Oregon Business Association

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Health Policy

Upcoming meeting: Monday, April 21th. “Workforce Issues” with Dr. Mark Richardson, Dean of the OHSU School of Medicine.

Providing sustainable health care for all Oregonians through balanced solutions involving individuals, business, medical providers, public policies and educational programs that improve access and affordability is of paramount importance to our citizens, businesses and economy. We must also examine how healthcare is financed and delivered.

Oregon Business Association is seeking an affordable system of public health that emphasizes healthy lifestyles and illness prevention with access to health care, when necessary, with public expenditures for medical care cost-effectively allocated. Preventative services are the key to controlling much more costly health care services when minor conditions are left untreated.

Oregon Business Association is monitoring a number of health reform proposals that will change the way health care is delivered in Oregon. As these proposals evolve, OBA will review them and determine where to put our support.

Health Care Access and Affordability

Oregon Business Association supports universal access to basic health care for humanitarian and public policy reasons. OBA will consider all serious proposals based on sound business principles to move Oregon to this goal.

Funding for Public Sector Health Programs

Oregon Business Association believes it is in the business community’s best interest to have a strong public sector health program.

Specifically, OBA supports:

• Reducing the number of uninsured by expanding Oregon Health Plan Standard to at least 100% of Federal Poverty Level (FPL) using additional state revenue to maximize matching federal funds.
• Increasing the payments to providers who serve OHP patients.
• Providing preventative services to uninsured children.
• Funding the immunization program operated by the Department of Human Services to offer immunizations that have proven to be effective.
• Providing health services offered under the OHP to uninsured pregnant women to at least 200% FPL.

Cigarette Tax

Oregon Business Association supports an increase in the cigarette tax and designating those funds to the Oregon Health Plan preventative services in general, rather than to any new program.

Oregon Prescription Drug Program

Measure 44, enacted by the voters in 2006, removed previous age and income eligibility restrictions for OPDP – the state’s bulk purchasing pool for prescription drugs. To increase affordable healthcare options to all Oregonians, OBA supports expanding the Oregon Prescription Drug Program to include private employers.

Oregon Health Plan Formulary

Oregon Business Association supports the use of a pharmaceutical formulary and the promotion of appropriate drug use for all Oregon Health Plan participants not currently served by a managed care plan.

Medical Home Model

Oregon Business Association supports a pilot program of the robust medical home model of delivering healthcare in which the core features are personal provider-patient relationships; comprehensive and integrated care; patient provider partnerships and coordination of appropriate referrals and related social and educational services.

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