The Topical Agenda for our 2022 Oregon State of Reform Health Policy Conference is now live! State of Reform gathers health care and health policy executives—each working to improve the health care system in their own way—into a united conversation in a single space. At this conference, we’ll explore politics and policy in … Read more
Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate have released their policy focus statements, charting the course for this year’s short legislative session. Bolstering the health care system and increasing access, as well as focusing on economic recovery were shared points of interest. Democratic Senators released their priorities on Feb. 1, which include promoting access and … Read more
The Oregon Legislature kicks off its 2022 session preparation next week with Committee Days, where lawmakers are briefed and updated on issues ranging from health care and education to finances. State of Reform will cover several panels, as health care, behavioral health, COVID-19, and prescription drug prices are all on the agenda. A preview of … Read more
Rep. Andrea Salinas is the vice-chair of the House Interim Committee on Health Care. State of Reform spoke with her to hear her health care priorities for the upcoming 2022 legislative session, which include continuing discussions on creating a public option, and addressing racism as a public health crisis. Aaron Kunkler: What are … Read more
The Oregon Health Authority has opened its first round of solicitations for the clinical supervision program, intended to provide financial awards to expand clinical supervision for behavioral health providers working towards receiving a license. The program is especially geared toward Tribal members, members of Black communities and other communities of color, and those … Read more
A new report from the Commonwealth Fund outlines health outcome disparities in health care across the U.S., including in Oregon. The report found that, when rated on a 1 to 100 scale outlining health performance and inequities by race and ethnicity, Oregon scored overall in the middle of the states. Health care worked the best … Read more
We hosted our 2021 Oregon State of Reform Health Policy Conference last week, bringing together thought leaders, legislators, and policy experts into multi-silo conversations about the future of health care in Oregon. Too often, those with good ideas for reforming health care don’t have a solid understanding of how the legislative process works. … Read more
The Oregon Health Authority has finalized the 2022 capitation rates for coordinated care organizations (CCOs). These rates are the per-member-per-month amounts the state pays CCOs to coordinate health care for Oregonians who are members of the Oregon Health Plan (OHP). In 2022, the rates will be 4.2% higher than in 2021. The rate increase for 2022 begins … Read more
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) held a press conference on Thursday to discuss their suggestions to address the nurse workforce crisis after the Oct. 18 health care worker COVID-19 vaccination deadline. ONA highlights two specific areas in need of “bold action” — efforts to retain nursing staff and nurse education investments. Health care … Read more
Apprise Health Insights, a subsidiary of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems (OAHHS), released their Q2 2021 Utilization & Financial Analysis last Thursday, outlining hospital finances and capacity in the second quarter of 2021 and current trends in Oregon. The data shows improved median operating and total margins, but is coupled with significant … Read more