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Oregon Health Policy Board September Public Meetings!

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The Oregon Health Policy Board Needs You

The Oregon Health Policy Board is working on a short timeline to gather public input before submitting several legislative concepts for consideration in next year’s legislative session. While their monthly meetings (and all the committee meetings) are public, they are so jammed full with presentations that the time for public input is pretty sparse.

So, they have scheduled six community meetings to gather public input (aka YOU) on their overall timeline and plan for implementing health reform, but especially about setting up a Health Insurance Exchange, which will become the marketplace for insurance products that will be eligible for the federal subsidies when they become available. The Exchange also needs to meet your needs and to be set up in a way that makes sense to you. So we’ve been urging the Oregon Health Policy Board to make sure that the Exchange:

  • has enough leverage to help bring down insurance prices (and the best way to do that is to have enough people in the “pool”);
  • is easy to use and has information laid out so that you can compare “apples to apples” when comparing insurance products;
  • has an explicit social purpose embedded in its organizational structure so that we are all clear that the Exchange is accountable to you and me, not to shareholders;
  • has a governance structure made up of people who both understand the insurance marketplace, but also are the people who buy insurance - again, people like you and me; and
  • is set up in a way that insurers can’t pick only the healthiest people and leave others to pay higher insurance rates.

Some policy makers want all insurance products to be sold “within” the exchange, while others want to see two marketplaces - “inside” and “outside” the exchange. Confused yet? A brief description of the Health Insurance Exchange can be found here.

Your input is crucial so that we don’t end up with a more confusing marketplace than the one we have today. And the Exchange itself requires creating a new organizational entity. What should that look like and who should run it? The Community Leadership Council approved remarks that were shared at the August Health Policy Board meeting - you can see them at this link.  

Since we all know six meetings aren’t enough to get across the state, there will also be information online and a way to give your input there. Once it’s set up (probably early September) we’ll put a link on our home page. They need to hear from you. Get your thoughts to them, in person, via email (ohpb.info@state.or.us) or when they post their resources online.

Thanks,
Liz

DATES/LOCATIONS OF PUBLIC MEETINGS:

CORVALLIS: Wednesday, September 1, 6 to 8 p.m. Benton County Fairgrounds 110 SW 53rd Street Corvallis, OR

BAKER CITY: Tuesday, September 7, 6 to 8 p.m. Baker County Library 2400 Resort Street Baker City, OR

FLORENCE: Thursday, September 9, 6 to 8 p.m. Florence Events Center 715 Quince Street Florence, OR

PORTLAND: Monday, September 13, 6 to 8 p.m. University Place (Columbia Falls Room) 310 SW Lincoln Street Portland, OR

MEDFORD: Wednesday, September 15, 6 to 8 p.m. Red Lion Inn (Crater Lake Room) 200 N. Riverside Avenue Medford, OR

BEND: Thursday, September 16, 6 to 8 p.m. Central Oregon Community College Campus Center Building (Wille Hall) 2600 NW College Way Bend, OR

Published on: 
Tue, 08/24/2010

Archimedes Movement Summer 2010 Newsletter

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In this Issue:

You are the Key

We need two things from you – your voice and your support. The Archimedes Movement is almost five years old and has been supported by individual donors, partner organizations, and local funders. We are not part of some larger organization, not part of a political campaign and not under a benefactor’s wing. We are an independent non-profit organization and your support allows us to stay true to our mission – creating a new space for civic engagement that lies outside of the traditional policy and political processes, knowing that we want to influence those processes but not be driven by them. We need your support now more than ever.

Your Voice Matters in Oregon

Oregon Health Policy Board

The Oregon Health Policy Board (OHPB) seeks public input all the time, but between now and the end of September your input is especially critical. Beginning in June the Board’s committees began presenting their progress to the full OHPB and are asking for public input to those committee reports. In July, information about the Essential Benefit Package and the Oregon Health Improvement Plan were presented. If you have time, you can watch the OHPB July meeting online (video and audio). The materials used during each meeting, including any presentation materials are available online at this link.

The Oregon Health Improvement Plan summary described a need to have better data - if we want improved health we need to have an idea of what our baseline is so we can tell if we’re improving. They discussed things that are inside and outside of traditional medical models. It would be great to give them input on their summary (PDF). Are they being specific enough? Will their report actually give the Oregon Health Authority, the Health Policy Board and the legislature specific recommendations that they can implement? And are their ideas feasible in this economy? Was their anything they missed? The focus of this committee is most clearly on the triple aim, but they have a 26-member group with diverse ideas and perspectives. That can sometimes lead to agreement on broad goals, but not always on specific strategies. They will not present their final recommendations for several months, so now is a great time to give them your input. 

» Express your thoughts on the Oregon Health Improvement Plan via email

The Essential Benefit Package
What do you think about changing the way we put together a benefit package? In defining the Essential Benefit Package (PDF), creative ideas were presented about using a model that includes value-based services, which are medications, tests, or treatments that are highly effective, low cost, and have lots of evidence supporting their use. The Oregon Health Services Commission (HSC) identified 20 sets of health care services that they saw as value-based services. The Commission recommends that these services be included in the essential benefit package with no cost sharing (no co-pays or co-insurance) to patients in order to encourage the use of these services, given their high level of benefit. Many OHPB members got excited about this. It follows the thoughts we laid out in our framework document (PDF) several years ago. You can check out the 20 sets of services (PDF) here recommended to be value-based services. What do you think?

