Here’s the latest newsletter from the OHA:
Oregon’s Health Care Transformation
In this issue:
- Oregon Statewide Community Meetings
- Governor Kitzhaber in Washington D.C.
- House Bill 3650 Work Groups update
- Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Board
- OHA in the News
- How you can stay involved
Oregon Statewide Community Meetings
The Oregon Health Policy Board and the Oregon Health Authority kicked off a series of eight community meetings that are being held around the state. The purpose of the community meetings is to spread the word about the goals of Coordinated Care Organizations and to invite new ideas about how CCOs would best work locally.
Last Monday and Tuesday a total of about 250 people gathered in Roseburg and Medford to learn more about what the Oregon Health Plan transformation will mean for their local communities and how they can be leaders in guiding that change. Clients, providers, advocates, tribes, home health care workers, county representatives, and others came to learn and to engage in discussions about the proposed CCOs. Topics of conversation included local control and accountability, the need for prevention and mental health care in CCOs, and ways to avoid expensive hospital costs.
Mike Bonetto, the health policy advisor for Governor Kitzhaber and a member of the Oregon Health Policy Board, and Bruce Goldberg, director of the Oregon Health Authority, were presenters. Rep. Tim Freeman attended the Roseburg meeting and Sen. Alan Bates attended in Medford.
If you want to learn more about CCOs and have a chance to discuss your thoughts and hear others’ ideas, join us for a community meeting near you. Your input will be shared with the Oregon Health Policy Board members as they develop the final proposal for CCOs. Visit the community meetings page on health.oregon.gov to see the complete list of dates and locations.
If you are unable to attend a community meeting in your area, please share your ideas via our online survey.
Pendleton hosted a community meeting last night, with 75 people in attendance. Florence hosts on Wednesday, and Bend on Thursday, with more to follow next week. Hope to see you there!
Governor Kitzhaber today called on Congress to reframe the debate over Medicaid, Medicare and the national debt and look to states for new models to improve health care while reducing cost in a keynote address to the 2011 Medicaid Managed Care Conference in Washington D.C.
Read the full press release.
House Bill 3650 Transformation Work Groups Meetings
The second round of meetings for the House Bill 3650 transformation work groups took place in Salem and Wilsonville over the past two weeks. The four work groups are charged with developing recommendations for the Oregon Health Policy Board on a range of issues regarding the creation of Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs). In September, the 133 Governor-appointed work group members delved further into the nuances of what CCOs will look like. Summaries of all four meetings are posted on their respective meetings page at health.oregon.gov.
CCO Criteria Work Group:
The CCO Criteria Work Group will provide input into the qualification criteria and standards for proposed CCOs.
Next meeting: Oct. 18, 6-9 p.m. at the Cherry Avenue Training Center in Keizer. Visit the Health System Transformation website for more details on the CCO Criteria Work Group meeting.
Global Budget Methodology Work Group:
The Global Budget Methodology Work Group will provide input into the global budget methodology for CCOs, including consideration of criteria for determining what funds flow into the global budget, shared savings arrangements, stop-loss, risk corridors and risk-sharing arrangements.
Next meeting: Oct. 17, 6-9 p.m. at the Cherry Avenue Training Center in Keizer. Visit the Health System Transformation website for more details on the Global Budget Methodology Work Group meeting.
Outcomes, Quality and Efficiency Metrics Work Group:
The Outcomes, Quality and Efficiency Metrics Work Group will provide input into performance standards and benchmarks to ensure that within CCOs, care is being improved while costs are being reduced. Performance standards will include clinical, financial and operational metrics.
Next meeting: Oct. 17, 9 a.m.-noon at the Clackamas Community College Campus in Wilsonville. Visit the Health System Transformation website for more details on the Outcomes, Quality and Efficiency Metrics Work Group meeting.
Medicare-Medicaid Integration of Care and Services Work Group:
The Medicare-Medicaid Integration of Care and Services Work Group will help identify strategies for improving integration of acute care – such as emergency room visits – and long-term care and services for individuals enrolled in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs within the framework of health system transformation.
Next meeting: Oct. 19, 6-9 p.m. at the Cherry Avenue Training Center in Keizer. Visit the Health System Transformation website for more details on the Medicare-Medicaid Integration of Care and Services Work Group meeting.
Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Board
The first Oregon Health Insurance Exchange Board meeting was held Friday, Sept. 30. The board reviewed and accepted its charter, was briefed on the Exchange staff, and discussed the work plan for now through the February legislative session.
The meeting marked the beginning of an important step for Oregon. The federal Affordable Care Act mandates that all states set up a health insurance marketplace, or exchange, by Jan. 1, 2014. With its newly formed board and growing staff, Oregon’s Health Insurance Exchange is moving forward with work that’s critical to achieving better health, better care and lower costs.
The next Health Insurance Exchange Board meeting will be on Oct. 6 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Lloyd Center Doubletree Hotel.
OHA in the News
The Oregonian’s Bill Graves writes about Oregon’s race to transform health care.
The Mail Tribune covered the community meeting in Medford.
Stay involved!
Connect with us: Use Facebook.com/OregonHealthAuthority and Twitter.com/OHAOregonto find out about OHA events, public input opportunities, transition updates, and federal and state health reform news.
Send input and comments to OHPB at ohpb.info@state.or.us
View calendar of health reform meetings
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