The Oregon Legislature's Joint Task Force On Universal Health Care has released its Report of the Joint Task Force on Universal Health Care. The Task Force -- chaired by former director of failed "Cover Oregon" released its 225-page report during the interim session of the legislature.

Supporters of single-payer health care in Oregon urged the creation of the Task Force in 2019, when the Legislature created the Joint Task Force on Universal Health Care with the passage of SB 770. The introduced version of the bill included a plan to establish a single-payer health care system in Oregon and was watered down through negotiations to the establishment of a task force.

In a letter to the Legislature included in the report, the Task Force describes its goal as "establishing the first state single-payer system in the country." The letter continues:

Sadly, our current health care system is financially unsustainable, harmfully complex, and socially unjust. Health care in Oregon is inequitably delivered. Too many Oregonians, because of their race, age, income, geography, or insurance, endure vastly different health care access, varied health care quality, and wide-ranging health outcomes.

To address that, the Task Force’s plan provides a universal set of health care benefits to all Oregonians that includes behavioral, vision, hearing, and dental care. It eliminates the need for premiums and out of pocket costs such as deductibles and co-pays and allows providers to bill only one entity thereby dramatically reducing administrative costs. Under the Task Force’s plan Oregonians can seek services from any provider in the state. And by establishing a single payment system it promotes equitable access to care by putting an end to a structurally inequitable payment system in which provider payments were based on the source of payment.

The plan proposes to establish a governance board in 2023 in order to to implement the plan in 2026-2027. The recommended implementation includes the following key elements:

• Eligibility and Enrollment. All people who live in Oregon will qualify for the Universal Health Plan no matter their job, income, immigration status, or tribal membership.
• Affordability. The Plan will not require patients to pay when receiving care -- no co-pays or deductibles. Medical debt will no longer exist. Instead, people will pay new taxes based on their ability to pay.
• Covered Benefits. The Plan is based on benefits public employees get now, covering services offered now to people on Medicaid, Medicare, or Affordable Care Act plans, and will increase funding for behavioral health services. Long-Term Supports and Services. People who qualify for long-term care will continue to receive benefits and services through Medicaid and the Oregon Department of Human Services.
• Social Determinants of Health. Conditions in people’s lives -- including housing, education, job opportunities, nutrition, and factors such as racism, discrimination, and violence -- affect health outcomes. The Plan will seek, whenever possible, to address these conditions.
• Medicare. People who qualify for Medicare will be covered by the Plan to the extent that the federal government will allow. Those who qualify for Medicare will have all the benefits currently available in Medicare plus new benefits offered in the Universal Health Plan.
• Health Care Providers. The Plan will work with doctors, nurses, behavioral health providers, traditional health workers, and others; prioritizing a more diverse workforce, reflecting Oregon’s diverse communities and offer culturally appropriate care.
• Provider Reimbursement. The Plan will pay providers directly; rates of pay will be set by region to account for different health care needs across the state and eliminate different reimbursement rates by payer. The Plan will use global budgets and other alternative payment arrangements to improve outcomes and value over time.
• Private Insurance. Insurers will have a more limited role than in the current system, offering extra insurance to cover benefits or services not offered by the Plan. The Universal Health Plan will serve as the main administrator of health care benefits in Oregon.
• Employers and Employees. The Plan will uncouple health insurance from employment. This means that employers will no longer need to provide health benefits. In funding scenarios considered by the Task Force, employers would contribute to the health of all Oregonians through a payroll tax with rates based on employee wages.
• Funding. A public trust fund, separate from Oregon’s general fund, will combine federal and state revenues along with Contributions from employers and households. The Task Force considered revenue scenarios in which employers would contribute through a payroll tax, as above.

The release of the report coincides with the upcoming statewide vote on Measure 111, which proposes to establish health care as a fundamental right, placed on the ballot by the Oregon Legislature during the 2021 Regular Session by SJR 12


--Staff Reports

Post Date: 2022-09-29 05:56:05

Last Update: 2022-09-28 13:17:56