the lund report

Legislature Carves a Place for African-American Hair Care

House Bill 3409 sets licensing standards for “natural hair care,” and allows for businesses where stylists can weave, lace and braid hair without a degree from a beauty school.
May 24, 2013 – A few years ago, Amber Starks wanted to volunteer her hair braiding and weaving skills to African-American kids in foster homes, but was denied by the state Board of Cosmetology. On Thursday, the Legislature signaled its support, granting a path where Starks can both help foster kids and run her own business specializing in hair designs unique to black culture. Read More >>

Partisan Politics Throw Tougher Vaccine Law Into Question

The absence of Democratic Sen. Betsy Johnson has allowed Bend Republican Sen. Tim Knopp to block a bill that he feels would infringe upon religious freedom by requiring parents to show informed consent before their unvaccinated children can enter public schools.
May 22, 2013 — A senator’s automobile accident and a Republican blockade have put at risk a bill that would limit childhood vaccination exemptions. Read More >>

Liability Concerns Jeopardize Bill to Protect Child Athletes from Concussions

Republicans throw up concerns about legal liability to volunteer coaches and referees if they become responsible for children who suffer concussions on the playfield. SB 721 expands Max’s Law, which protects high school athletes, to youth leagues.
May 22, 2013 — A bill that would apply Max’s Law to non-school sports teams hit a snag in Wednesday’s House Health Committee when Republicans raised concerns about the liability it might give to volunteer coaches, referees and umpires who overlook a child’s concussion. Read More >>

Regence Posts Strongest Profits of Oregon’s Top Insurers

Meanwhile, Kaiser Permanente reports a financial loss and declining member rolls in the first quarter of 2013
May 23, 2013 -- Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon bolstered its position as the largest health insurance company in the state during the first three months of 2013. At the same, it also time delivered the strongest profits among large Oregon insurers. Read More >>

Cultural Competency in Healthcare Heads to Governor

Sen. Jackie Winters championed the measure to give state medical boards the right to make cultural competency education a prerequisite for a continued license.
May 22, 2013 — Sen. Jackie Winters said 40 or 50 years ago, when some black Americans had diabetes, they had a colloquial term for it — “the sugars” — which their doctors may not understand. Read More >>

Bates Pushes Bill to Snuff Out Sex Trafficking in Massage Parlors

Senate Bill 387 would help elevate the profession of massage therapy by requiring facilities to be permitted and inspected by the state.
May 21, 2013 -- The House Health Committee voted 8-1 to move a bill that Sen. Alan Bates, D-Medford, says will both elevate the profession of massage therapy and rein in human sex trafficking and prostitution that uses the therapeutic practice as cover. Read More >>

Physician, First Do No Harm - To Yourself

A retreat for physicians allows them to say the word suicide out loud for the first time.
OPINION – May 21, 2013 -- A psychiatrist in Seattle had picked out the bridge.  At 3 a.m. he would swerve across his lane and plunge into the water. Everyone would assume he fell asleep. Read More >>

PTSD Marijuana Prescription Bill Moves to House Floor

A separate bill, creating dispensaries for medical marijuana, moves through the Committee on Ways & Means.
May 20, 2013 — Rep. Jim Weidner of McMinnville is typically the most conservative Republican on the House Health Committee, but after an emotional debate on Friday he was moved to become the lone GOP representative to join with the Democrats to move to the floor Senate Bill 281 — which would expand the state’s medical marijuana program to allow prescriptions to alleviate post-traumatic stress disorder. Read More >>

Cost of Coverage – The Real Measure of Health Reform Impact

The author who runs an insurance agency in Roseburg, contends that only low-income Oregonians and people on Medicaid will benefit from the insurance reforms under the Affordable Care Act
OPINION – May 20, 2013 -- Prior to actual plan pricing being available, everyone, including me, tried to predict how much the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would increase premiums. Estimates generally ranged from 25 percent to 38 percent, and I was on the high end. So we all knew premiums were most likely going to increase, we just weren’t sure how much. All these efforts to predict were generally done on a false assumption that similar plans to the new Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze plans were available already, and all we had to do was predict the added cost of the new 2014 ACA requirements. These included a change in rating methods, added preventive benefits and guaranteed issue with no health restrictions, in addition to added fees and taxes. None of these plans actually existed. We knew prices were going up but not actually how this would impact the people who buy health insurance and those who haven’t, but are now required to or pay a fine. Read More >>

Hospitals Accused of Putting Their Own Self-Interest Above Patients

The problem has become particularly acute for physical therapists and radiologists. Senate Bill 683 would require physicians employed by hospitals to disclose their organization’s financial interest in referrals and allow patients to seek care with an independent practitioner.
May 20, 2013 — As major hospital systems like Providence and Legacy have bought up ancillary medical centers, added more physical therapists to their payroll and expanded their own supply of medical imaging equipment, independent physical therapists and radiologists say they have seen their referrals dry up and their businesses decline. Read More >>
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