 
The Health Insurance Exchange and the Public Plan
In August the OHPB will hear about the Health Insurance Exchange and begin to discuss ideas about the Public Plan. The Archimedes Movement has a special interest in the public plan because it’s the health plan that we can make accountable to the public, governed by a public voice, meet guiding principles, and be focused on producing health while, reducing cost and improving the experience for people - the elements of the Triple Aim. We have some ideas about the framework that we’ll share with the OHPB in the coming month. We’ll post our comments on the web site when we send them to the Board.
Oregon will draft a business plan for development of a publicly owned health plan. What do you think the characteristics of that plan should be in terms of governance, oversight, public accountability, etc.?

» Send us your thoughts via email.

The OHPB is planning a series of public meetings in September to hear input, and we know they won’t hold enough meetings to get to every community. As soon as we know where and when the OHPB public meetings will be in September we will post them and send an email to you. But please don’t wait until then to speak up. If it’s easier for you to send  your comments to us, we’ll summarize what we receive and submit it to the OHPB. We know it’s a lot of information to digest, but it is so important.

Remember, the Oregon Health Policy Board is doing important work, but it’s not the only place making policy decisions that impact health. For example, the Portland Public School Board debated cutting PE from all elementary and middle schools in the district. Other school districts are facing the same or stronger economic pressures. Their decision would impact the availability for kids to be physically active at a time when we are battling an epidemic of childhood obesity.
 
The Department of Human Services is facing cuts to important home and community based programs that impact the health of many Oregonians with chronic conditions. The economy is forcing program cuts that have a human cost, and once the supportive programs go away, individuals turn to more costly medical services. Keep an eye open for decisions that impact your local mental health programs, housing, access to dental care, transportation, food banks and schools. There are many services that impact one’s ability to be healthy, and your voice can point out the connections, and where we often make cuts that cost us more in the long term.

On the Road Again

on the road, again
Thanks in part to a small grant we received earlier this year from the Northwest Health Foundation, Matt and Liz are on the road to the southern Oregon coast in July, meeting folks in Florence, Reedsport, Brookings and Bandon. We’re leaving copies of the film Unnatural Causes in each community and identifying someone who will host a series of meetings to show the film. Understanding health disparities is key to having our system actually result in improved health and health equity. We had great meetings at the end of May in Sweethome, Prineville, Burns and Baker City. As you can see, we’re trying to get to communities that are smaller, where the community leaders might know each other and work together for change. We believe that if we don’t hear from people in different parts of the state - by going to them in their communities - we are not doing our part to create ways for people to engage. Your support helps us get on the road and go to where people are talking, rather than waiting for them to come to us. Thank you so much for all you do.
Published on: 
Wed, 07/21/2010

Archimedes Movement May 2010 Newsletter

Latest News: 
May 2010 Newsletter
 
In this Issue:


On the road again...
Unnatural CausesArchimedes is hittin' the road again! This time as part of a series of film viewings and discussions across Oregon. From May 24th through 28th, Matt and Liz will head east starting in Sweet Home and ending in Baker City.

We'll be visiting some communities that we've wanted to get to for some time – places that we know are anxious about what reform means to them. We'll be showing sections of the film series Unnatural Causes and listening to community members share their thoughts on what would lead to better health in their locale. The meetings are made possible by a targeted grant we received from Community Health Priorities, an initiative of the Northwest Health Foundation. It was a great match for our goal of reframing the discussion of health reform to include talking about health! Many thanks to NWHF for their continued support of our efforts.

We'll be reaching out beyond existing Archimedes Movement supporters to connect with everyone from frontline health professionals & community agencies to local senior centers and faith communities. Please take a look at the dates below and help us to promote these meetings. If you have friends or family in any of the communities, then please let them know. We're looking forward to seeing you, meeting lots of new faces and having some great discussions along the way!

Here's a YouTube clip from Unnatural Causes. We'll be showing parts of the film at each stop.

 
 
May 24th - Sweet Home
May 25th - Prineville
May 26th - Burns
May 27th - Baker City

Part II of the tour will take place in July when we head to Brookings, Bandon, Reedsport and Florence. Dates and times to come...

Executive Director's Update:
Liz Baxter

There is hardly a day that goes by without someone asking about the federal health insurance reform bill and what it will mean to them as it gets implemented. When people learn that Oregon also passed legislation, there is often surprise – and curiosity about whether Oregon's reform will get trumped by the federal legislation.

Americans know our health care system is broken, but they fear the unknown and losing what they have now. The best summary of the past few months in relation to knowledge and fear was this one from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), "Americans remain divided on health reform but are confused about the law and how and when it will affect them. Many provisions that take effect in 2010 are popular and have bipartisan support." That statement summarizes a poll KFF did in April of 2010. In other words, when you ask Americans about the passage of federal health reform it is confusing; when you ask them about specific things that are contained in the legislation there is often strong support. KFF has a great website devoted to health reform, with an incredible amount of timely information. We need to help Americans get a handle on health reform. We have a lot of work to do.

So, we thought we'd give you an idea of what's happening right now in Oregon. The federal legislation, when fully implemented and combined with Oregon's Healthy Kids program, will provide access to care for some 500,000 Oregonians, or about 85 percent of the state’s uninsured. With access significantly improved, that gives Oregon the opportunity to focus on the part of health reform that really pays dividends: improving health. According to Bruce Goldberg, M.D., director-designee of Oregon Health Authority, “Increasing access to care was 'job one' for the Oregon Health Authority. With the passage of the federal legislation we can now focus on improving the way that care is delivered, the quality of the care, and lowering the cost of care for everyone in Oregon.”

