SALEM – Gov. Ted Kulongoski said Friday he has received, and begun to implement the recommendations of a 15-member policy team he created a year ago to study ways to strengthen the state’s health care safety net system.
The governor announced that the Department of Human Services and the Office of Oregon Health Plan Policy and Research will begin work immediately on implementing many of the task force recommendations to improve Oregonians’ access to health care.
“The report provides a course of action for state and local policymakers, health care providers, advocates, and others as we work to provide access to needed health services to vulnerable Oregonians,” Kulongoski said. “The policy team recommended steps we can take immediately to support and strengthen the health care safety net and those they serve.”
In November 2003, Oregon was selected as one of only four states to participate in the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices’ demonstration project, Enhancing the Safety Net Through Data-Driven Policy. The goal of the project was to help states gain a better understanding of the vital and growing role of the health care safety net and to develop policies to strengthen their health care safety net infrastructures.
The year-long project provided Oregon stakeholders the opportunity to better understand the health care safety net by applying several new data tools containing previously unavailable information about the strengths, structure, and stability of state and local safety net systems.
Based on this new information, representatives from the Governor’s Office, Legislative Assembly, safety net providers, and others evaluated Oregon’s current health care safety net system and created data-driven policy recommendations that will support and strengthen services, providers, and patients.
The governor said state agencies are ready to start working on the recommendations that don’t require legislative authority.
The governor has instructed the OHPPR, in conjunction with DHS, to immediately convene and staff a Health Care Safety Net Advisory Council to continue the work of the policy team, with a priority agenda focused on developing recommendations designed to stabilize resources devoted to safety net services.
OHPPR will also begin work immediately with public and private stakeholders, including representatives of the Health Care Safety Net Advisory Council once it is formed, to design and implement a process for better data collection and analysis relating to the health care safety net.
In addition, DHS will begin working right away to develop a work plan regarding support for community innovations that improve access to health care.
Oregon’s health care safety net policy team included Erinn Kelley-Siel, the governor’s policy adviser for health and human services, Senator Margaret Carter, Senator David Nelson, Representative Billy Dalto, and Representative Gary Hansen. Other members represented health care safety net providers from throughout Oregon, Oregon Medical Association, Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems, Associated Oregon Industries, Oregon Health and Science University, Oregon Primary Care Association, and Oregon Community Health Information Network.
To view the full Health Care Safety Net Policy Team Report, download PDF at http://info.oregonlottery.org/safetynet/
Related posts:
Walden bill aims to aid rural home health care
Gov cheers mental health task force proposals
State starts pilot project for kids’ health care
State panel sets health care forums, one in Bend
Gov details efforts to expand child health care
Governor calls on President to reverse health care cuts for Oregonians
