To join this chapter, click the subscribe link in the right column. (You must be registered and logged-in to see the subscribe link.)
The leader of this chapter is Carolyn Kohn (cbkohn@msn.com).Grants Pass
Medford Community Forum - DHS and Oregon Health Authority
From their website:
Help the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Health Authority work toward safe, independent and healthy futures for all Oregonians. Share your ideas and help shape the DHS and OHA budgets for 2011–2013. Take part in conversations about how to protect and empower children, families, seniors and people with disabilities. Get involved with OHA’s work to build a healthier Oregon by lowering health care costs, increasing access and improving quality of care.
For more information, visit www.oregon.gov/dhs or www.oregon.gov/oha
Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals requesting assistive hearing devices or large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations should e-mail us at dhs.oha@state.or.us at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting. A sign language interpreter is scheduled for this event.
Town Hall Update
Wow, the town halls are hot in the news - but not because the media is talking about what we need in terms of health reform, or how the health crisis is hurting Americans and American businesses, but because of the sound of people trying to disrupt the town hall process by yelling and screaming.
Speak Up for Health Reform Done Right
Don't stand by and watch.
Talking Points: What to tell Congress during their August recess
The message below is the result of a collaborative effort among Archimedes Movement Community Leadership Council members and staff. Members of Congress are holding town hall meetings all over the country in August. We're maintaining a list of the Oregon ones here.
Now is the time to share your views on health reform.
Congressman Peter DeFazio: Town hall in Cave Junction, Oregon
Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio will hold a town hall at the Cave Junction City Council Chambers on Wednesday, August 12th.
Should you attend, please speak up and ask the congressman a question. Here are some possible talking points from which you might formulate your question:
We support comprehensive health reform that would accomplish the following:
- Every U.S. resident will have access to a clearly defined set of essential health services.
- The Triple Aim will drive the design of the health care system, in that the health system demonstrates:
- Improvement in the overall health of the defined population,
- Reduced per-capita costs, and
- Improvement in the individual patient experience in terms of clinical outcomes, patient safety and patient satisfaction.
- The business models within our health system must realign financial incentives to make them consistent with the Triple Aim. On example would be to look at eliminating fee-for-service billing, and instead pay providers to keep people healthy and out of the hospital.
- Prevention, health education, and wellness services will be provided and promoted.
- Disparities in access to an essential benefits package and subsequently health outcomes between people of different socioeconomic and demographic groups is not acceptable and therefore should be eliminated.
- The delivery system must be transformed to provide greater access to effective primary care and chronic disease management, while specialty care must be more effectively linked and integrated with primary care providers.
- Electronic Health Records should be developed and implemented to promote and support evidence based decisions and improved efficiency of health care delivery.
- We must include development of a competitive, publicly-funded insurance option that gives Americans affordable and fair choice in how their insurance is purchased.
- We must explicitly acknowledge that public resources are finite. Therefore, public funds must be focused on providing the services which will cause the greatest improvement in population health. Many people may be able to purchase services that are more than those that are provided as part of the essential benefit package available to all residents and they should be allowed to do so. This is true of Medicare where close to 80% of Medicare beneficiaries have some type of supplemental coverage on top of their traditional Medicare benefit. However, the core benefit must provide a sufficient floor of essential benefits so that buying additional services is not absolutely necessary in order to achieve consistent positive health outcomes.
Congressman Peter DeFazio: Town hall in Grants Pass, Oregon
Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio will hold a town hall at the Anne G Basker Auditorium in Grants Pass on Wednesday, August 12th.
Should you attend, please speak up and ask the congressman a question. Here are some possible talking points from which you might formulate your question:
We support comprehensive health reform that would accomplish the following:
- Every U.S. resident will have access to a clearly defined set of essential health services.
- The Triple Aim will drive the design of the health care system, in that the health system demonstrates:
- Improvement in the overall health of the defined population,
- Reduced per-capita costs, and
- Improvement in the individual patient experience in terms of clinical outcomes, patient safety and patient satisfaction.
- The business models within our health system must realign financial incentives to make them consistent with the Triple Aim. One example would be to look at eliminating fee-for-service billing, and instead pay providers to keep people healthy and out of the hospital.
- Prevention, health education, and wellness services will be provided and promoted.