Below we cover some highlights and links to what is going on in Oregon, but there is a lot more. Your input is really needed; implementation of Oregon's legislation is moving full steam ahead. Hopefully, something in this list will spur you to find out even more. On each linked page there is a way to get on an email update list, and get notices of upcoming meetings. You can see past meetings and materials that were shared. These are also examples of how you – and others in your community – can get involved. The people on these committees and work groups are volunteers who are giving their time, trying to make Oregon's system work better, smarter and more efficiently. Your input can help them in their work, or perhaps next time it will be you who applies and is appointed to one of these important groups.

Oregon Health Policy Board (OHPB)
The nine-member citizen Board serves as the policy-making and oversight body for the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). It is responsible for improving access, cost and quality of the health care delivery system, and the health of all Oregonians. OHPB was established through House Bill 2009.

Oregon's Department of Human Services (DHS) and the newly formed Oregon Health Authority are working through a transition period to figure out what responsibilities will stay with DHS, what responsibilities will shift to the OHA, and which responsibilities the two entities will continue to share. These range from day-to-day responsibilities of the Oregon Health Plan, purchasing insurance for public employees and those on the Medicaid program, public health activities, mental health and addiction services, and services to reduce disparities among underserved populations. There is a transition team that is providing input to the administrators of both DHS and OHA and you can follow their updates on these pages:

The Oregon Health Policy Board has committees that are meeting, and each has opportunities for public input. Here are some of the groups that are currently meeting:

  • Health Care Workforce Committee: focused on issues of recruiting, educating and retaining a quality workforce
  • Health Incentives and Outcomes Committee: looking at standards to be used by purchasers of health insurance and health care, plus identify ways to provide incentives for patient-centered, cost-effective care
  • Medical Liability Task Force: look at how current medical liability laws and policies impact the cost and delivery of healthcare, and will develop a range of medical liability reform proposals for the Oregon Health Policy Board and the Legislature to consider
  • Oregon Health Improvement Plan Committee: working to identify evidence-based interventions that incorporate policy, systems and environmental approaches to promote population health so that we can do a better job at prevention, early detection and management of chronic diseases.
  • Health Information Technology Oversight Council is tasked with setting goals and developing a strategic health information technology plan for the state, as well as monitoring progress in achieving those goals and providing oversight for the implementation of the plan. They are holding a public forum on May 25th in Portland to hear thoughts about electronic medical records from stakeholders and consumers.
  • Cost Sharing Workgroup: is discussing appropriate levels of deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums for individuals and families at different income levels as well as copays/coinsurance amounts for different services and within different benefit packages
  • Administrative Simplification Workgroup: standardizing administrative transactions between health plans and healthcare providers.

The Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation is a non-profit working to increase access to measurements of the quality of health care in Oregon and working to improve information sharing and collaboration among stakeholders who can collect that measurable data. Q Corp is hosting a free workshop on June 10th on how patients can play roles in improving quality in health care. They are also part of a national project on health care quality that has begun posting quality scores for doctor's offices. You can check out their data here.

Get in the Loop
If you sign up for the Oregon Health Authority email updates you'll get emails with links to the materials they've been developing which explain the intersections and overlaps between the state and federal reform bills. As they update the materials you would get an email letting you know that something new has posted on the site. It's a great system, so that you don't have to keep checking in, they'll automatically notify you when there's a meeting coming up, when new information is available, etc.

Lastly, on our Facebook page we post many links to current readings in the media that focus on health – from activities in parks, to farmer's markets, to making the best smoothies! But we also post opinion pieces and articles from around the nation related to medical care and upcoming changes to the current health system. If you're on Facebook, please visit our page and "like" the Archimedes Movement!

Thanks, take care, and remember, we're all in this together.

Liz

OHA Podcast
Corvallis Archimedes Movement member Roberta Hall has been wonderful about not only convening some great conversations around health and health reform, but she's also been recording them as part of a series of podcasts. Her latest posting is from an April 15th public meeting with Amy Fauver, Director of the Legislative and Government Affairs Office of the Oregon Health Authority. The talk was focused on the newly passed federal legislation and how it will affect Oregonians individually and how it fits into Oregon’s health planning. Follow this link to listen to or download the conversation You can find all of her podcasts at her main site. Way to go Roberta!

Portland Sunday Parkways & You
A 2-way route of city streets – open to walk, bike, roll, run, jump and skip – without having to watch out for cars!
Sunday Parkways
Volunteers Needed! The Archimedes Movement will have a table at this month's Sunday Parkways event in Alberta Park in NE Portland. Shifts to help staff our table are available between 9 am and 3 pm. We'd love for you to stop by and say, "Hi."

Not familiar with Portland Sunday Parkways? Here's what the City of Portland has to say about it: "PSP is about connecting neighborhoods and people: walkers, runners, bicyclists, seniors, adults, and children all enjoying streets filled with surprises, performers, physical activities and food – and traffic-free. The 6-8 mile routes connect Portland’s beautiful parks and offer a chance for participants to listen to music, try other activities, such as hula hooping, or just relax and enjoy the smiling faces." Sounds pretty cool huh? We'll be participating at each PSP event this summer (June 27, July 18, Aug. 15, Sept. 26) so if you would like to volunteer and help us table - please email Matt@wecandobetter.org.

Check out this video footage from 2008 and download a map of this Sunday's route.

