Jan Johnson

Health Share Partners Show How They Fight Childhood Adversity, Poverty, and Build Resilience

The rollout of the GOP’s plan to reduce Medicaid and Oregon’s own budget shortfall prompted barely a mention as scores of partners in Oregon’s biggest coordinated care organization burrowed into the weeds, seeking to combat challenges Health Share of Oregon’s members face from poverty, inequity and trauma.

Mar 8, 2017

Panel Says PhRMA, Hospital Prices Worse Than Budget Woes

Oregon currently depends more on federal funding for healthcare than all but four other states. “Our world might be upended,” Greg Van Pelt, president of the Oregon Health Leadership Council, suggested at an Oregon Health Forum breakfast earlier this week on the future of coordinated care organizations.

Feb 24, 2017

Pill Disposal, Closing Pill Mills Eyed in Fight Against Opioid Epidemic

Bend lawmaker/doctor Rep. Knute Buehler tells an OHSU-PSU School of Public Health forum that opioid abuse is the “biggest man-made epidemic in history.” He plans to float anti-opioid measures that have no fiscal impact during this legislative session.

Feb 17, 2017

OHSU Chills Spending Ahead of State Cuts and Uncertainty about the ACA

Oregon Health & Science University is holding off on discretionary spending and hiring as “prudent cost containment” in anticipation of state Medicaid cuts and “uncertain times ahead” during the Trump administration, President Joe Robertson told the OHSU board of directors yesterday.

Jan 27, 2017

Governor’s Budget Earmarks Zero Dollars for Public Health Modernization

Disappointed members of Oregon’s Public Health Advisory Board drafted a statement to the Oregon Health Policy Board with copies to legislative leaders requesting the state fund public health modernization in the coming biennium – possibly from new tobacco and alcohol taxes.

Dec 21, 2016

FamilyCare Toying with a Public Board Meeting in Collaboration with its CAC

FamilyCare, Inc. may hold joint public meetings in February of its Community Advisory Council and board of directors. But the question remains about whether it will be a one off or a more lasting attempt to address calls for greater transparency?

Dec 21, 2016

Medicaid Expansion Too Big, Too Successful and Too Politically Disruptive to Gut

Oregon’s innovative Medicaid expansion under the CCOs faces big tests with Congress and President-elect Donald Trump promising to repeal the Affordable Care Act while Oregon faces a $1.7 billion budget deficit.

Dec 14, 2016

Spike in Hate Crimes, Proliferation of Racism in Schools Comes into Full View

Registration for Oregon’s Women’s Health Network’s workshop on how whites can be better allies to vulnerable communities in the post-election world exceed space at its venue. Network planners now look to host additional workshops.

Dec 6, 2016

Measure 97 Failure, Trump Presidency Hurt Prospects for Funding Oregon’s Public Health Modernization

The Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) is preparing its road map for public health modernization for the 2017 legislature amid funding fears after Oregon voters rejected a corporate sales tax measure that had been expected to yield about $6 billion per biennium in additional revenue and worries about federal funding for public health nationwide under a Trump administration.

Nov 22, 2016