On Thursday May 27, Governor Kate Brown signed House Bill 2468 into law and in so doing once again placed Oregon first in the nation. HB-2468 inserts the non-discrimination provisions (Section 2706) of the federal “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) into Oregon state law, we are the only state in the nation that has accomplished this. This ensures Oregonians will always be able to see the health care provider of their choice, health insurance companies and health plans cannot discriminate against providers such as chiropractors, naturopaths, licensed acupuncturists, licensed massage therapists, doctors of oriental medicine, etc. By signing HB-2468 that applies to the commercial health care market, Governor Brown continues the legacy of former Governor John Kitzhaber, MD., who championed non-discrimination within Oregon’s health care system. In 2012, Governor Kitzhaber inserted the same language into his Senate Bill 1580 applying the same federal non-discrimination language to Oregon’s Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs), Oregon’s version of the federal Accountable Care Organization (ACOs), Oregon is the only state that has accomplished this as well. Currently CCOs deliver health care to the Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan) and some Medicare patients but, soon will also provide health services to all public employees (PEBB) and all school officials (OEBB). The significance of HB-2468 is that even if Congress were to repeal Obamacare and/or the non-discrimination provisions something the American Medical Association attempted prior, it matters not, Oregonians will be protected from discrimination against certain health care providers under state law.
June 1, 2015