Archimedes Movement Conference this Fall?
We've begun pulling together the planning team for our fall 2010 conference, and wondered if you had any ideas of someone we should invite as a keynote speaker. Or maybe you want to be part of the planning this year? You can volunteer or submit your ideas and let us know if you have some secret knowledge of how to get on that someone's calendar. When we get some possibilities we'll post them on the site and on our Facebook page and see what we can make happen. For example, anyone know Jon Stewart or anyone who knows someone who knows him? Got a better idea? Let us know...
Published on: 
Wed, 05/12/2010

Archimedes Movement April 2010 Newsletter

Latest News: 

In this Issue:

Executive Director's Update:
Liz Baxter

Have you heard the one about Obama, Berwick and Kitzhaber walking into a bar?

Seriously, I was taking a walk in Bend recently, when a car pulled up alongside and someone shouted out, "Did you hear about Berwick being nominated to lead CMS?" Well, that's not an everyday occurrence! I was in Bend for the Bus Project's Rebooting Democracy Conference and the driver pulling up was none other than our founder John Kitzhaber.

Don Berwick, MD

Here's the story of why he was so excited about his friend Don Berwick.

Dr. Don Berwick and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement

In July 2008, when former Governor Kitzhaber turned over the reins of the Archimedes Movement to the Community Leadership Council, we did one other thing – we endorsed the Triple Aim, as described by Dr. Don Berwick and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. The triple aim outlines three objectives of a transformed health delivery system:

  1. improved health of a defined population;
  2. reduce the per-capita cost; and
  3. improve the patient's experience as they maneuver through the system.

It sounds complex, but it is really elegantly simple. Imagine, if for each change that we proposed for the system, we had only those three questions to ask – will it lead to improved health, will it lower the amount of money we spend on health expenditures, and will it improve my experience when I use the system? If the answer is yes to those three questions we move forward, if the answer is no then we know we're going in the wrong direction.

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement usually works with local health systems, so we were probably the first grassroots movement to endorse the Triple Aim. Because we are clear on what we want out of reform, we will continue to work towards reform that results in better health, not just more money for a health system of yesterday. We want the system built for tomorrow.

News media report that President Barack Obama will nominate Dr. Don Berwick to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). This is hugely important because CMS is the office of the federal government that has the authority to grant waivers to states who want to implement federal reform in ways that go beyond federal guidelines, such as Oregon has done with the Oregon Health Plan (which operates differently than traditional Medicaid programs). Support at the federal level would make it easier for states to implement reform.

In Oregon, CareOregon (in Portland) and Cascade Health System (in Bend) already have working relationships with the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Oregon is – again – ahead of the curve on reform. We'll be watching for President Obama's formal announcement of the appointment.

Thanks, take care, and remember, we're all in this together.

Liz

Portland State University's Senior Capstone

Students finishing their undergraduate studies at Portland State University picked the Archimedes Movement as their Capstone project during the winter term. Their focus was on ways we could outreach to younger voters through use of social media, like Facebook and Twitter. Capstone Project

They took pictures, created two short videos ("Testimonial" and "Glenn Beck") and had ideas of how we could roll it all out. They did an awesome job and we'll begin using their products in the coming week on our website and on our Facebook page (hope you've checked that out!)

Want to know what staff and members are reading? Want to watch the rollout of the work of the Capstone students? We will often post materials on our website but we've also begun putting links to current reading on our Facebook page. Become a fan today. Then, suggest that your Facebook friends become a Fan too. It's an easy way to share your opinion and suggest things that we should all be reading and taking note of. Perhaps you have an article, video, or photo to share? If so, email it to Matt@wecandobetter.org and maybe we'll add it to our posts.

Can you spare a Latte (tall, grande, or venti)?

During the past month there has not been one day where one of us did not receive an email request for contributions to help describe reform, to help pass reform, and now to help defend reform. While those requests are important, we hope you also see the need for an organization willing to cut through the rhetoric and find ways to add the public's voice in health reform. We depend on you to continue our work.

Make a Difference

Millions of dollars were spent on advertisement, email campaigns and punditry and all we're asking for is some of your latte money. If you can make a recurring contribution of $5 or $10 a month, you can assure that Archimedes asks the right questions, continues training local leaders, and increases our outreach to learn from you what you want as this reform gets implemented. Can we count on you to invest in health today? Can we count on you to donate one large latte a month? Our work depends on you.

We Can Do Better

Added sweetener:
Become a monthly supporter – Woohoo! – and we'll send you a We Can Do Better bumper sticker (pictured here). 

Make a contribution today.

Did you get a bumper sticker at our conference last fall? Please show your We Can Do Better sticker some sunshine.

Rebooting Democracy

Rebooting Democracy

Rebooting Democracy is the Bus Project’s biannual conference for the public interest. The Archimedes Movement was part of three sessions during the weekend, one as a panel participant discussing how reform would be implemented, another leading a health policy leadership lunch discussion, and then a session about evaluating the reform legislation. The sessions were highly attended and lively. About 400 people attended the conference, including Archimedes members. Some great opportunities arose to develop partnerships with the Bus Project and with allies in organizations working with communities of color. Let us know if you're interested in being part of those future collaborations as we move forward.

Volunteer Job Openings with Mo & Jo: Community Leadership Council Update

Our Community Leadership Council got "infected" at its recent retreat with something viral they want to spread – health – and they're asking for your help to reach as many people as possible. They're recommending small actions by everyday people on an issue that affects us all. They have identified their 2 top action projects:

  1. Making sure the Oregon Health Policy Board fully implements HB 2009, and
  2. Educating Oregonians about the Triple Aim.

Maureen and Jo

The sky's the limit on possible actions to take, but to start the ball rolling they're looking for volunteers to table at local farmers markets where you'll hand out flyers on Archimedes and the Triple Aim and have a bowl of apples for giveaways as an engaging way to start a conversation about HEALTH. They're working on a form, My Top 10 HEALTH Tips, which people fill in along with their name, email, phone and we'll post those ideas on the website and our Facebook page. Catch the HEALTH virus and pass it forward!

