State Health Policy

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Speaker Johnson greets President Trump in the East Room of the White House, Feb. 5 2025. | SHUTTERSTOCK

Congressional megabill will slash Oregonians’ health coverage

The bill is expected to kick more than 200,000 Oregonians off of health insurance over time while hurting jobs and providers’ income. Many others will see their costs go up.

Jul 3
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Lawmakers clear bills targeting Oregon’s struggling mental health system

New laws will loosen civil commitment rules and devote tens of millions of dollars to new residential facilities and workers to staff them

Jun 30
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Oregon State Capitol | SHUTTERSTOCK

Oregon lawmakers pushed through some health care bills, not others as session ended

Nurses won improvements in several areas, and could receive unemployment while on strike, while a bill intended to curb community pharmacy closures fizzled

Jun 30
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SHUTTERSTOCK

Hospitals, providers effort to win lawsuit protections passes just under the wire

Critics said it will hurt victims, but a bill to exempt hospitals and others from product liability litigation crossed the finish line on Friday, the last day of the legislative session. The bill appeared dead on Thursday.

Jun 26
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Revolt by Oregon counties delays state behavioral health changes

State health officials want counties to focus mental health spending on criminal defendants, but counties say vulnerable people would lose access and suffer as a result

Jun 24
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New report ranks Oregon’s health care system better than most

But changes coming out of Washington, D.C., could hurt access and affordability — and block researchers’ ability to measure those effects, expert says

Jun 24
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Oregon State Hospital in Salem. | OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY

Oregon health officials will appeal federal contempt-of-court finding

Critics say Oregon has had plenty of time to invest in fixes to ensure prompt care of mentally ill people housed in jail, but the state officials say a new ruling levying hefty fines was unfair and unfounded

Jun 19
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Oregon state senators prepare for a floor session on March 21. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Lawmakers set to approve bigger Oregon Health Authority budget

Revised plan includes nearly 300 hires despite Republican criticism and expected federal funding cuts

Jun 17
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Trump administration seeks Medicaid data from Oregon amid immigration crackdown

In a move questioned for its ethics and legality, the administration is giving the state until July 30 to hand over personal data of a kind it has started sharing with immigration enforcers at the Department of Homeland Security

Jun 13