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The rule cuts the sign-up period in half and increases premiums. Deductibles and out-of-pocket costs for consumers

At the same time, Congressman Greg Walden is dealing with a caucus that’s eager to enact such legislation.

Tickets are going fast for the Feb. 22 breakfast sponsored by Oregon Health Forum.

Insurers, physicians, and consumer advocates all agree: surprise bills are a big problem. Consumers are making numerous complaints about attempting to utilize their health plans’ networks, only to find some providers and services at Oregon hospitals are not actually in their network.

The Oregon Ambulatory Surgery Center Association is likely to win approval of legislation that will allow patients to extend their stay while recovering from surgery. The association overcame opposition from hospital systems such as Providence Health & Services, which has invested in ambulatory surgery centers as a way to lower costs, improve care and reduce the need for larger facilities.

Senate Bill 235 backs away from a compromise that public health officials and business owners agreed upon in 2016, and the two sides may have to come together again to win a statewide licensing program that could pass the Senate, protecting minors from tobacco while easing business concerns about a patchwork of city, state and county regulations.

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services would step in if a drug exceeded $10,000 or had cost increases greater than 3.4 percent. State regulators would index a price according to what other countries have negotiated for the drugs. Consumers would also see a cap on costs that they pay out-of-pocket.