Want to volunteer at a table at Farmer's market? Contact:

Published on: 
Mon, 04/05/2010

The Archimedes Movement Remembers Ben Westlund

Latest News: 

Ben Westlund, former state senator and Treasurer of Oregon, passed away this week. He was a champion of health care reform and worked closely with the Archimedes Movement. He will be missed. 

Ben Westlund

Below is Ben speaking to the Archimedes Movement "We Can Do Better" rally on the steps of the Oregon Capitol in March of 2007.

Ben Westlund

Published on: 
Sun, 03/07/2010

Ask a Doctor about Health Reform

Latest News: 

Evan Saulino - videoEvan Saulino - videoPortland family practice doctor and Archimedes Movement member Evan Saulino is featured on the new website Ask a Doctor about Health Reform.

Published on: 
Sun, 02/28/2010

Join our Health Policy Task Force

Latest News: 

As part of our 2010 Strategic Plan we'll be monitoring and evaluating the progress of the newly created Oregon Health Policy Board, which has oversight responsibility for the newly formed Oregon Health Authority, and is charged with implementing Oregon House Bill 2009.

How You Can Help
Volunteers are needed to interact with the OHPB and its work. If you are interested in things such as providing testimony and written comments; monitoring their progress; partnering with other groups such as the Health Allies Group and the Oregon Health Reform Collaborative, adding our voice to others who have goals similar to ours; and communicating this work out to the Archimedes membership, please consider volunteering.

We are building a task force of members interested in monitoring, interacting with and reporting on the OHPB process and decisions. Interested? Learn more and sign up here.

Published on: 
Fri, 02/26/2010

The Political Landscape: The February 2010 Archimedes Movement Newsletter

Latest News: 

In this Issue:

Executive Director's Update:
Liz Baxter

The Political Landscape
As we near the end of February, many are wondering what is wrong with health reform at the federal level. Even as our President makes an effort to bring bipartisanship to health reform, people from all walks of life and every political party are frustrated with the inability of Congress to have a debate on the merits of elements in the reform bills passed by either the House or the Senate. It has brought back memories of the early days of the Archimedes Movement and why this notion of grassroots engagement – agreement on a set of principles and holding to those when things get tough – felt so important. One colleague stopped me a few weeks ago and whispered in my ear, "It looks like we're back to a discussion of principles." Congress didn't agree on a set of principles to drive reform; therefore, they don't have a way of knowing what fits and what doesn't except to use a political yardstick. And one thing is clear – using that yardstick, everyday Americans just don't measure up. 

Liz Baxter visits Willamette View Manor
Liz Baxter visits Willamette View Manor
Throughout the past four years we have used the principles that were developed by more than 3,000 members to guide the direction and influence of the Archimedes Movement. To some it has been frustrating – feeling that principles won't lead to reform – even though our principles were included in Oregon's health reform legislation passed in 2007, which led the work of the Oregon Health Fund Board. Without a set of guiding principles, you are left with no measurements to help weigh the influence of powerful stakeholders.  

Here's how a set of principles could work: if you come to the agreement that at the end of the process you want a system that is affordable - to individuals and to businesses, that is accountable to the public for the trillions of dollars spent, that should provide incentives to improve health, that simplifies administrative bureaucracy, that is equitable and allows everyone a way to get the care they need, when they need it, without fear of losing their home, job or life, then each time someone asks a congressman to change an element of the bill, he or she could ask how it measures up against those principles. If the change doesn't measure up, you work on it until you have a framework that does. There is power in agreement on principles. 

It also allows for some creativity upon implementation. I know there are many who want a single system that is nationwide, but part of what we know is that health and health car is local, that it will look different in La Grande than it does in Portland; that it will look different in Kentucky than it does in Florida. If we agree on the framework that would drive the design, it leaves room for innovation and creativity. But we must have agreement on what the system would achieve - what its goals are – and that brings us to the Triple Aim. In 2008 the newly formed Archimedes Movement Community Leadership Council agreed to endorse the Triple Aim, based on work at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement: improved health of a defined population; reduced per capita cost; and a better patient experience. Imagine how a set of principles – a framework – and agreement on the objectives – like the triple aim – could have changed the debate in Congress. But we don't ever talk about what we want to achieve, instead focusing on only on the steps along the way to a place we haven't agreed we're going. I'm ready for a change in how Congress operates and whose voices they listen to.

We have some challenging problems ahead here in Oregon, too. We are not a rich state and when the economy is struggling things are hard all over. Even after a hard fought ballot measure campaign, which has left some strained relationships in its wake, we are not ready to tackle the underlying issues of how we raise revenue and how we pay for public services. This issue did not go away after the ballot measures passed. Yet, when the governor asked that the legislature to examine the rainy day fund and kicker reform, the legislature wouldn't, perhaps feeling it wasn't the right time. Oregonians know that times are hard, and if our leaders are willing to be honest with us, we are ready to roll up our sleeves and help come up with creative solutions. We've heard this at every community meeting over the past 4 years.

We started with listening to you, allowing you to shape the words and structure of the principles and framework. We're talking about doing that again in 2010. More news to come on that next month. More than ever, your voice is needed.

Oregon House Joint Resolution 100

Last year we did a video interview with Representative Mitch Greenlick about his introduction of a bill that would have the voters decide on a constitutional amendment that would change the Oregon Constitution to include a right to health care. It was the third session that Rep. Greenlick had introduced the measure, and it did not pass. He introduced it again during this short, one month session in February. It needed 31 votes to pass the House and it got 30 votes.

