Summer 2010 Newsletter

• You are the Key
• Your Voice Matters in Oregon
  • The Oregon Health Improvement Plan
  • The Essential Benefit Package
  • The Health Insurance Exchange and the Public Plan
  • The OHPB Public Meetings in September
• On the Road Again

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

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?

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

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.