Housing & Poverty

PIXABAY

Ahmed Farag to be new Oregon dental director Premium

Farag, a hospital system executive in New York, will oversee oral health policies affecting more than 1 million low-income Oregonians

Jul 25

State Behavioral Health Director Ebony Clarke said she thinks the state needs to be audacious and bold when it comes to improving care for low-income Oregonians. | SCREENSHOT, OREGON HEALTH FORUM

Oregon behavioral health fissures add costs and block access, panel says

Oregon's notoriously fragmented system spawns administrative tasks and barriers at the expense of patients and providers, according to a panel of experts who spoke Wednesday

Jun 26
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CareOregon. | COURTESY OF CAREOREGON

Q&A: CEOs defend CareOregon merger plans, balk at specifics

Leaders of a California-based Medicare Advantage plan called SCAN Group and CareOregon, the Portland-based insurer that oversees government-funded care for 500,000 low-income Oregonians, said criticisms of their proposed merger don't recognize its benefits or the risks of inaction. The companies haven't disclosed long-term plans due to antitrust rules, they said — but growth is the goal.

Jan 9

Klamath Falls, Oregon. | BOBJGALINDO/CC BY-SA 4.0/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Lawsuit seeks $2 million over allegedly illegal hospital debt collection practices

The suit against Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath Falls comes despite recent protections in Oregon to ensure poor patients access charity care

Nov 28, 2023
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PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver, Washington, on Aug. 7, 2013. | RYTYHO USA/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

PeaceHealth to refund millions to low-income patients in Washington, but not Oregon

The health system settled a state investigation of its five Washington hospitals that found unlawful billing of thousands of patients it knew qualified for charity care

Nov 21, 2023
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MJGRAPHICS/SHUTTERSTOCK

Oregon Health Plan insurers propose spending $25 million to offset record profits

Challenge from Gov. Tina Kotek results in behavioral health spending, but insurers want a more public process

Sep 26, 2023
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Stabbin’ Wagon holds regular outreach events at Medford’s Hawthorne Park, which has seen issues with drug use and camping among unsheltered people. Melissa Jones, the group’s leader, was arrested at the park during sweeps of homeless encampments in 2020. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Facing backlash over $1.5 million state grant, Stabbin’ Wagon speaks out

New friction surfaces in Medford as Oregon tries to set up respite centers for people in mental health crisis

Sep 12, 2023

Wildfire smoke covers the Ochocos Mountains in Central Oregon on Aug. 18, 2020. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Timeline for Oregon Health Plan coverage of housing, food, climate benefits unveiled

Oregon will be the first state to use Medicaid dollars to ease the impacts of climate change on its residents

Sep 7, 2023
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SHUTTERSTOCK

Plan for crisis stabilization in Portland shifts amid uncertainty

Citing challenges to setting up a large crisis stabilization center, the county is looking for providers to run smaller sobering and stabilization programs

Jun 15, 2023