During an economic downturn, as Oregon is still experiencing, the Legislators may have felt that Oregon cannot become responsible for the care of Oregonians, even those who cannot provide for care themselves. Yet, passage of the bill, HJR 100, would have really had no effect other than referring it to the voters, which would have fostered a robust dialogue about this issue over the next 9 months, which is also the time during which the Oregon Health Policy Board is putting together its recommendations for legislation in 2011 Legislative Session. 

Oregon is not immune to pressure from vested stakeholders and partisan politics, but we have passed health reform legislation that is intended to lead us to quality affordable health care for all Oregonians by 2015. If we want this Board and the newly created Oregon Health Authority to achieve its goal, they need to hear from you, and hear from you periodically over the next four years. Without the public's voice, it will be difficult for the political process to be accountable to you, as they should be.

The Oregon Health Policy Board
Joe Zaerr
Archimedes Movement Community Leadership Council

As part of our 2010 Strategic Plan we'll be monitoring and evaluating the progress of the newly created Oregon Health Policy Board, which has oversight responsibility for the newly formed Oregon Health Authority, and is charged with implementing Oregon House Bill 2009.

How You Can Help
Volunteers are needed to interact with the OHPB and its work. If you are interested in things such as providing testimony and written comments; monitoring their progress; partnering with other groups such as the Health Allies Group and the Oregon Health Reform Collaborative, adding our voice to others who have goals similar to ours; and communicating this work out to the Archimedes membership, please consider volunteering.

We are building a task force of members interested in monitoring, interacting with and reporting on the OHPB process and decisions. Interested? Learn more and sign up at our website.

Interested in Serving on the Community Leadership Council? 

 

Members of the Community Leadership Council
Members of the 2009 Community Leadership Council 
Archimedes Movement members interested in actively serving on our Community Leadership Council, are invited to contact Paul Keller at paul.keller11@verizon.net or 503-209-6915. Paul can help you learn more about the pathway to leadership. You can schedule a time to meet with him and discuss your interests and provide more information about what it means to be a member. We're looking for leaders who will increase our diversity, especially in terms of geography, ethnicity and age.

Will you share your health care story?

A Senior Capstone class at Portland State University, focused on public relations for non-profits, has chosen to work with the Archimedes Movement as their Spring semester project. We're extremely excited to have 13 bright-eyed PSU students giving us their creativity and enthusiasm for the semester. The class has been working to help us expand and enhance our outreach efforts online through social networking (Twitter & Facebook) and online media (YouTube). 

Matt Webber with PSU Students
Matt Webber with PSU Seniors
The Capstone students are currently looking for 3 or 4 individuals in the Portland metro area between the ages of 18-35 who are willing to share a personal story about an interaction with the US health care system that effected you financially, emotionally or physically.

The class will be shooting a video project in the next couple of weeks in the Portland metro area and if you fit the above criteria and would like to help them (and us) out - please email matt@wecandobetter.org to find out more about the project and connect with the class.


SOLV Beach Clean-Up (...and Photo Contest)

SOLVAs if you needed any more of a reason to head out to the gorgeous Oregon coast and pick up trash with 4,000+ volunteers on a Saturday. We're going to give you one more incentive -> a BRAND NEW CAR (no, not really). What I meant to say was: Your photo in our newsletter! Okay, so not as cool as new car but what more do you need to spend a lovely day on the coast working to make Oregon even more beautiful? 

Over the past couple of years we've had some great photos sent to us from members out in their local community doing good work and now here's your chance to do the same. Join us and others on March 20th to take part in SOLV's 2010 Spring Beach Cleanup. Last year more than 4,000 Oregonians joined together and gathered an estimated 61,821 pounds of debris from Oregon's beaches. This year, add yourself to the effort and take part in some good ol' fashion stewardship. Take a photo of yourself or your group in either your WCDB t-shirts or with your WCDB window sign - email it to us (info@wecandobetter.org) and we'll put the best one (remember you're all winners in our book) and place it in the following month's newsletter as our main photo.

Published on: 
Tue, 02/23/2010

January 2010 Archimedes Movement Newsletter

Latest News: 


Executive Director's Update:
The Train, Derailed or Just Detoured?

If there was ever a month where growing the Archimedes Movement seemed more imperative I can't think of one. In just the past week, the media has gone from "when will the congressional leadership send a bill to the President's desk" to today having House Speaker Nancy Pelosi say that the House no longer has enough votes to pass the Senate bill. Did something drastically change in the past week that has made health reform no longer critically needed in this country?

What has changed is momentum, and that's due to some pretty effective messaging. In essence, the story has changed. We're no longer hearing about businesses unable to offer coverage because of rising insurance premiums. We're not hearing about 40-50 million people who lack insurance. And we are no longer hearing the President's eloquence about the values and principles that drove him to name this one of his top domestic agenda items. We're hearing that the vote in Massachusetts was a vote to stop federal reform, and we refuse to buy that story.

Regaining Perspective

I had a chance to meet with a group of 20 international visitors who were in Portland with the World Affairs Council of Oregon. They are all experienced social activists in their countries, which included Moldova, Gaza, Slovak Republic, Vietnam, Venezuela, Zimbabwe, Malaysia, Bulgaria, Israel, Lithuania, Nigeria, Cambodia, Kuwait, Macedonia, Kenya, Cyprus, Afghanistan, Angola, Columbia, and Iraq. They had been in Portland for only three days when we met last Tuesday, and I walked through an overview of how our system of insurance and health care evolved, how the Archimedes Movement has used a set of principles to engage Oregonians to pay attention to this issue, become more informed and to take action when they can - using leverage to make change. We then spent about 40 minutes in dialogue.

