits.
Treatments such as massage, acupuncture, yoga, naturopathy, counseling, or even primary medical service with insurance-free payment options help support the health and wellness of the valley community.
The locations are a confluence of individual practitioners who share a space and affiliation with an
encompassing wellness business. Other clinics, such as Liberty Bell Family Medicine, function with a smaller staff number to provide primary care. Ongoing support for the cooperatives and clinics is shown by continued resident patronization, and with some locations being open over a decade.
Cuts to Medicaid in the recently passed reconciliation bill may encourage Washington residents to seek alternative wellness and preventative care rather than face high medical bills from visiting the nearest hospital. Support of health cooperatives and private practices aids local businesses and
well-being of the valley without breaking the budget.
BLUE HERON HEALTH COLLECTIVE
In Winthrop, Blue Heron Health Collective offers mental health services including counseling, sports performance enhancement, and even ketamine treatment, while also providing natural health options such as holistic women’s care, nutrition/lifestyle support, and herbal medicine.
Kelsey Bourne, founder and counselor at the wellness center, emphasizes that their services support everyone, with locals receiving
From le : Kelle Ronnefeldt, Kelsey Bourn, Kathleen Manseau and Jenna Rayachoti are practitioners at Blue Heron Health Collective.
Photo courtesy of Blue Heron Health Collective
the most well-rounded care due to relationship building with patients through multiple visits.
“We have such a strong community that wants to help each other, and if it’s within their budget they will support local business,” Bourne said in a phone interview. The health collective has been open since January of 2024, and receives more patronization during the colder months as many folks utilize outdoor recreation to support mental and physical health during the summer. Bourne emphasizes that this has not slowed the momentum of business, noting the continuous need for mental health support in the valley.
Blue Heron is accepting applications for providers seeking to become affiliated with the group, but who do not need a physical space in the building. All office spaces are currently full, but inquiries are welcome for future openings.
METHOW VALLEY WELLNESS
CENTER
Methow Valley Wellness Center in Winthrop hosts a passionate team of wellness providers that has led to continued support from the
community of locals and visitors for nearly three decades. “We all love the work we do,” said Dr. Sierra Breitbeil, founder of the wellness center and a naturopathic doctor, in a phone interview,
Locals know where to receive quality massage, esthetic services and counseling, among many others, and those passing through the valley have an oasis to recharge before continuing their journey. The center also hosts a variety of retreats and workshops to foster healing and relaxation.
SOMA, Structural Integration, Massage and Rehabilitation
Proactive Solutions for Pain and Body Efficiency
Jeff Greiner, LMP
jeff@bodymindedtherapy.com 206-200-4861
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Methow Valley Wellness Center shares property with Sunflower Resort to provide accommodations for travelers passing through the valley, said Dr. Brietbeil, whose husband handles the resort side of the business.
LIBERTY BELL FAMILY MEDICINE
Farther down the valley in Twisp, family-owned clinic Liberty Bell Family Medicine offers a unique approach to basic medical care that steps away from traditional insurance plans. The Direct Primary Care (DPC) system offers monthly or annual payment options to provide readily accessible and transparently priced routine medical service, while also encouraging patients to maintain an insurance plan for
Methow Valley Wellness Center has been providing services for nearly three decades.
Dr. Kellar McCloy o ers Direct Primary Care in Twisp.
Photo courtesy of Methow Valley Wellness Center
Photo courtesy of Liberty Bell Family Medicine
emergencies or serious illness.
The payment model covers primary services such as physicals, chronic disease management, acute medical care, mental health, labs, substance use, prescriptions, and general procedures, among others. Services not offered include pregnancy care, vaccines, and antibiotics.
“Our biggest challenge right now is keeping up with growth and trying to expand,” said Dr. Kellar McCloy, founder and board-certified physician practicing at Liberty Bell. The physician has navigated the complexities of providing medical care to communities without insurance through diverse medical studies in the U.S. and in Haiti.
The clinic plans to hire another physician and expand services in the near future, Dr. McCloy said in a phone interview. He anticipates an increase in patient needs following recent Medicaid cuts, with as many as 250,000 residents of Washington State losing their insurance under the name Apple Health.
NORTH GLOVER HEALING CENTER
North Glover Healing Center in Twisp is a comprehensive wellness co-op serving Methow for over a decade. The center is focused on helping valley goers stay active and healthy, and is routinely well received by locals pleased with the amenities offered at the facility, said Michael Pritchard, co-owner and practitioner at North Glover Healing Center.
The center provides spaces for practitioners of diverse specialties such as massage, acupuncture, counseling, and midwifery. This includes Liberty Bell Family Medicine and 15 other providers that are
conveniently located adjacent to downtown Twisp.
The diversity of practitioners and services at wellness centers spread out across the valley support a personalized approach to holistic and primary care, whether it be a one-time consultation or a recurring treatment option.
