2019 Utah State of Reform Morning Keynote: Oregon’s Approach to Reforming Medicaid

John Kitzhaber, MD, is the former governor of the State of Oregon. He joined us as our morning keynote at the 2019 Utah State of Reform Health Policy Conference.

While governor, Kitzhaber instituted a number of reforms of Oregon Medicaid, positioning the state as a national leader on balancing cost, quality and access. That included the Care Coordination Organization model, which earned $1.9 billion in a federal waiver. The model was effectively a per-capita “block grant,” trading increased flexibility for a commitment to fix medical trend at 3.2%.

In this keynote, Kitzhaber gives insight into Oregon’s approach to reforming Medicaid.

As Utah continues to reform its Medicaid system, Oregon’s reforms may offer ideas for balancing fiscal responsibility with improving the health of Utahns across the state.

Hon. John Kitzhaber, MD: Former Governor, State of Oregon