State Health Policy

The Oregon Capitol in Salem, Ore. on March 21, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Bill targets health care cost-control measure critics call discriminatory

Legislation passed both houses to ban ‘quality of life’ considerations in state health coverage for low-income people. Critics say doing so undermines efforts to limit drug prices.

Feb 29
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State Rep. Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, and former Gov. John Kitzhaber testified in favor a bill limiting private equity and other business interests involvement in health care during a February 26, 2024 hearing of the Oregon Senate Health Committee. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Doctors weigh in on bill to curb private equity in health care

Some doctors support bill, while others oppose; former governor says opponents speak for big business

Feb 27
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Pictured: the North Albany building of The Corvallis Clinic, P.C. | COURTESY OF THE CORVALLIS CLINIC, P.C.

Hundreds decry UnitedHealth’s proposed purchase of Corvallis Clinic chain

The 11-clinic chain’s ownership says financial struggles threaten quality of care, but critics want other options considered, saying the proposal would hurt patients

Feb 26
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St. Charles Health System in Bend. | COURTESY OF ST. CHARLES HEALTH

New lawsuit accuses St. Charles Health of charity care violations

The new suit filed by a Bend resident hopes to win class-action status against the Central Oregon health system, which denies wrongdoing.

Feb 23
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SHUTTERSTOCK

With glitches fixed, Oregon Health Plan eligibility checks to resume

After problems led to thousands of Oregonians incorrectly disenrolled, the state has made fixes, restored coverage and will soon resume eligibility checks that were on hold during the pandemic

Feb 22
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State Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, shown at the Oregon State of Reform Health Policy Conference on Nov. 14, 2023 in Portland. Diehl is sponsoring a bill to overhaul the state’s health care professional licensing process. (Left) State. Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland, and (right) Rep. Thuy Tran, D-Portland. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Task force would tackle Oregon health care licensing delays

Legislation intended to provide a short-term fix for staffing shortages has turned into an effort to dig into oft-cited problems in Oregon’s certification agencies

Feb 22
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A pile of flowers and a note eulogizing Bobby Smallwood, a security officer for Legacy Health, sit outside the Good Samaritan Medical Center, where he was killed during a confrontation on July 30, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

New push to make hospital worker assault a felony sparks familiar concerns

Lawmakers are again debating whether stiffer penalties for assaulting hospital workers would criminalize people for mental illness

Feb 20
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CareOregon. | COURTESY OF CAREOREGON

Proposed CareOregon merger was unlawful, state lawyers concluded

CareOregon leaders stood to win big, but a review said the public interest would suffer if the nonprofit merged with California-based SCAN Group. Proponents don't agree.

Feb 20

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Opinion: Oregon should battle the hostile takeover of its health care system

Legislation would curb the trend in which private equity investors, insurance conglomerates and retail chains are swallowing clinics and transferring power away from patients and their doctors, writes former Gov. John Kitzhaber

Feb 20

The Capitol Building in Salem. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Lawmakers want to scrap state approval needed for many new health care facilities

New psychiatric, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities must prove their services are needed, but critics and supporters disagree on the certification system’s effects

Feb 15
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