(Salem, Ore.)— With 53 state representatives voting in favor of the bill, SB 440 passed the Oregon House on Wednesday and now heads to the governor’s desk for signature. The bill, sponsored by Senator Elizabeth Steiner Hayward, will establish a committee convened by the Oregon Health Authority to agree on a core, shared set of quality goals and corresponding metrics for carriers, hospitals, clinics, providers (such as the Public Employees Benefit Board, Oregon Educators Benefit Board, Coordinated Care Organizations and Cover Oregon) and overall population health.
“It is currently nearly as difficult for state legislators to get clear answers about the quality of Oregon’s healthcare system as it is for patients to get information about their own providers,” said Senator Steiner Hayward. “As a legislator who oversees public dollars, and as a doctor who cares for patients, I know that this bill will pave the way for progress on both sides of the health reform spectrum. When we can manage and measure quality in our healthcare system, we all benefit.”
Currently, five independent agencies separately administer five different sets of quality standards for healthcare in Oregon. SB 440 will align quality metrics and increase transparency by establishing systems to collect and use health care data, as well as creating a core, shared set of quality goals and corresponding metrics for carriers, hospitals, clinics, and providers.
“Oregonians deserve to be able to make informed decisions about their care based on clear information about the quality of care provided at hospitals in their community,” said Felisa Hagins, Political Director of SEIU 49. “This bill is an important step forward in increasing transparency and accountability in healthcare in Oregon.”
The bill passed the Senate in April with 28 votes in favor.
About Act Now for a Healthy Oregon:
Act Now for a Healthy Oregon is a campaign of the Service Employees International Union, the largest healthcare union in the country. SEIU has long been working to improve access to quality, affordable healthcare for our members and working families across our county. Act Now for a Healthy Oregon has been one of the biggest defenders of Medicaid and Medicare funding and have had strong partnerships with groups like the AARP to improve access, quality and costs for Oregonians.
Learn more at: www.acthealthyoregon.org.
