Posts Tagged ‘health care reform’

HB 3650 will transform Oregon’s Health Care system

SALEM – The Oregon Senate approved landmark legislation this evening that creates a new approach to health care, improving the way Oregon serves the state’s 600,000 Medicaid beneficiaries while also cutting costs. HB 3650, often called the Health Care Transformation bill, is the product of many health care experts, the public, and a bipartisan group of legislators who met weekly throughout session with the goal of achieving better health outcomes by integrating and coordinating health care and using a global budget to control costs.

Continue reading “Health Care Transformation bill receives Senate support” »

Devlin and Bates point to major health care victories over last two days

SALEM – Creation of a heath care marketplace that will provide 350,000 Oregonians with access to affordable, quality health care took another major step forward Tuesday with an agreement to accept a federal grant that will give Oregon $48 million to fund the development of a state health insurance exchange.

Continue reading “Funding for health exchange moving forward in budget committee” »

SB 99 sets up major piece of health care reform; will expand access and lower costs for Oregonians and small businesses

SALEM –The Oregon Senate voted this morning in support of legislation that creates a heath care marketplace that will provide 350,000 Oregonians with access to affordable, quality health care. Senate Bill 99 is the result of a broad workgroup of stakeholders who met to create a health care exchange as required by the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed by Congress last year.

Continue reading “Health insurance exchange earns strong, bipartisan Senate support” »

HB 2009 from 2009 session lays groundwork for expanding access, lowing costs

SALEM – Lawmakers heard testimony Monday morning regarding Oregon’s position to take advantage of the sweeping health care overhaul signed into law by President Obama in March. Reforms passed by the Oregon Legislature in the 2009 session put Oregon ahead of the curve on expanding coverage, lowing costs, and improving the quality of health care in the state.

“Oregon is a national leader for re-thinking how we provide access to quality, affordable health care,” said Senator Laurie Monnes Anderson (D-Gresham), chair of the Interim Senate Committee on Health Care. “We’re remarkably well-positioned to implement reforms and help more Oregonians because of the groundwork laid last session to improve health care in Oregon.”

House Bill 2009 from the 2009 session created a coordinated, streamlined approach to health care reform by establishing the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Health Policy Board. The Authority and Board oversee all health care functions, including the implementation of expanded coverage and reforms to contain skyrocketing costs.

“Oregon is a model to other states on how to structure reform and cover more people in need,” said Senator Alan Bates (D-Ashland), a physician and co-author of the Healthy Oregon Act of 2007 and HB 2009. “While the journey toward universal coverage and lowering costs for everyone will take time, we’re leaps and bounds ahead of most of the nation.”

Affordable and accessible health care for all Oregonians has been a long-standing priority for the Oregon Senate Democrats. Giving uninsured Oregonians access to health care coverage is estimated to lower the burden of costs for all Oregonians over time, for those with and without health insurance. At the same time, this expansion of health care services will create thousands of family-wage jobs for Oregonians.

The Oregonian had a story in today’s edition about four important health care reform bills that passed out of the Senate Health Care and Veterans’ Affairs Committee on Tuesday evening. An excerpt follows and you can read the full story by clicking here.

The Oregon Legislature took its first steps toward health care reform Tuesday when a Senate committee passed a batch of bills aimed at improving care and reducing costs.

One of the proposals, Senate Bill 451, would establish the nation’s first state registry of people’s wishes for end-of-life care.

The committee also approved:

• Senate Bill 452, which would establish a council to help health care providers convert to electronic patient records.

• Senate Bill 455, which would bring together insurers and health care providers to develop and use evidenced-based clinical guidelines and best practices.

• Senate Bill 457, which would require the state to establish a database on Oregon’s health care work-force size and needs.

Passage of the four bills marks the Legislature’s first move to carry out an ambitious health care reform plan designed by a legislative task force, the Oregon Health Fund Board, over the past year. They are among at least 17 bills that have emerged from the board’s report to the Legislature last fall.