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Updates from John McCulley, Executive Director |
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Reposted 9/30/07
For several months now, the Senate Health Care Access and Affordability Commission has been meeting. Appointed by Senate President Peter Courtney, the Commission is co–chaired by Sens. Alan Bates and Ben Westlund. Members span the spectrum from providers to insurers to purchasers to government agencies to advocates to politicians.
As its name implies, the Commission seeks ways to improve access to affordable health care. It hopes to introduce legislation for consideration by the 2007 Legislature. What that legislation may include is the primary work of the Commission for the remainder of the year.
What the legislation won’t include is a government–funded, single payer system. At least that was the sentiment expressed by Sen. Bates at the June Commission meeting.
The Commission has divided itself into three workgroups to tackle the issues of finance, benefits and delivery and payment. Those workgroups are exploring ideas like maximizing federal match, employer/individual health care mandate (Massachusetts model), applicability of the Oregon Health Plan as a basic health care model, pooling drug purchases, billing uniformity and evidence–based practices among others.
Some of its work may be guided by health–related ballot measures that may come before voters in November. By the time you read this article we should know what initiatives will qualify for the ballot.
Whatever their recommendations, they face a challenge squeezing additional dollars out of the Legislature that continues to focus on education funding.
Speaking of funding, payment for EI/ECSE caseload increases recently hit a roadblock before the Legislature’s Emergency Board. During the 2005 session, funds were reserved to address the caseload issue. But when the Department of Education went before the E–Board at its June meeting and asked for $3 million, lawmakers invited them to return in September with the request. With a potentially expensive forest fire season looming and early commitments made on the emergency fund for schools, Legislators were reluctant to allocate any additional funds now. We’ll see if their mood changes by this fall.
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