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The exterior of Spencer Hospital in Iowa

Spencer Hospital is one of the smallest hospitals in Iowa still offering inpatient mental health care. | TONY LEYS/KFF HEALTH NEWS

Medicaid payments barely keep hospital mental health units afloat. Federal cuts could sink them.

Hospital industry leaders say spending cuts could accelerate a decades-long wave of psychiatric unit closures, forcing people to drive long distances for care or resort to costly emergency services

May 12

SHUTTERSTOCK

WA hospitals push for veto of lower state insurance reimbursements

Opponents of the bill say reducing costs to hospitals for state and school employees could shortchange hospitals up to $100 million a year, and likely increase the cost of care for others

May 12

Oregon State Hospital in Salem. | OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY

Oregon’s mental health needs outweigh its ability to provide services, report shows

Limited data collection and inadequate funding are key barriers to Oregon’s behavioral health improvement efforts

May 9

SHUTTERSTOCK

Contentious bill backed by behavioral health providers gets another hearing

A revised version of the bill affecting medical and behavioral care for foster kids and others in the custody of the state has won another hearing after facing major criticisms earlier in the session

May 8

Kaiser Permanente in Oakland on Aug. 2, 2022. | PHOTO MARTIN DO NASCIMENTO, CALMATTERS

Kaiser in the hot seat as California lawmakers blast company for skipping mental health hearing

Union representatives, legislators, patients and others testified about Kaiser’s ongoing troubles with its behavioral health operations, but the company was a no-show

May 8

SHUTTERSTOCK

Meet the group chipping away at public benefits one state at a time

A conservative think tank has worked for more than a decade to reshape the nation’s public assistance programs, including cutting Medicaid and placing new restrictions on food stamps

May 8

Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) speaks at Mehmet Oz's confirmation hearing before the Senate Finance Committee on March 14. | ERIC HARKLEROAD/KFF HEALTH NEWS

Oregon Sen. Ron Wyden seeks answers on RFK Jr.’s purge of FOIA staff

Wyden wants Kennedy to outline what plans, if any, HHS has to keep meeting its FOIA obligations, and how much Elon Musk was involved in the decisions

May 8

FLICKR/YODCOX!

Congressional budget agency projects sweeping Medicaid cutbacks in states under GOP plans

The nonpartisan agency found that under some scenarios, millions of Americans could be kicked off Medicaid and possibly left without health insurance

May 8

Former OHSU oncologist Vinay Prasad tapped by RFK Jr. to head FDA vaccine division

Vinay Prasad rose to prominence criticizing Big Pharma from Portland — then turned his focus to the public health establishment

May 8
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Felisa Hagins, executive director of the Oregon State Council of the Service Employees International Union was among several panelists to challenge the status quo qhen it comes to health care cost. Also pictured (left to right) are Charlotte Flood, CEO, Northwest Primary Care; Jack Friedman, former CEO, Providence Health; Dr. Tracy Muday, executive medical director, Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon; and Sarah Bartelmann, cost programs manager, Oregon Health Authority. Not pictured is Sean Kolmer, Hospital Association of Oregon executive vice president. | NICK BUDNICK/THE LUND REPORT

Oregon health care cost hikes prompt calls for collaboration, change

An expert panel on Tuesday agreed recent cost-growth hikes are unsustainable, calling for more collaboration, creativity and action

May 7
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