In a time of increasing traditional health care costs, the wellness centers represent the valley’s commitment to providing diverse methods of achieving physical, mental, and emotional wellness.
North Glover Healing Center is a comprehensive wellness co-op.
Photo courtesy of North Glover Healing Center
WHY ESSENTIAL NEEDS ARE CRITICAL TO COMMUNITY HEALTH
SUBMITTED
BY OKANOGAN COUNTY COMMUNITY ACTION COUNCIL
When we talk about health, most people think of hospitals, prescriptions, or doctors. But health starts long before someone walks into a clinic. It begins with something much more basic:
a warm place to sleep, food on the table, and power to keep the lights and heat on.
These essentials — housing, food, and utilities — keep communities functioning, families stable, and local economies afloat. In Okanogan County, agencies like the Okanogan County Community Action Council (OCCAC) are quietly doing the heavy lifting to make sure those needs are met.
So why should this matter to you?
Because when neighbors don’t have their basic needs met, the entire community pays the price
— in public safety, emergency health care, lost productivity, and strained school systems. But when we support stability for others, we create stability for ourselves. Here’s what that looks like in real terms:
Every year, OCCAC prevents over 500 people from becoming homeless. That’s 500 fewer people sleeping in emergency shelters, cars, or couches. It means fewer school absences among children, fewer hospital visits for preventable illnesses, and less strain on our already overloaded crisis services. Stable housing doesn’t
just help individuals — it protects the social fabric of our towns.
OCCAC also ensures that 900 households can keep their lights and heat on. That means parents can refrigerate food and medicine, kids can do their homework after dark, and elders can stay warm in the winter. When families lose access to utilities, it often pushes them into a deeper crisis, leading to eventual displacement and despair.
By covering just one bill, OCCAC helps keep entire households stable and self-sufficient, so they don’t have to turn to more
Lack of housing is a threat to the community’s overall well-being.
Photos courtesy of Okanogan County Community Action Council
expensive public systems later.
And then there’s food, the most fundamental building block of health. Through partnerships with the network of nine food pantries across the county, OCCAC reaches nearly 30% of Okanogan residents. That’s one in three people who can access the groceries they need to stay healthy, focused, and ready to work or learn. Think about what that means in your neighborhood:
• A child is not going to school hungry.
• A senior does not have to choose between food and medicine.
• A working family that can stay afloat through a tough month.
What’s in it for you? Safer streets. Stronger schools. Lower emergency service costs. A more resilient local economy. And the peace of mind that comes from knowing that, if you ever face hard times, there’s a system in place that can catch and lift you too.
Supporting your neighbor’s well-being is a wise investment for the entire community. Because when everyone has a place to live, food to eat, and heat in the winter, we all do better.
In partnership with local food banks, OCCAC reaches nearly 30% of Okanogan County residents with assistance.
MEDICAID IS AT A PRECARIOUS CROSSROADS
Program cuts will hit Okanogan County hard
BY MARCY STAMPER
Medicaid, the program that provides health coverage to lowincome people, turned 50 this year. And that anniversary coincides with some of the biggest changes – and cuts – in the program’s history, with new rules and work requirements, including proving continued eligibility
every six months instead of once a year.
The cuts in the program, part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act passed by Congress in July 2024, are expected to disproportionately affect rural people, and particularly children, who rely on Medicaid in greater numbers, according to Okanogan County health care professionals.
Under the new Medicaid rules, individuals ages 19 to 64 will have to work at least 80 hours per month — or attend school half-time — to
qualify for Medicaid. Parents with children 13 and under, those who can’t work for health reasons, and those being treated for substance-use disorder are exempt from the work requirement, according to the health care providers, who explained the changes at a forum in July 2025.
The changes will also mean lower reimbursements to clinics and hospitals in Okanogan County. Under Washington’s charity care law, the county’s hospitals already absorb the cost of caring for people who can’t pay.
“The literal million-dollar question is, how much Medicaid funding is going to be converted to charity care and uncompensated care, and how will hospitals close that gap?” said John McReynolds, CEO of North Valley Hospital in Tonasket.
The charity-care law applies to hospital costs not covered by private insurance, Medicaid or Medicare. The law ensures that all Washingtonians within 300% of the federal poverty level are eligible for financial assistance for out-of-pocket hospital bills, including at an emergency room. It covers people regardless of citizenship status. Last year, uncompensated care at North Valley Hospital came to about $1 million, McReynolds said.
COVERAGE FIGURES AND COSTS
Medicaid covers doctor’s visits, emergency room and hospital care, medications, rehab and long-term care, said Peter Morgan, a board member of Thriving Together NCW. Some 20% of people across the country are covered by Medicaid; in Washington, it’s about 25%.
