Becker’s Healthcare Podcast: Conversation with Eric C. Hunter, President & CEO of CareOregon

Date: February 22, 2026
Host: Scott King
Guest: Eric C. Hunter

Episode Overview

In this episode, Scott King interviews Eric C. Hunter, President and CEO of CareOregon, a leading Medicaid health plan. The discussion centers on the evolving relationship between payers and providers, the challenges posed by regulatory frameworks, technological innovation (notably AI), operational gaps, industry pressures affecting margins, and the evolving role of leadership in healthcare. Hunter draws on a diverse career journey to provide a nuanced perspective on the path forward for Medicaid managed care organizations.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Eric Hunter’s Career Journey

[01:03 - 02:06]

• Began in petroleum engineering before pivoting to politics and healthcare.
• Entered healthcare via Medicaid managed care implementation in Oklahoma.
• Served at Schaller Anderson, Centene, ValueOptions, and Boston Medical Center Health Net Plan (now Wellsense).
• Joined CareOregon ten years ago and feels strongly about its mission:

  “I’m loving, loving the work we do.” — Eric Hunter [02:04]

Evolving Relationships with Providers

[02:24 - 03:26]

• CareOregon was founded by provider organizations, making it inherently provider-centric.
• Current financial and workforce pressures are forcing a shift from codependent relationships toward collaborative, performance-focused models.

  “We've had to think less about codependency and more about aligning better to get much greater quality and performance so that we can serve more people.” — Eric Hunter [03:20]

• Emphasis on enabling and empowering each other amid resource constraints and the need for efficient, coordinated care.

Navigating Regulatory Challenges and Shared Pressures

[03:42 - 04:40]

• Payers and providers face similar regulatory and operational barriers (e.g., M&A scrutiny, staffing requirements), increasing overall costs and impacting sustainability.
• Need for shared understanding and collaboration to address and adapt to these challenges:

  “Everything has to fit together so... it's all sustainable. And that's the challenge we have and we have to work together to solve some of that.” — Eric Hunter [04:33]

The Gap Between Strategy and Execution

[04:46 - 05:43]

• Mid-sized plans like CareOregon face a gap between ambitious transformation goals and available infrastructure.
• Key challenges:
  • Leveraging AI and data for improved administrative efficiency.
  • Building creative, credible value-based arrangements.
  • Ensuring visibility and coordination in performance measurement.

  “The gap... is about the infrastructure being designed and built and pushed out so that everyone has visibility..." — Eric Hunter [05:37]

The Transformative Potential of AI

[05:53 - 06:45]

• AI, properly implemented, can augment—not replace—human work on both payer and provider sides.
• Key to:
  • Empowering staff with timely, actionable data.
  • Enhancing patient/member engagement.
  • Driving administrative efficiency, though not without cost and complexity.

  "It's not cheap to develop those systems. ...The resources are pretty scarce. So... to move forward... means we have to be that much more efficient in the work we're doing now and maybe even cut some corners.” — Eric Hunter [06:27]

Regulatory Reforms for Access and Affordability

[06:45 - 09:07]

• Current regulatory practices (M&A rules, certificate of need laws, rigid staffing mandates) often unintentionally hinder payers and providers from innovating or responding flexibly to needs.

  “A lot of those things are well meaning and well intentioned, but they reduce the ability of the providers and the payers to actually do the work they need to do to serve the patients.” — Eric Hunter [07:15]

• Suggests regulators must step back and allow more flexibility, focusing on outcomes over appearances.

  "...Give the industry the flexibility to do what we need to do to make it work.” — Eric Hunter [08:53]

Pressures on Health System Margins

[09:07 - 10:28]

• The greatest margin pressure is the mismatch between increasing demand (especially in behavioral health and substance use treatment) and reimbursement rates that don’t keep pace.
• Recent increase in coordinated care rates in Oregon still not enough for sustainability.

  “There's only so much we can do administratively or operationally if we're paying out a dollar and ten cents for every dollar we get in in rates." — Eric Hunter [10:15]

• The priority: finding the right balance between benefits, access, and sustainable funding.

Leadership Evolution in Healthcare

[10:43 - 11:50]

• Hunter’s approach evolved from process- and policy-orientation to coalition-building and partnership.
• Recognizes modern challenges require negotiation, bargaining, and collaborative problem-solving.

  "A lot of my career has been less about managing direct care and more about convening folks together, creating entities and organizations and alliances that are going to move the needle.” — Eric Hunter [11:31]

• Champions a “win-win” collective strategy, particularly in Medicaid managed care, moving away from purely competitive models.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Relationship Shifts:
  “We've had to think less about codependency and more about aligning better to get much greater quality and performance so that we can serve more people.” — Eric Hunter [03:20]

• On Regulatory Overreach:
  “A lot of those things are well meaning and well intentioned, but they reduce the ability of the providers and the payers to actually do the work they need to do to serve the patients.” — Eric Hunter [07:15]

• On Technological Investment:
  “It's not, it's not cheap to develop those systems. ... The resources are pretty scarce. So being able to make the investment, to move forward on that front means we have to be that much more efficient in the work we’re doing now and maybe even cut some corners.” — Eric Hunter [06:27]

• On Sustainability Challenge:
  “There's only so much we can do administratively or operationally if we’re paying out a dollar and ten cents for every dollar we get in in rates.” — Eric Hunter [10:15]

• On Leadership Change:
  “Now there’s much more nuance required... Bringing the best people, the best minds into the room... to find common ground and build sustainable structures that can weather these storms.” — Eric Hunter [11:07]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:03] Eric Hunter’s background and career journey
• [02:24] Evolving payer-provider relationships amid cost and workforce pressures
• [03:42] Shared challenges with regulatory and operational barriers
• [04:46] Gaps between strategy and execution for health plans
• [05:53] The role of AI and technology in future operations
• [06:45] Regulatory/industry changes for better affordability and access
• [09:07] Margin pressures with rising utilization and insufficient funding
• [10:43] Hunter’s evolution as a healthcare leader

Summary

This episode offers an insider’s look at the complexity of Medicaid managed care leadership. Eric Hunter provides grounded, candid insights about the need for payer-provider collaboration, regulatory flexibility, smart technology investments, and adaptive leadership styles. The discussion is timely for anyone interested in navigating the evolving landscape of U.S. health insurance, particularly in the context of Medicaid and value-based models.