State officials are checking in on two health care acquisitions that have occurred since August of 2022, the absorption of Mid-Columbia Medical Center into California-based Adventist Health as well as a private equity firm's acquisition of Kindred Hospice.
Now the state wants to hear how the renamed entities are doing: Adventist Health Columbia Gorge and Kindred Hospice Care.
“OHA wants to understand how ownership changes may have affected health care services at AHCG and Gentiva hospice agencies,” according to a state announcement. “We’d like to hear from patients, health care providers, employees, and community members who have interacted with AHCG or Gentiva in the past year.”
The request is part of a program approved in the 2021 by the Oregon Legislature. The Health Care Market Oversight office is supposed to shield consumers and patients from mergers’ potential harmful effects and protect services such as abortion access.
To win state approval, health care entities that want to carry out mergers or other major deals in Oregon must submit filings showing that their transactions won’t cut crucial services, excessively drive up costs or otherwise run counter to the public interest. Often they argue that the deals won't affect services, and make commitments to that effect.
State officials say they want to hear from providers, employees and members of the public about issues that include care quality, access, contracting and billing practices, workplace concerns and financial assistance/charity care.
Comments can be sent to [email protected], by leaving a voicemail at 503-945-6161, or by filling out a public comment form. People are asked to mention Adventist Health Columbia Gorge or Gentiva in their comments, which will be published on HCMO’s website.
