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In just two weeks, the Public Employees Benefit Board is expected to choose the health insurance plans for more than 130,000 state employees and their dependents – contracts that are worth tens of millions of dollars. And, there’s no shortage of bidders. In all, 11 bidders are eager to get the contract, including five health insurers, four coordinated care organizations, a hospital system and a for-profit clinic chain. They all aim to use quality metrics and cost containment measures to provide more effective healthcare. The new contracts start Jan, 1, 2015.

He would increase spending by just $40 million year for the combined budgets of the Oregon Health Authority and the Department of Human Services, apparently relying on the federal government increasing its investment in Medicaid by $400 million a year, which would backfill the costs of the program.