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 March Legislator seeks overhaul of Oregon Health Plan A Republican legislator is calling for a radical transformation of the Oregon Health Plan that bears a strong resemblance to Governor John Kitzhaber's vision -- the creation of a basic benefit package giving coverage to more uninsured Oregonians. But Rep. Jeff Kruse, R-Roseburg, has gone one step further and produced a concrete plan, House Bill 3553. "If we don't do something, the system will self-destruct," said Kruse, who refuses to say who helped him write the 47-page bill. "When you ask people to help and offer them anonymity, you stick with it." Battle ensues over pharmacy technicians Pharmacists and the hospital association have been thrust into a tug of war over proposed legislation that gives the Board of Pharmacy authority to discipline pharmacy technicians (Senate Bill 540). Unless a compromise can be reached, Sen. Bill Fisher, R-Roseburg, who controls the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, refuses to call for a vote. Currently, the state's 4,500 pharmacy technicians pay an annual $25 registration fee. However, the board cannot share background information with prospective employers even if it learns a technician has been fired for drug diversion. "We're saying, give them that statutory authority; we're willing to address the real issue of making certain a hospital or a pharmacy isn't hiring someone with a criminal record, but the Board of Pharmacy has made it clear that it's after licensure and they're going to push the envelope as far as they can," said Ken Rutledge, president of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. Optometrists open their eyes Optometrists have their eyes focused on a locked medicine cabinet. Inside are antibiotics, anti-pain drugs and medications to treat glaucoma and allergies. But the Oregon Academy of Ophthalmology and the Oregon Medical Association hold the key. Since 1991, optometrists have been prescribing topical medications -- eye drops and ointments. Now the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association has come up with a compromise to its therapeutic formulary. A task force comprised of the Board of Optometry, the Board of Pharmacy, the Board of Medical Examiners and the chairs of the schools of ophthalmology and optometry would select the drugs. HIPAA extension sought Health insurers, physicians and hospital leaders are seeking a two-year extension of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. That federal law is intended to improve efficiency in health care transactions and ensure privacy for patients. "We're not trying to avoid the issue," insisted Ken Rutledge, president of the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems. "But we need sufficient time to properly implement these complex regulations or we run the risk of not achieving the goal." Software saves money Dr. Michael Rohwer is convinced he can shave 50-60 percent from administrative costs with a software program he developed as medical director of Mid-Valley IPA. Since then, Rohwer has formed his own company, Performance Health Technology, but still has a contract with the IPA as well as LaneCare, which provides mental health services to Oregon Health Plan members. Rohwer's software changes the way insurers and medical groups handle utilization review and case management. "We think insurers shouldn't run away from medical management, but be smarter about it. The current system doesn't let you focus on people you have trouble with and let others go by." Lincoln County patients surveyed An independent study of health access problems in Lincoln City and Newport is near completion by Project Equality, which is affiliated with the Oregon Health Action Campaign. The survey of 300 people was sponsored by The Access Project and written by researchers at Brandeis University. Uninsured people who sought medical care at area hospitals were interviewed at food banks, soup kitchens, Headstart programs and at a Hispanic drop-in center, Centro de Ayuda, said Elizabeth Byers, project director. The surveys were conducted last year between May and July. None of the participants qualified for the Oregon Health Plan. A similar study is underway in 23 other sites across the country. Oregon Health Plan faces cuts Dental, vision and hearing benefits could be slashed by the Health Services Commission, which is attempting to trim the priority list for Oregon Health Plan members by 19 percent and expand coverage to more low-income Oregonians. Other cost-cutting measures include a restriction on expensive diagnostic tests such as MRIs and a limitation on emergency room visits. "When we did our original work on the basic benefits, I did not sense support for the separation of vision, dental and hearing," said Acting Commission Chair Ellen Lowe. The revamped health plan is likely to include a sliding scale based on disposable income with clients making co-payments and paying higher premiums. But, "if you try to get there (the 19 percent cut) with just cost-sharing, it's not going to be a pretty picture," said Dr. John Santa, administrator of the Office of the Oregon Health Plan Policy and Research. Safety net seeks $26 million At a sparsely attended legislative briefing March 7, a handful of fresh faced legislative aides listened as members of the Committee on Safety Net Support elaborated the importance of funding the safety net, which provides care to uninsured Oregonians. With their hands out and their hopes high, the committee focused on the increasing need for safety net clinics. Currently, 89,740 people are served by safety net clinics. But their shoestring budget has been on a steady decline and several clinics risk closing. The clinics were dealt a harsh blow when the governor shut them out of his budget. Last biennium, the legislature allocated $1 million to the safety net. Now safety net officials are vying for $26 million of the national tobacco settlement to help stabilize 125 clinics. That breaks down to just $100 a year per uninsured person, said Marge Josza, director of Neighborhood Health Clinics. Also in this issue...
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