Initially, the federal and state
Graphs by Joe Novotny
governments split the cost of Medicaid 50/50, but an opportunity under the Affordable Care Act to expand coverage means Washington has been paying just one-third of the cost, Morgan said.
Even more children get their health care through Medicaid. In Washington, Okanogan County is tied for the fourth-highest rate of Medicaid coverage for children, at 42.4%, according to the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University, which tracks Medicaid and other health data. Yakima County has the highest number of children on Medicaid, at 50.3%. Total Medicaid coverage in Okanogan County is more than 27%.
Despite those coverage rates, children account for just 15% of Medicaid costs nationwide, Morgan said. People over 65 and disabled individuals, who constitute 20% of Medicaid recipients, account for half the costs. Nursing-home care is a large component of that.
Washington’s 4th Congressional District, which extends from Yakima County to the Canadian border and includes Okanogan County, has the highest Medicaid coverage in the state, with 29% of adults — and 53% of children — covered by the program, according to Georgetown University. Some 45% of births in Washington are covered by
Medicaid, but that balloons to 76% in the 4th district, Morgan said.
CARING FOR PEOPLE WHO CAN’T PAY
At Family Health Centers (FHC), almost 40% of patients are covered by Medicaid, and 30% have no insurance at all, said FHC Medical Director Kevan Coffey. FHC is a designated federally funded community health center, which helps the clinics care for more patients, regardless of ability to pay. FHC operates clinics throughout the county, including in Twisp, as well as in Bridgeport in Douglas County.
Coffey expects FHC will have to absorb more costs — and ultimately reduce services — because of the Medicaid cuts. They’ll also need to devote more staff time to administration to help people navigate the new work and eligibility requirements, she said.
Many people don’t realize that about 70% of Medicaid recipients in Washington already work, said David McClay, CEO of Okanogan County Behavioral Healthcare. FHC patients work as farmers, ranchers, caregivers and in other jobs that often don’t provide insurance benefits, Coffey said.
And medical care enables people to work, Coffey said. FHC patients who’ve been treated for chronic conditions or substance-use disorder remain healthy — and therefore employed.
Coffey is also concerned that, because rural people are pragmatic, they make medical-care choices based on economics. That means preventable illnesses may go untreated — and people will instead end up in the emergency room with serious complications, or will go to the hospital for something that could be handled at a clinic, like an earache or sore throat. Providing care in an emergency room costs
much more than in a clinic, she said.
Medicaid does not cover undocumented people. At FHC, undocumented people pay on a sliding scale, Coffey said. And when someone comes to the hospital after a car accident or for another emergency, hospitals take care of them and don’t ask questions about their status, including citizenship, McReynolds said.
STRUGGLING HOSPITALS
While it’s too soon to quantify the effects of Medicaid cuts, all three Okanogan County hospitals expect significant impacts, McReynolds
Photo by Marcy Stamper
said. Medicaid already doesn’t pay what it costs the hospitals to care for people — but it’s better than nothing, he said.
Some 200 rural hospitals across the country have closed in the past two decades and, while Okanogan County’s three hospitals are committed to remaining open and providing current levels of service, the additional cuts stoke fear about the future, he said.
Compared with the other Okanogan County hospitals, at North Valley, more patients are covered by Medicare (the program for people 65 and over), so their Medicaid census is only about 20%, McReynolds said. Medicaid patients make up 30% of all patients at both Mid-Valley Hospital in Omak and Three Rivers Hospital in Brewster, he said.
Moreover, because health care providers in Okanogan County — the hospitals, clinics, and behavioral health centers — employ about 1,500 people, impacts of Medicaid cuts could be even more far-reaching, McReynolds said.
While the new law includes $50 billion in grants to assist health care providers in rural areas (available from 2026 to 2030), the health care providers said they didn’t have details about how this provision will work.
“The primary concern that I have — and I think the thing that makes the math [in the new law] work — is that there are people who are
working, and who are on Medicaid, that are going to lose eligibility either because they don’t — or can’t — do the paperwork,” McReynolds said. “It’s the bureaucracy math.”
This article is adapted from a story that appeared in the Methow Valley News.
Photo by Marcy Stamper
VACCINES ARE SAFE, AND SAVE LIVES Consult your health care provider for the best guidance
BY SHELLEY SMITH JONES
Vaccines have saved millions of lives and prevented illness and lifelong disability. This makes vaccines one of the greatest medical successes in history.”
(From the Washington State Department of Health’s “Plain Talk About Immunizations.”)
Still, there is a swirl of information — as well as misinformation — about the need for as well as the safety and efficacy of vaccinations. Making an educated choice based on the current recommendations from reliable health care resources is critical for individuals and families to keep themselves and their communities healthy. Stopping the spread of preventable disease is the paramount goal.
