The Lund Report

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St. Charles Health System in Bend. | COURTESY OF ST. CHARLES HEALTH

New lawsuit accuses St. Charles Health of charity care violations

The new suit filed by a Bend resident hopes to win class-action status against the Central Oregon health system, which denies wrongdoing.

Feb 23, 2024
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SHUTTERSTOCK

With glitches fixed, Oregon Health Plan eligibility checks to resume

After problems led to thousands of Oregonians incorrectly disenrolled, the state has made fixes, restored coverage and will soon resume eligibility checks that were on hold during the pandemic

Feb 22, 2024
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State Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Scio, shown at the Oregon State of Reform Health Policy Conference on Nov. 14, 2023 in Portland. Diehl is sponsoring a bill to overhaul the state’s health care professional licensing process. (Left) State. Rep. Rob Nosse, D-Portland, and (right) Rep. Thuy Tran, D-Portland. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Task force would tackle Oregon health care licensing delays

Legislation intended to provide a short-term fix for staffing shortages has turned into an effort to dig into oft-cited problems in Oregon’s certification agencies

Feb 22, 2024
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A pile of flowers and a note eulogizing Bobby Smallwood, a security officer for Legacy Health, sit outside the Good Samaritan Medical Center, where he was killed during a confrontation on July 30, 2023. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

New push to make hospital worker assault a felony sparks familiar concerns

Lawmakers are again debating whether stiffer penalties for assaulting hospital workers would criminalize people for mental illness

Feb 20, 2024
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CareOregon. | COURTESY OF CAREOREGON

Proposed CareOregon merger was unlawful, state lawyers concluded

CareOregon leaders stood to win big, but a review said the public interest would suffer if the nonprofit merged with California-based SCAN Group. Proponents don't agree.

Feb 20, 2024

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Lucas Coghill, 9, plays the PAX Good Behavior Game during class at Fern Hill Elementary School in Forest Grove, Ore., Nov. 9, 2023. The game focuses on helping students identify and encourage positive “PAX” behaviors and avoid “spleems” as part of daily classroom management. | KRISTYNA WENTZ-GRAFF/OPB/THE LUND REPORT

Prevention in schools gets help from Oregon Health Plan

Health care funds have gone to help schools adopt programs that reduce addiction and disease later in life

Feb 15, 2024

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The Capitol Building in Salem. | JAKE THOMAS/THE LUND REPORT

Lawmakers want to scrap state approval needed for many new health care facilities

New psychiatric, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities must prove their services are needed, but critics and supporters disagree on the certification system’s effects

Feb 15, 2024
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Many counterfeit pills containing fentanyl are indistinguishable from oxycodone. | U.S. DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION

Oregon Education Department seeks funding for fentanyl, opioid prevention

The agency says the money would allow it to better oversee a new law approved in 2023, but prevention experts say the department should rethink its approach

Feb 15, 2024
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CareOregon. | COURTESY OF CAREOREGON

CareOregon merger proposal scrapped amid opposition, concerns

Proposed merger sparked criticism from former Gov. John Kitzhaber, concerns from state merger oversight office

Feb 13, 2024
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PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield. | CHRISTIAN WIHTOL/THE LUND REPORT

Eugene lawmaker hopes to cut ambulance delays in wake of hospital closure

Patients are waiting longer to get care in the wake of University District hospital’s closure in Eugene, and Rep. Nancy Nathanson wants to fund an ambulance to change that

Feb 13, 2024
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