After just 3 days in Portland, they had questions about the ballot measure campaign, about the work accomplished so far by the Oregon Legislature, about federal reform efforts, and why Americans are so disappointed in President Obama after only one year. It was an invigorating discussion because of two things. First, they did not have preconceived notions or positions on any of their questions, which allowed for a rich interchange; and second because of how impressed they were to hear of discussion of vision, principles and values, and how you can leverage the work of small groups to influence change.

We still believe that agreement on principles and a framework will reunite all sides of this debate and allow us to find strategies that work. It will require taking the media spin doctors out of the equation. Because if we don't remove the media's spin (sometimes believing that their spin is the same as reporting news), we will be stuck in the status quo for some time to come. We would be led to believe that:

  1. the debate over health reform is the equivalent of ending slavery,
  2. that electing a republican senator in Massachusetts changed the majority party's ability to lead in the House, the Senate and the White House,
  3. that Americans are saying they don't want health reform.

Many of my colleagues shared thoughts with me in the past week. One said "status quo is status woe." So, how do we lose our fear of letting go of the status quo? The other sent a quote (and if you know the source please email me so I can attribute it correctly): there is a spectrum that moves from debate...to discussion...to dialogue...and while our culture inculcates us with the value of debating, learning how to dialogue with each other requires something much different from us – a posture of deep listening with an intent to understand.

Whether it was the debate around Measures 66 and 67, implementation of Oregon's HB 2009, or trying to influence the federal debate – we need more than the point-counterpoint form of debate. It is time to realize that there is more to Oregon than supporters + opposition. We need to learn more than tactics and strategies; we must listen to what the public is truly saying, so that we can create policy that works for all of us, not just some of us. It is time.

Liz Baxter
Executive Director, The Archimedes Movement

Upcoming Events

Archimedes Movement Volunteer Meet-'n'-Greet
Please join us on February 6th in the Hillsdale neighborhood of Portland.

Ko taku rourou ~ With my resources
Ko tau rou rou ~ And your resources
Ka ora te tangata ~ Everyone will benefit
     – A New Zealand Maori Proverb

What does it mean to volunteer for a social change movement? We will review what we are striving to achieve in health reform from the grassroots level, and what it means for you to be a treasured volunteer with the Archimedes Movement. You will meet others and share ideas, generate energy, and build support for one another so that everyone will benefit, as the proverb says. 

Who should attend?  Anyone who is new to us; Anyone who has volunteered in the past and would like to re-invest time in the Movement; Anyone who is interested in collaborating with other volunteers to ignite project and activist ideas to keep health reform on track. 

RSVP is a must so that we can plan accordingly. Please contact Julie by email at julie@wecandobetter.org or phone at 503-609-0304 to reserve your space and get the details.

Oregon Legislature meeting in February

Continuing to experiment with annual sessions, the Oregon Legislature is expected to begin meeting on February 1 and continue for four weeks. While that doesn't seem like a very long period of time, each Representative and Senator is allowed to introduce bills. You can see the legislative concepts that have been provided at 2010 Oregon Legislative Concepts.
You can also see the planned Committee schedules (some have already begun meeting) and get on their email lists to be kept informed of committee agendas.

There are several legislative concepts that relate to forward progress on health reform in Oregon that could be worth paying attention to:

  • HB 3632:  Requires Oregon Health Authority to study viability of implementing pay or play system of employer-bases health insurance in Oregon and to report results of study and, if system is viable, proposed plan for implementation to interim legislative committees.
  • HB 3603:  Repeals health insurance premium assessment.
  • HJR 100:  Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution establishing right of all Oregonians to equal opportunity to lead healthy and productive lives. Establishes obligation of state to ensure every legal resident of state access to effective, medically appropriate and affordable health care. Refers proposed amendment to people for their approval or rejection at the next regular general election.
  • SB 994: Requires Director of Department of Consumer and Business Services to prescribe pilot program in which small employer groups offer healthy behavior dividends that are exempt from rate variation requirements.

In addition, the House Committee on Health Care has several legislative concepts that will not be introduced until the first day of the session, but you can see the Committee's description of the concepts.

You can get on the email list to receive Legislative committees and hearings updates. After you enter your email address, you will be able to set your subscription preferences.

Oregon Health Policy Board members will meet February 9, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Market Square Building in Portland. The Market Square Building is located at 1515 SW 5th Ave. Live web streaming will be available through the Oregon Health Authority web site.

The nine-member citizen Board serves as the policy-making and oversight body for the Oregon Health Authority. It is responsible for improving access, cost and quality of the health care delivery system, and the health of all Oregonians. OHPB was established in 2009 through House Bill 2009.

Also, you can access audio recordings and materials from past meetings on the board meetings page.

Tue, 02/09/2010 - 8:00am - 12:00pm
Market Square Building
1515 SW 5th Ave.
Portland, OR
Google Map

To receive email notification of Oregon Health Authority events, visit the Oregon Health Division email sign-up page.

Video Project

"Let me tell you what this is really all about..."
Almost fifty Archimedes Movement volunteers participated a couple months ago in a dynamic workshop about health reform messaging and communication. We learned the difference between steeping our conversations in 'facts' and honing our communication skills and using language that reflects the values that our fellow Americans can relate to. 

