The new Oregon Health Authority: What it means to YOUBy Erin Fair |
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Earlier this year the Oregon Legislature passed historic health reform legislation that will make affordable coverage available to nearly every child in Oregon, will expand Oregon Health Plan coverage and will establish a new Oregon Health Authority to oversee our health care system. More kids and low-income adults with health insurance coverage mean that there are fewer uninsured Oregonians. That’s an easy improvement to see. But, what is the new Oregon Health Authority? More importantly, what does it have to do with you?
All under one roof Until this legislation, most parts of the health care system were overseen by the Department of Human Services (DHS), which also oversees non-health care-related programs like child welfare, foster care and food stamps. In addition, other health programs like the Oregon Medical Insurance Pool (OMIP), and the Family Health Insurance Assistance Program were housed in other agencies. The Legislature decided that it made a lot more sense to have all state health care functions under one roof—that of the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). DHS will continue to oversee non-health care programs and will collaborate with the Health Authority on administrative functions, like determining eligibility for public programs. But going forward, all “health” functions will be overseen by OHA and “human” services will be overseen by DHS. So, now, when you wonder, “Where should I go with questions about OMIP?” or “Which agency oversees the Oregon Prescription Drug Program?” the answer will be the new Oregon Health Authority. A coordinated policy Besides the fact that it is logical to have all health-related services overseen by one entity, the other advantage to this is that policymakers are better able to make more sensible, coordinated decisions about system reform when all the moving parts housed in one place. It is no secret that our health care system is extraordinarily complex. Consolidating health care programs under one roof increases the likelihood that the right hand will know what the left hand is doing. Looking forward, policymakers will have the opportunity to make systemic changes that involve all parts of our health care system in a more synchronized way. Who’s in charge of all this? The new Health Authority will not be fully operational and independent until July 1, 2011. In the meantime, Dr. Bruce Goldberg, the current director of DHS, was appointed to lead the formation of the Health Authority. He will serve as leader of both agencies during the transition. The Legislature also established a new Health Policy Board to oversee the functions of the Health Authority and to make recommendations to the Legislature about how to further improve our health care system. The Health Policy Board will function similarly to a board of directors for the new Health Authority and will drive the overall policy direction of the agency (but not its day-to-day operations). The members of the Health Policy Board were appointed by the Governor a few months ago and had their first meeting in November. (See announcement of the board’s confirmation.) So, what does this have to do with me? The legislation that created the Health Policy Board also charged it with making recommendations for how to coordinate the purchasing power of state dollars to lower costs, and to create a business plan for an Oregon Health Insurance Exchange. The Board also will be addressing incentives for payments to health care providers for prevention and comprehensive management of chronic diseases, quality outcomes, issues of access to health care in rural Oregon, health care workforce development and electronic health care records, among other things. By establishing the Oregon Health Authority and the Health Policy Board, the legislature created an infrastructure for driving policy changes and making decisions. As these entities ramp up the real work begins. Decisions at the state and federal levels are likely to dramatically change our health care system in the very near future. Not only will these decisions affect who is covered and who will pay for it, but also how care is delivered, how quality is maintained and measured, and how an adequate health care workforce is supported and maintained. It is critical that those who are closest to the delivery of care stay engaged in the process. How do I get involved? All of the Health Policy Board’s meetings are open to the public and will have time for public comment. You can find meeting minutes, agendas and other information on their web site: www.oregon.gov/OHA/OHPB. As the transition to the new Health Authority proceeds and the Health Policy Board deliberates options for reform recommendations, our state legislators will be following their progress closely. Write or call your state representatives with your comments or suggestions. If you don’t know who your state representatives are, you can find out at: www.leg.state.or.us. For more information about the Oregon Health Authority and the transition process, see: www.oregon.gov/OHA/. |
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