Oregon’s experiment with annual legislative sessions ended a week earlier than anticipated when the House and Senate completed their work the evening of February 22. Not everything was roses, but overall lawmakers avoided divisive battles to approve more than 70 bills.

The true measure of the supplemental session’s success will come at the ballot box when voters are asked to amend Oregon’s constitution to require annual sessions. Look for the 2009 legislature to make that referral to a November 2009 election.

Legislators tackled many diverse issues during their three–week visit to Salem. Much of their agenda was tempered by a sobering revenue forecast delivered on February 8, indicating the state will have about $190 million less in revenue than was anticipated when the 2007 session ended. As a result several programs did not move forward despite their popular appeal.

What follow are some issues discussed during the session that could impact OSHA members.

HB 3626 was a catch–all bill for policy issues with budget impacts. It requires DHS in cooperation with community based service providers to implement policies that offer incentives to providers for entering into Medicaid contracts that enable a patient to remain in a residential setting. The bill also requires DHS and adult foster care providers to establish targets to increase capacity of residential facilities and adult foster homes. It establishes two grants ($500,000 total), one of which must be in a rural area, to improve access to and the effectiveness of health care delivery for families. Finally the bill requires DHS to contract for conducting an assessment of the community mental health system ($150,000).

SB 1061 requires DHS to develop comprehensive plan for long term care system.

SB 1065 requires DHS to pay rural health clinic the difference between the rate paid to clinic by non–state payers and the clinic rate for Medicaid eligible person.

SB 1097 would have created Oregon Professional Development Initiative Commission to create statewide professional development system for teachers, administrators and educational assistants. Did not pass.

SB 1100 would have required health insurers to reimburse for services provided through telemedicine. Did not pass.

HB 3614 would have expanded eligibility for children in state medical assistance program. Did not pass.|

HB 3617 would have created Quality Care Fund for purposes of training, technical assistance, improvement initiatives and licensing activities to ensure high quality standards in long term care facilities, residential facilities and adult foster homes. Further required DHS to establish a database to hold records of substantiated abuse or violations of standards of care. Did not pass.

HJR 100 proposed constitutional amendment to declare access to health care a fundamental right and directs legislature to establish system designed to provide every legal resident access to effective and affordable health care. Did not pass.

On strictly the budget side, legislators reserved $17.5 million for the Emergency Board to have for DHS caseload growth. Money was also provided for the Oregon Health Fund Board to help it with the task of recommending a restructuring of the state’s health care delivery system.

A final note of interest, members of the House Health Care Committee held two informational hearings on health–related licensing boards. One was a discussion about the number of public members that should be on a board. The other concerned the adequacy of state oversight of the boards. The committee indicated they would bring a comprehensive bill to the 2009 session related to issues like board composition, oversight, disciplinary processes and impaired licensees. We’ll need to be involved in these discussions.