As a reinforcing follow-up, The Archimedes Movement is partnering with folks from the Community Health Project on a project to capture values-filled conversation on video so that we may add another instrument to the symphony. If you are interested in learning more about this project and what you can do to get involved in supporting it, please contact Julie by email at Julie@wecandobetter.org or phone at 503-609-0304. 

As always, please contact us at the Archimedes Movement if you have any questions about our work.

Published on: 
Wed, 01/20/2010

Oregon voters face important revenue measures on January ballot

Latest News: 

Oregon Special Election January 2010

Note - Dec. 23, 2009: Since the original posting on December 17th we've gotten feedback that the original message was either 1) too much (or not enough) to the 'Vote Yes' side, or 2) not strong enough in telling you what the potential impacts are of lost revenue. It is a great reminder of what happens during campaigns - there is one side or another, no in-betweens. We are not building a short-term campaign, we are building a movement. And since one of our values is transparency, this blog posting continues to evolve with input from members of our Community Leadership Council.

Our goal is to have more people every day who become informed, understand the issues at hand, learn about the impacts of their decisions and then take action - like voting. This is what we mean by a 'new space for civic engagement.' If you already know how you are going to vote on January 26th, this post may not help you. But if you, like the majority of Oregonians, don't know what the debate is about, then some of the links may be helpful. We are not going to tell you how to vote, but we are going to encourage you to get informed and involved.

We would never tell you that all Archimedes Movement members agree on the detailed steps along the way to a new system. But what we do agree on is that our new system should be guided by a set of principles and follow the objectives of the Triple Aim - improved health of the population; lower per capita costs and a better experience as we maneuver through the system. We know this will take time to achieve, but if we lose sight of where we're going it's easy to stray, and the current debate in DC is a great example of what can happen when you lose sight of your goal. We don't want to follow their path, we want to lead. Liz

____________________________

The community leaders of the Archimedes Movement encourage all eligible voters to vote in the upcoming Special Election on January 26th, 2010. 

Voters are being asked to affirm two pieces of legislation that were passed by the 2009 Oregon Legislature. These measures were not referred to the voters by the legislature; in this case, the legislation was passed into law by the legislature, then after they were passed signatures were gathered to place them on the ballot. 

Get Information About the Ballot Measures

Passage of these measures would provide revenue to support public programs, revenue that was approved by the legislature as part of the 2009-2011 budget. The additional revenue was needed to support the level of services approved in the budget. Many Oregonians don't realize that about 90% of the state's general fund budget goes to fund education, public safety, and health care services, so when revenue falls short there is not a lot of flexibility when it comes to decisions about use of scarce general fund dollars. 

We know that each day more Americans are at risk of losing their access to health care. Maybe it's because they can't afford health insurance; or because their employer no longer offers affordable insurance; or it may be that they work full time for an employer who doesn't offer health coverage, or that their position got eliminated due to budget cuts. This happens in private companies and it happens in public programs.

Everyone has a unique story, but the most important part to remember in this special election is that we all know someone who is hurting. The Archimedes Movement has a set of principles (that thousands of Oregonians took part in writing) that we believe shape the design of a new health system, and can help you evaluate options put before you and be guidelines for design of our future system.

We are all in this together - people of different incomes, rural and urban, employed and not, employers and the public infrastructure. It's hard work to hold to a set of principles, but we recommend that you review them as you make your decision on this special election. 

The non-partisan website Ballotpedia has a thorough explanation of the two ballot measures. Please take a few minutes and read their material. It gives you information about the measures, what passage of the measures will do and also who is supporting either side of the campaign.

We Are At the Beginning, Not the End of this Debate

These measures alone won't improve the health, education or safety of Oregonians, or lower the cost of those services. Those changes, as you can imagine, require a much longer and broader conversation, but there will be steps along the way that will determine if we keep moving forward. These measures may influence how implementation of health reform in Oregon moves forward (and remember, we've already passed significant reform legislation) and at what pace. 

While our mission is to create a new space for civic engagement, we started with the crisis in the U.S. health care system - and started here in Oregon - because Oregonians still gather, discuss and debate complex problems that don't have easy solutions. We have a lot of work to do, but we believe we can make things better. 

You, the Voter

We are not naive. We know that sometimes, stopgap measures are required to bridge hard times until we find a better way to do things. The responsibility is ours and yours – to learn about the impact of the measures, and find your own words to describe the impact of your Yes vote or your No vote. We are asking you to go beyond the rhetoric of the sound bites, and along with the campaign materials learn for yourself what is at stake. Not only do these measures have an impact on the taxes that some of us will pay or not pay, the measures impact general fund resources available for Oregon's public schools, public safety and health services. 

Learn and Engage

Here at the Archimedes Movement we encourage you to get involved with the conversation. Start by becoming an informed voter, and then, by all means, vote. Here are some more ways to get informed: 

  • Be on the lookout for forums and gatherings about the measures as they happen in your community. They started a few weeks ago and are continuing until the election. Go and don't be afraid to ask your questions.

And once the election is over, keep learning. The budget issues that face Oregon won't be solved simply in this election. We have a lot of work to do and the Archimedes Movement is the place where you can continue to learn, and then take action based on what you've learned, raising your voice to help shape decisions in Oregon. Policy makers and politicians can't make Oregon better without you. Get involved. Learn. Vote. Join the Archimedes Movement.

And Don't Forget - 

For every Oregonian who knows there is a special election in January 2010 there are many who don't even know it's happening. Please forward this email to people you know. You don't have to tell them how to vote, but letting them know how they can find information is an action step you can take on. Remember, every vote counts in this important election and the Archimedes Movement is a place to come together, learn and then impact change.

Published on: 
Sat, 12/19/2009