February 9, 2012— The managed care plans that are currently providing services to Oregon Health Plan members appear to have lost their bid to create what’s known as “fast track,” legislation, giving them the ability to turn into coordinated care organizations (CCOs) by July, without having to meet all the criteria, guidelines and the certification process developed by the Oregon Health Policy Board.
January 19, 2012 – Sam Chase stepped into his role as executive director of the Coalition of Community Health Clinics 18 months ago after serving as Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish's chief of staff and working with a variety of groups and government agencies on social justice and poverty issues, including the Oregon Opportunity Network and the Clackamas County Land Trust.
January 18, 2012 -- Legacy Health System is preparing to reduce its work force by 400 employees because of a $40 million budget gap that includes $30 million in Medicaid payment reductions. Employees will be notified by February 15.
December 15, 2011—Getting legislative approval for a business plan that sets the course for transforming the Oregon Health Plan may not come down to simply a yes or no vote, according to Sen. Alan Bates (D-Ashland) and Rep. Tim Freeman (R-Roseburg), who appeared before the Oregon Health Policy Board on Tuesday.
December 5, 2011 -- More expensive technology is saving peoples’ lives at the end of life and leaving more people behind who need basic healthcare services. That has to change, according to Mike Shirtcliff, who’s focusing his energies on transforming Oregon’s healthcare system.
November 17, 2011 -- As healthcare costs spiral out of control, “Medicare makes Social Security look like chump change in terms of what it's going to take to get future liabilities funded,” said Jack Friedman, CEO of Providence Health Plans, the keynote speaker at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society conference earlier this week.