seiu

Republicans Stage Fight Over Expanded Home Care Commission

After a personal appeal from Sen. Bates to Sen Winters, SB 1542 skirted through the Senate Wednesday, giving senior citizens a public option to meet their long-term care needs. If the House agrees, the Home Care Commission would expand beyond its Medicaid clientele to serve people paying for in-home caregivers with their own money.

Editor's Note: Deschutes County has several private home care agencies. An earlier version of this article mistakenly said there were no home care agencies in part of Sen. Tim Knopp's district, but his district is entirely in Deschutes County. We regret the error.

By: 
Christopher David Gray

The Real Reason SEIU Pulled its Ballot Measures Targeting Hospitals

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Of the ballot measures filed by the union, one would have limited compensation of nonprofit hospital executives, while a second would have required hospitals to set uniform and reasonable rates for their services.

Speculation is mounting over what triggered SEIU, one of the state’s most powerful labor unions, to pull its ballot measures forcing hospitals to end overpricing and bring healthcare costs under control.

By: 
Diane Lund-Muzikant

SEIU Ballot Measures Bypass Legislature Sluggish on Hospital Reform

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Political organizers for the Service Employees International Union are taking five sweeping measures directly to the voters after years of the Legislature thwarting their efforts in favor of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. Meanwhile, the Office of the Inspector General is wading into hospital executive compensation.

The Legislature may have convened for its 2014 session, but some of the biggest healthcare policy decisions of the year will not be made by the people’s representatives, but directly by the people, as the Service Employees International Union is vying for five ballot measures in the Nov.

By: 
Christopher David Gray

Dembrow Wants to Stop Employers from Cutting Hours Due to Obamacare

Senate Bill 1543 died in committee, but it would have prevented employers from reducing employee hours below 30 to avoid giving them health coverage, as required by the Affordable Care Act. Meanwhile, a bill expanding Oregon’s successful Home Care Commission from Medicaid to the general population and the bill requiring disclosure of toxic chemicals in children’s products passed the Senate Health Committee.

Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-Portland, pushed a bill that would fix a serious negative and unintended consequence of the Affordable Care Act -- large corporations scaling back employee hours to avoid providing them with health insurance.

By: 
Christopher David Gray

Data on Healthcare Violence Remains Out of Reach

Statistics say healthcare workers are twice as likely to be victims of workplace violence, but employers are exempt from OSHA reporting requirements, and can keep info on training and safety plans under wraps

June 7, 2012 -- Two weeks ago, community health worker Jennifer Warren was stabbed to death in the St. Helens home of Brent K. Redd Jr., who was receiving services from Columbia County Community Mental Health (CCMH), Warren's employer.

Redd had been released from Oregon State Hospital under supervision by the Psychiatric Security Review Board.

By: 
Christen McCurdy

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