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Pharmaceuticals Outpace Hospital Costs at CCOs

Learn what can be done to combat those price increases by attending our Nov. 2 breakfast forum.
October 14, 2016

The state’s 16 coordinated care organizations are experiencing an escalation in pharmaceutical prices, which are outpacing hospital charges at some CCOs, according to Dr. Jim Rickards, chief medical officer of the Oregon Health Authority.

At a recent CCO Oregon conference, he said those costs were placing financial pressure on CCOs, particularly high-cost drugs. Generics, he said, are rising 7-9 percent; brand name drugs 19-21 percent and specialty medications between 26-28 percent.

What’s being done to stem those price increases? That’s what you’ll learn by attending the Nov. 2 breakfast forum sponsored by Oregon Health Forum. We’re bringing this issue to the forefront, with a panel that includes representation from the insurance sector, the pharmaceutical industry, the legislature, along with a pharmacist and consumer advocate. This is an event you definitely won’t want to miss! Registration is open.

CareOregon has generously agreed to be a co-sponsor of this event. If your organization is interested as well, please contact Rian Sands, our administrative assistant, for details.

This event, which will be held at the Multnomah Athletic Club, gets underway with breakfast at 7 a.m. followed by a panel discussion from 7:30-9 a.m. We’ve assembled an expert panel that includes:

  • Annaliese Dolph, patient advocate, National Multiple Sclerosis Society
  • Ryan Dunlap, CFO Molecular MD and board chair of the Oregon Bioscience Association
  • Robert Judge, director of pharmaceutical services for Moda Health
  • Deborah Michaelson, a pharmacist who’s vice president of operations at Ardon Health and previously worked for Providence Health & Services, and
  • Rep. Rob Nosse (D-Portland), who has convened a work group to tackle prescription drug prices, has agreed to participate. Nosse plans to draft legislation on controlling pharmaceutical costs for the 2017 legislative session.

Jesse Ellis O'Brien, policy director for OSPIRG, will be our moderator.

Oregon Health Forum is the educational arm of The Lund Report and collaborates with other nonprofit organizations to sponsor its monthly breakfast forums.

Diane can be reached at [email protected].

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