reform efforts

Advocacy Group Pushes for Paid Sick Leave

Right now Family Forward Oregon has not decided whether to push for legislation or propose a city ordinance in Portland
September 27, 2012 -- A campaign to ensure that all workers in Portland earn paid sick time – inspired by similar campaigns in San Francisco and Seattle – is just getting its footing, with advocates still discussing how they plan to proceed. Read More >>

Q&A with Governor Kitzhaber: In Oregon, a $1.9 Billion Medicaid Experiment

September 26, 2012 -- Oregon has promised the Obama administration that it can slow Medicaid's growth to a rate comparable to the rest of the economy over the next two years. That means reducing Medicaid cost growth, on a per capita basis, by 2 percent. Read More >>

CCOs Braced to Deal with Information-Sharing Hurdles

The technical, cultural, and regulatory challenges to sharing patient records and standardizing clinical data across systems don’t appear to be undermining providers’ excitement about the opportunity that CCOs present for improving health
Sept. 24, 2012 -- Technology-based information sharing and data gathering will be key tools for Oregon’s newly minted coordinated care organizations (CCOs) as they work to improve the health of the state’s vulnerable population while reducing costs. Read More >>

Tribal Members Given Assurances about Health Insurance Exchange

The Exchange also received more than 700 comments about requirements for qualified health plans that will be posted on its website next week
September 20, 2012 -- Once the health insurance exchange gets up and running next October, the 30,000 tribal members likely to participate won’t have to worry about their rights being violated, according to Rocky King, executive director. Read More >>

Naturopaths Left Behind in New Coordinated Care Organizations

Oregon Health Plan benefits letter makes no provision for naturopathic primary care; negotiations continue
September 19, 2012 -- Naturopathic medicine advocates worry that one of the many casualties of Oregon’s new coordinated care system will be Eugene resident Penelope Jones-Vaughn, who adopted a severely abused infant son with fetal alcohol syndrome from his birth mother. His symptoms included an inability to feel pain, weeklong bouts of constipation and waking up constantly with nightmares. Read More >>

Freelancers CO-OP of Oregon Partners with Providence Health System

The CO-OP has $57 million in start-up loans from the federal government to provide health coverage to the self-employed in Oregon
September 18, 2012 -- Independent workers – artists, journalists, information technology professionals, craftsmen and even those who earn their living buying and selling on eBay – will soon have the ability to buy health coverage without having to dicker with a privately-run insurance company such as Regence BlueCross BlueShield. Read More >>

Planned Parenthood Petition Wants Tighter Regulation of Crisis Pregnancy Centers

A 2010 investigation found many offices that offer free pregnancy testing and ultrasounds give inaccurate information about abortion, birth control and STDs – and many don't offer the services they advertise
Sept. 12, 2012 -- Around the state and around the country, billboards, bus stop ads and clinic signs offer help to women who think they may be pregnant, or know they are. All say they offer free pregnancy tests, and some say they offer additional prenatal care or support for young women. Others say they offer free STD tests. Read More >>

Governor Kitzhaber Seeks to Expand Coordinated Care Organizations

The CCOs, which got under way in August, now cover 500,000 people on Medicaid throughout the state
September 12, 2012 – With coordinated care organizations – better known as CCOs -- in full swing for the Medicaid population, Governor John Kitzhaber is setting his sights on the next targets – people on Medicare, the state’s public employees and the private business sector. ”The biggest challenge with Medicare is that it’s not a sustainable model,” the governor told Beaverton residents last week at a town hall meeting hosted by Sen. Mark Hass (D-Beaverton). Why not allow people on Medicare to participate in a CCO on an “experimental basis,” he suggested. Read More >>

Study: Decision Aids Show Promise In Reducing Medical Procedures

Reprinted with permission from Kaiser Health News September 5th, 2012 – While policymakers debate complex changes to reduce health spending, promoting patients’ involvement in treatment decisions could have an immediate effect. A new Health Affairs report about decision aids — materials given to patients to help educate them about treatment options — shows they can help hold down costs by reducing demand for medical procedures. Read More >>

Oregon’s New Health CO-OP Promises Lowest Administrative Costs

Its CEO, Dr. Ralph Prows, wants to hear from consumers and business leaders and is hosting a series of sharing sessions
September 6, 2012 -- A consumer-driven insurance plan is gathering momentum in Oregon. Not only will people have a chance to help design this new plan, they can also have a seat on its governing board. Read More >>
Syndicate content

© Copyright 2013 by The Lund Report | Privacy Policy Development by: Roger Leigh | Design by:  Parachute Strategies