When you live in Bend, it is easy to think of health care as something you only notice when you need it. But in our latest BendBeat Podcast, we sit down with Megan Haase, CEO of Mosaic Community Health, to spotlight a local organization quietly holding a crucial part of Central Oregon together.
Mosaic is Central Oregon’s nonprofit federally qualified health center, serving communities across Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Sisters, and Madras. Megan shares that Mosaic began in the early 2000s in a small modular building, serving about 600 patients in the first three months. Today, Mosaic serves 36,000 Central Oregonians, roughly one in eight people in our region.
A big takeaway from this episode is Mosaic’s focus on whole person care. That means medical care is only part of the picture. Mosaic also provides behavioral health support, nutrition services, and community health workers who help families navigate basic needs that often determine whether health care can actually work.
Megan also explains why Mosaic exists as a safety net. Mosaic serves everyone, but it is built to support those with the greatest need, including people living at or below the federal poverty level, those on Medicaid, and people without insurance. With a sliding scale and hardship support, Mosaic helps remove the barriers that often keep families from getting timely care.
The conversation gets especially eye opening when we talk about what Mosaic is doing beyond clinic walls. From school based health centers with embedded behavioral health support to outreach medicine for people living without stable housing, Mosaic is meeting people where life is happening. In some cases, that means literally driving into the forest with a care team and the right equipment to help someone manage a serious condition, stay connected to treatment, and avoid crisis care.
This episode also explores the bigger questions facing our country and our region, including affordability, insurance coverage, and the risk of growing uninsured populations. Megan shares why prevention matters, why primary care access keeps communities healthier, and why Central Oregon’s collaborative spirit gives her hope.
If you have ever wondered what makes a community truly resilient, this conversation is a strong place to start. Watch the full BendBeat episode to learn how Mosaic Community Health supports thousands of neighbors every day, and how you can help strengthen this essential resource in Central Oregon.