oregon legislature

April 15, 2013 – The Oregon House of Representatives passed a bill today that would give workers up to two weeks off to grieve the death of a family member.   Read More >>

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March 5, 2013 – A bill that would create a new process for patients and health care providers to resolve  disputes passed the Senatefloor this morning by a #-# vote. Senate Bill 483 implements the Early Discussion and Mediation process, which will reduce the volume of expensive malpractice lawsuits, improve patient-provider relationships, improve the practice environment for doctors and protect a patient’s constitutional right to access justice. Read More >>

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February 25, 2012—The bill allowing for the overhaul of the Oregon Health Plan’s delivery system passed the House with an overwhelmingly bipartisan 53-7 vote today, after being stalled for days because it became a part of end-of-session political negotiating and bargaining. Read More >>

February 14, 2012—After lengthy, impassioned discussion and procedural votes from Senate Republicans in a last ditch attempt to amend Senate Bill 1580 and send it back to committee, the Senate passed the bill allowing for the complete overhaul of the Oregon Health Plan’s delivery system on a party line 16-14 vote this morning. Read More >>

February 13, 2012—The bill allowing Oregon’s health insurance exchange was expected to pass easily out of the House today, but House Republicans and one Democrat blocked its passage, instead referring it to the budget-writing Ways and Means Committee. Read More >>

February 10, 2012—The joint Ways and Means Committee passed the legislation allowing the Oregon Health Authority to begin soliciting proposals for coordinated care organizations (CCOs) earlier this afternoon, but it is unclear if Senate Bill 1580 has the votes needed to pass the Senate. Read More >>

 December 7, 2011 – With budget reductions looming as the February legislative session draws closer, Dr. Mel Kohn, director of the state’s Public Health Division, is being forced to take a hard look at making cuts. Read More >>

November 17, 2011—Lack of detail, unanswered questions, and a clock quickly ticking to the Legislature’s February session were the themes of an hour-long presentation to a joint meeting of the Legislature’s House and Senate healthcare committees about the progress of developing a business plan for coordinated care organizations (CCOs), the centerpiece of the state’s overhaul of the Oregon Health Plan. Read More >>