- Disparities in access to an essential benefits package and subsequently health outcomes between people of different socioeconomic and demographic groups is not acceptable and therefore should be eliminated.
- The delivery system must be transformed to provide greater access to effective primary care and chronic disease management, while specialty care must be more effectively linked and integrated with primary care providers.
- Electronic Health Records should be developed and implemented to promote and support evidence based decisions and improved efficiency of health care delivery.
- We must include development of a competitive, publicly-funded insurance option that gives Americans affordable and fair choice in how their insurance is purchased.
- We must explicitly acknowledge that public resources are finite. Therefore, public funds must be focused on providing the services which will cause the greatest improvement in population health. Many people may be able to purchase services that are more than those that are provided as part of the essential benefit package available to all residents and they should be allowed to do so. This is true of Medicare where close to 80% of Medicare beneficiaries have some type of supplemental coverage on top of their traditional Medicare benefit. However, the core benefit must provide a sufficient floor of essential benefits so that buying additional services is not absolutely necessary in order to achieve consistent positive health outcomes.
Howard Dean in Portland
Howard Dean was in Portland last Friday at Powell's Bookstore giving remarks to a crowd of about 200 people about a book he has just finished called Howard Dean's Prescription For Real Reform. Rick had been invited to meet with him after the book signing and I tagged along.
Update on Health Information Technology
Liz Baxter and I attended the ‘Oregon Health Information Technology (HIT) Stakeholder Engagement Meeting' in Salem on Thursday July 23.
- Bill Andrews's blog
- Login or register to post comments
- Read more
Both HB2116 and HB2009 are passed by Oregon House
Next step - vote on the floor of the Oregon Senate, possibly as soon as Wednesday. If you have not contacted your Senator yet, now is the time to do so.
Liz
- Liz Baxter's blog
- Login or register to post comments
HB2116 Sent to Ways and Means Committee; HB2009 Work Session Today
HB 2116, which would generate revenue needed to pull down matching federal funds for expanding coverage to uninsured children and low income adults, was passed out of Oregon's House Revenue Committee on Thursday and sent to the Joint Ways and Means Committee with a do-pass recommendation.
- Liz Baxter's blog
- Login or register to post comments
- Read more
Your Job: Keep the Legislature on Course
Three ways to get your message heard in Salem
In the midst of a legislative session with tough economic decisions to be made, it's very easy for the well-intentioned Oregonians serving in our legislature to lose sight of the goals of health reform. We have three ways to help you remind them to be bold and set a course for Oregon's future health system.
- Liz Baxter's blog
- Login or register to post comments
- Read more
It's time to rumble: March 26th at the Capitol in Salem
Lobby in Salem for Health Reform
House Committee on Health Care to host public hearing (Grants Pass)
Want a chance to impact health reform this legislative session? Well, Salem and representatives are coming to your town next week to listen to what you have to say.
The Oregon State Legislature's House Committee on Health Care will be holding a public hearing on House Bill 2009 in Grants Pass.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to come out and not only share your feelings on the bill but also your health story as well as the Archimedes Movement's principles.
Recently, our director Liz Baxter testified infront of the committee last week - to read her testimony see the attached document.
If you think you are going to come out and testify at the meeting then please tell us as we'd love to know.
If you have any general questions about the proceedings please contact the committee assistant Lara Eads at lara.eads@state.or.us or (503) 986-1529.
Help shape the future of Oregon's health by coming out and participating. Make sure to tell and bring a friend or even wear your We Can Do Better T-shirt.
Please feel free to contact matt@wecandobetter.org with any other questions.
Pre-Election House Parties with John Kitzhaber
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Are you a health reform "Maverick" filled with "Hope"? Want John Kitzhaber In Your Living Room? You got it! » Sign-up to host a house party If this link doesn't work, please email Matt Webber of the Archimedes Movement staff (matt@wecandobetter.org).
It's Real Simple:
What You'll Then Need:
These house parties will occur all over Oregon and will give people a chance to come together around a common goal: working to fix a broken health care system trough grassroots education and mobilization. With your help this event accomplishes the following:
» Sign-up to host a house party If the above link doesn't work, or if you have a question, please send a note to Matt Webber at matt@wecandobetter.org. |
Oregon Health Fund Board: Community Town Forum in Medford
In September, the Oregon Health Fund Board (OHFB) will hold a series of public meetings across the state to share details and gain feedback on its draft plan for reforming health care and building a healthy Oregon. For more information contact 503.373.1538.
