Legislative Tracking
Introduction to Legislative Tracking (2007)
Safety-net clinics, whether they are community sponsored or federally qualified, depend heavily on State resources and are affected by State decisions. With the overwhelming number of bill ups for review it is almost impossible to keep track of what’s going on without some kind of centralized tracking system. Clinic leadership can quickly become out of touch with what is happening politically. For any organization it is important to be aware of the political environment, if clinic leadership is not consistently aware of what’s going on, they may miss opportunities to advance their organization. Moreover, they may not be able to react/adapt to a changing environment which may negatively impact their ability to serve the community. It is important for those on the frontlines of helping the uninsured/ underinsured to be actively involved in the political process. We are now far into the legislative session, however, this system of legislative tracking will become an important tool.
SB-329 Oregon Health Fund- PASSED
This bill aims to “pool” health dollars from a variety of existing sources to leverage better rates from insurers and to maximize federal dollars, (Oregon Health Fund program). As a member (cardholder) of this pool, Oregonians will receive primary, preventative and health care services at affordable rates. Additional benefits can be purchased directly from insurers. An oversight board will manage the pool through existing insurance carriers to control costs and set standards for essential health coverage. Senate Bill 329 is intended to be a workable strategy for developing statewide health care reform in time for the 2009 legislative session.
SB-329
SB-27 Oregon Better Health Act (Archimedes)
The Oregon Better Health Act emerged from a remarkable eight-month process of citizen engagement involving a diverse group of stakeholders. The Oregon Better Health Act is the product of the Archimedes Movement, a broad-based grassroots effort to create a shared vision of a new health-care system by challenging the underlying structure of our current system and offering an alternative with which to replace it. It ensures that all Oregonians will have access to a “core benefit” of essential health services; It seeks to realign financial incentives to ensure fair and reasonable payment to providers, value-based cost sharing for consumers, and the transition to a more efficient delivery system; and It squarely confronts the underlying federal structure which must be reconsidered if we hope to control cost and create a system that is both fair and economically sustainable.
Currently SB 27 – the Oregon Better Health Act – is still sitting in the Senate Special Committee on Health Care Reform.
HB-2201 The Healthy Kids Program
Healthy Kids Program failed both in the 2007 Legislative Session (House Bill 2201), and again at last month’s election (Measure 50).
HB-3097 Safety Net Bill
Requires the Department of Human Services to award grants to local health care providers and communities to improve access to health care by low-income persons, moreover, promotes health delivery system reform. In recent years, numerous community health collaborative- organizations and health care safety net clinics have emerged around the state to address health care concerns at a local level, this bill will provide necessary resources for such organizations to do even more. The redesign of the health care delivery system and expanding access is important to ensure a more efficient, patient centered health care system with better health outcomes, especially for uninsured and the uninsured.
HB-3097
HB-3250 Grants for Community Collaboratives
HB 3250 would authorize the Director of Human Services, in consultation with Director of Department of Consumer and Business Services, to provide grants of up to $500,000 to nonprofit organizations to improve access to health care by low-income persons, creates Community Health Care Collaborative Fund and; continuously appropriates moneys from fund to Department of Human Services to provide grants.
HB-3250
2008 SPECIAL SESSION BILLS
HJR-100
House Joint Resolution 100 was discussed during Oregon Legislature’s February session. The bill proposes an amendment to the Oregon Constitution to declare that health care is a right. If passed the bill declares healthcare as a fundamental human right and the state legislative body would have to expand access to make healthcare available and accessible to all citizen of Oregon. The resolution passed in the House, but did not get a vote in the Senate.
HB-3515
Provides ballot title for House Joint Resolution 100 (2008).
‘Yes’ vote establishes access to health care as a fundamental right and requires legislature to adopt plan providing legal residents access to health care.
’No’ vote retains current law in which access to health care is not a fundamental right and does not require plan providing health care access.
Currently, while state statutes establish goal of providing universal access to health care, there is no requirement upon the Legislative Assembly to adopt a plan to implement the goal. This measure establishes a fundamental right to access to health care under the Oregon Constitution and establishes a constitutional requirement that the Legislative Assembly adopt a plan to provide access to effective and affordable health care on a regular basis to every legal resident in the state.
3/11/2008 governor signed
HB-3614
Creates grant program to increase access to and effectiveness of health care. The bill
Directs the Department of Human Services to consider streamlining and simplifying application process for state medical assistance program. Requires minimum 12-month period of enrolment and automatic reenrolment for persons less than 19 years of age who are eligible for specified program of medical assistance and who are legal residents of Oregon. Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Department of Human Services for grant program.
2/12/2008 Referred to Ways and Means by prior reference.
SB-1093
Creates a Health Insurance Exchange which shall serve as a central forum for individuals without health insurance and for businesses to purchase affordable health insurance.
3/11/2008 governor signed