Looking back at the history of vaccines is helpful to understand how important the hundreds of years of research resulting in the creation of successful vaccines has been in the effort to eradicate or greatly reduce the incidence of sometimes deadly infectious diseases.
HISTORY OF VACCINES
The quest for ways to protect humans from deadly diseases is not new. Dating back to the 15th century, humans attempted to protect healthy people from the ravages of
deadly smallpox by exposing them to the disease. But it was not until 1796 that Dr. Edward Jenner, an English physician, created the world’s first vaccine that successfully protected recipients of the inoculation from smallpox.
to smallpox and other European diseases.
Since the early creation of the smallpox vaccine, researchers have sought to eradicate other deadly diseases by developing vaccines. Louis Pasteur is known for his vaccination to prevent rabies. After the Spanish Flu pandemic killed an estimated 20 million to 50 million people worldwide, including approximately 45,000 United States soldiers, making an influenza vaccine became a military priority. It was not until 1945 that the first influenza vaccine was approved for military use and civilians a year later.
Smallpox is the only human infectious disease that has been completely eradicated through vaccination. The poliovirus is on the verge of being eradicated. Cases of diphtheria and measles, mumps, and rubella have dropped substantially since vaccines began to be widely used in the 1930s and 1960s, respectively.
Yellow fever, transmitted by mosquitoes and required for travelers to many countries, is preventable by a vaccine developed in the 1930s.
The most recent vaccine developed to prevent COVID-19 was developed, produced and distributed with unprecedented speed. Just one year after the first case was detected in January 2020 and after 350,000 people had died from the disease in the U.S., the first vaccine doses were administered.
The vaccine was developed from people infected with cowpox, as Dr Jenner found that milkmaids infected with cowpox were immune to smallpox. The term itself — vaccine — derives from the Latin word for cow, “vacca.”
The list of vaccine-preventable diseases is long. Because of the many vaccines available, it is imperative to understand the importance of “who, when, and why” the vaccinations should be administered.
GUIDELINES FROM LOCAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
Because of Dr. Jenner’s discovery and subsequent perfecting of the vaccine, smallpox was declared eradicated globally by the World Health Assembly in 1980. In the years prior, entire civilizations such as the Aztec and Inca empires, were weakened and ultimately fell, partly due to the colonization by Europeans who brought the devastating disease with them. Other indigenous populations in North and South America also suffered massive population declines due
Dr. James Murray, Chief Medical Officer for Confluence Health, emphasized, “One of the most important things you can do for your own health as well as the health of your community is to keep up to date on recommended vaccinations during all the stages of life.”
Not only are there seasonal and annual vaccinations such as
for influenza, but there are also vaccination schedules for people at various life stages.
“Family Health Centers fully supports and implements the immunization recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP),” according to Dr. Allison Fitzgerald, who practices at the Twisp Clinic.
For pediatric patients, Confluence Health recommends the vaccine schedules available from the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics. These are outlined and discussed in further detail on Confluence Health’s Pediatric Vaccine Info page on the website www. confluencehealth.org.
Childhood and teen diseases preventable with vaccinations include chickenpox, measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, rotavirus, polio, and tetanus. Bacterial and viral infections such as hepatitis A and B, human papillomavirus, pneumococcal disease, and meningococcal disease all have vaccines that can prevent them.
Dr. Murray stressed, “Vaccinations are important for adults as well and follow their own recommendations and schedules. The Washington State Department of Health has an excellent resource outlining the most important recommended vaccines for people at the various stages of life on their Immunization and Vaccinations page. These schedules are based on the most recent schedules released from and updated by the CDC on their website.”
Recommendations for adults include COVID-19, influenza,
shingles and pneumococcal. There are additional recommendations for pregnant women, seniors, and those with specific health conditions. A patient’s best source for vaccine recommendations is their own health care provider who best knows you and your specific healthcare needs.
“Each individual is unique, and your provider can best help you in determining how best to take care of your health,” Dr. Murray said.
“By vaccinating, you are taking a proactive step to protecting not only your loved ones from disease,
but toward stopping the spread of disease to our most vulnerable populations while also working to keep our communities healthy and thriving.”
Family Health Centers supports the following June 26, 2025, statement from the presidents of American Academy of Family Physicians (Jen Brull, MD), American Academy of Pediatrics (Susan J. Kressly, MD), American College of Physicians (Jason Goldman, MD), American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (Steven J. Fleischman, MD), and Infectious Diseases Society of
America (Tina Q. Tan, MD):
“Immunizations work, they are very effective and safe, and they save lives. Vaccines are among the most rigorously studied and effective tools in public health. Through widespread immunization, we have eradicated debilitating and fatal diseases that once caused serious illness, hospitalization, and death for millions of people. Our commitment is not to politics, but to the absolute well-being of our patients and populations, and to providing them with best evidence-based health care.”