The draft will be available in early September. OHFB staff will be presenting it across the state and want your feedback before finalizing their report in October; your comments will be summarized and forwarded with the Final Report to the Governor and Legislature.
This will be a Town Hall style forums designed to encourage both feedback and dialog.
Audience members are asked to focus comments on concepts being presented; limit comments to no longer than 2 minutes per speaker to allow as many people as possible to speak. Comment cards will be distributed. Attendees may leave written testimony at the end of the evening.
Medford City Council Chambers
411 West 8th St. #312
Medford, Oregon 97501
Archimedes Movement 1st Annual Membership Conference
John Kitzhaber invites you to join him at our 1st Annual Membership Conference. You can see Gov. Kitzhaber's invitation in his blog.
Agenda
9:30 am - Pre-conference workshops (optional, but pre-registration is required)
12:00 pm - Registration and lunch, and bumper sticker contest
1:30 - Plenary Session and Member Convention with John Kitzhaber and the Interim Steering Committee (see grassroots structure document here)
2:45 - Concurrent workshops
4:30 - Looking Forward: Our Next Steps, John Kitzhaber
5:30 - 7:00 pm - Members-only Reception with John Kitzhaber: Appetizers, no-host bar and live music by the Bobby Torres Ensemble - Fun!
» Workshop details (tentative)
The campus is truly a beautiful setting – see photos. There's free parking, too.
» Lewis & Clark campus map
Lewis & Clark will have road signs posted coming from all directions to help you find your way. The conference will mainly take place at the Templeton Campus Center, #36 on the campus map.
» TriMet Bus Line #39 (Lewis & Clark) map & schedule
Accommodations
Lewis and Clark is making dorm rooms available for those who wish to spend the night Friday and/or Saturday evenings. The lodging must be pre-arranged and costs between $22-$27 per person.
Cost
$30 - Conference sessions, materials and lunch
$35 - The above, plus the Members-only Reception and 1-year membership
A limited number of scholarships are available. You may also inquire about a travel stipend.
For more information or to reserve a room or to arrange to pay onsite, please contact Matt Webber at 503-860-5854 or matt@wecandobetter.org.
To register and pay for the Conference, please use our secure online process. To reserve a place now, but register and pay on-site, or to request a scholarship. Please contact Matt.
Archimedes Leadership Training
Our second Leadership Training will be held the first Saturday in April. Please RSVP using the sign-up link below (preferred, though you must be logged-in to use the sign-up feature) or by sending an email to matt@wecandobetter.org.
This training will focus on three things:
- our new structure and grassroots decision-making
- presenting our message to groups large and small (AKA the speaker's training)
- the upcoming membership meeting
We will also hope to introduce our new staff members.
John Kitzhaber talks to Archimedes Movement Members in Portland
You can listen online by clicking the triangular "play" button above or download the MP3 as a podcast using the link below. This event was hosted by the Eastside Portland Chapter.
35:05 minutes (8 MB)Archimedes Lobby Day in Salem
Save the Date: Wednesday, May 23rd
With SB 27 – the Oregon Better Health Act – now in Joint Ways & Means Committee, we need to maintain our momentum to win.
Join us for a day at the Oregon Capitol and talk to you legislators about SB 27.
We'll help you get prepared. You'll get talking points and lunch!
Sign-Up & Carpool
If you can attend this event, please email (matt@wecandobetter.org) or call (503-709-8574) Matt Webber.
Note that the start time below is when we need to meet in Salem. We'll follow up with more details.
Rep. Ron Maurer - Health Care Reform Town Hall
April 7th 2007
2:00 to 3:00pm
The Bridge Retirement and Assisted Living
201 SW Bridge St.
Grants Pass, OR 97526
Topics: Healthcare Reform, Senior and Disability
Issues, Healthy Kids

Want to know where the Presidential candidates stand on health care reform?
The Archimedes Movement invites you and your guests to join us on a statewide (and beyond) house party conference call with John Kitzhaber on Thursday, October 16th. The call is to discuss the health reform plans of Presidential candidates Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama, as well as address the need for grassroots reform at the state level. This is a great opportunity for you to invite family, friends, and neighbors into your home to not only learn learn about the candidates' plans but also to grow the Archimedes Movement.



