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 November Charity care probe continues with OHSU Now that Providence Health System is off the hook, having settled its class action lawsuit against the uninsured, consumer advocates have their eyes on Oregon Health & Science University. “It’s unequivocally the worst hospital we’ve had problems with,” contends Ellen Pinney, executive director of the Oregon Health Action Campaign. “It’s outrageous that an institution that’s been so publicly supported for so many years is slamming its doors against people for whom they have a mission to serve. It flies in the face of everything OHSU presents itself to be.” John Phillips, who defended the uninsured in the Providence lawsuit, is closely watching what happens. “We’re always going to look for a situation where unfairness needs to be remedied,” said Phillips from his Seattle law office. “People have been talking to me about OHSU.” Settlement criticized The recent settlement between Providence Health System and a class of uninsured patients who alleged unfair price gouging has caught the attention of a Washington D.C. attorney who derided the agreement. “We’ll legally oppose this settlement (because it’s) not even permanent, just a 24-month slap on the wrist,” according to a press release from K.B. Forbes, executive director of Consejo de Latinos Unidos. “The real winners are Providence Health System and the trial lawyers who’ll cash in a $350,000 windfall.” MUPL, office space shroud DHS budget Talk about a rough first week. Organizing his new office was probably the least of Dr. Bruce Goldberg’s worries when he took over as director of the Department of Human Services. He inherits an agency that recently had to explain to state lawmakers why it can’t pay back $55 million of a $77 million loan it borrowed from the state general fund and why it spent more than $3 million in taxpayer money on unused office space. “There are problems that need to be reviewed and solved,” said Rep. Dennis Richardson (R—Central Point), who chaired the Oct. 27 Legislative Emergency Board Subcommittee when the budget was discussed. One stop pharmacy When Rite-Aid rolled out medical clinics in 10 of its Portland pharmacies in October, physicians took a skeptical step back. These clinics, staffed by nurse practitioners, offer affordable and accessible health care for common illnesses such as strep throat, ear infections, mononucleosis and sprains. And, without an appointment. But typically such clinics treat people who can pay the bill, not those on Medicaid and the uninsured. That worries doctors. “This is an access issue, and the public sees this as a great thing. If we don’t come up with any alternative for the uninsured, this is going to go,” said Dr. Paula Ciesielski, a Eugene internist. On the record with Tom Chamberlain Before Tom Chamberlain was elected president of the AFL-CIO, he’d been fully engaged in a campaign to unseat Multnomah County Commission Chair Diane Linn and had hired Mark Wiener as a consultant and Lisa Grove as his pollster. Now, as the leader of 95,000 unionized workers, he realizes health costs are often the lynch pin in labor negotiations. Chamberlain shared his views on politics, health care and the labor movement with Diane Lund-Muzikant, editor of Oregon Health News. OHN: It’s no secret our governor faces a difficult re-election campaign. As his labor advisor before joining the AFL-CIO, it seems likely your union would endorse him. TC: I have a great relationship with the governor. But my job is to represent the working folks in this state. It’d be a disservice if I tried to advocate for the governor. That’s up to the affiliates. It’s their decision. But, in the last 20 months, our governor has led one of the most progressive, pro-labor agendas in this country — the right to organize, stand up for farm workers and not sign free trade agreements. Quality Corp. drafts framework for RHIO If a contest existed for having the most commissions and organizations, health care would undoubtedly beat out all other fields. If you’re keeping score at home, chalk up another win in the health care column. However fun it is to joke, this one might actually be needed. Leaders of the non-profit Oregon Health Care Quality Corporation have circulated a draft document calling for the formation of a Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO). Similar efforts to make electronic medical records uniform are occurring elsewhere around the country, said Nancy Clarke, executive director. “We’re trying to galvanize the parties toward doing this.” Contractors’ up in arms over hospitals The decision to permanently raise hospital reimbursement rates for Medicaid patients along with the potential of a double-digit reduction in capitation rates has left the Oregon Health Plan contractors feeling dismayed. As one of his last acts, Bryan Johnston, interim director of DHS, decided to keep the 100 percent rate paid to hospitals for fee-for-service patients, while, at the same time, increase their provider tax from 0.68 to 0.82 percent. This will bring in another $19.6 million in state and federal funds. The 0.68 percent tax had raised $68 million annually, according to Medicaid officials. Surgeon proposes regional solution Regional care has worked in other parts of Oregon’s health care industry. Now, Dr. Bill Long wants to make it happen in emergency surgery. To recruit more surgeons and solve what he views as a “public health policy problem,” Long is proposing the Portland metro area create a regional center. “On any given night, there are patients moving from one hospital to another because surgeons don’t want to deal with them,” he said. High-tech assistance OHSU is entering a new line of business — at virtually no cost — by teaming up with an assisted living center. The partnership opens the doors for more research into the aging process and ultimately brings more patients to OHSU. The university is negotiating with Pacific Retirement Services to build a state-of-the-art assisted living center on its South Waterfront Campus. The company owns 10 facilities in California, Oregon, Washington and Texas. A letter of intent inking an agreement is on the drawing boards, said Mark Williams, OHSU’s South Waterfront Campus Project Director. It should be completed within two years. Once a deal is reached, Pacific will develop, finance and manage the facility. No longer making pregnant women wait As if the midnight ice cream cravings weren’t bad enough. Most Oregon insurers not only consider pregnancy a pre-existing condition, but require a 12-month waiting period for those with coverage. Oregon’s Insurance Division hopes to lighten at least part of the load by eliminating the exclusion period, claiming it violates a 1999 statute (ORS 743.694). A rule change was filed Nov. 15, said Shelley Bain, senior policy advisor. “We simply want to make a rule that clarifies what the statute says.” Kaiser oncology Legacy Health System’s radiation oncology contract with Kaiser Permanente is nearing the finish line. Starting Jan. 3, patients will receive treatment near Kaiser’s Central Interstate facility. The three-member oncology team that worked at Legacy will join Kaiser’s staff. Neither Legacy nor Kaiser officials will say how much money will trade hands. But it’s pretty clear the move makes financial sense. Also in this issue...
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