Latest news with #OregonHealthPlan
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Oregon lawmakers hold hearing on Medicaid cuts under Trump's ‘big, beautiful bill'
PORTLAND, Ore. () – As President Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' makes its way through the Senate, Oregon lawmakers held a hearing on Tuesday, detailing the impact proposed Medicaid cuts under the bill could have on Oregon. Republicans' reconciliation bill includes at least $880 billion in spending cuts, largely to Medicaid, to cover the cost of $4.5 trillion in tax breaks, as reported by , noting Republicans are pushing for the spending cuts to root out 'waste, fraud and abuse.' On Tuesday, the Oregon Senate Committee on Health Care held a with representatives from the Oregon Health Authority, health care clinics and health care consumers to learn more about what the cuts to Medicaid could mean for Oregon. FBI: Teen's plan for mass shooting at Washington state mall leads to arrest Emma Sandoe, the Medicaid director for the Oregon Health Authority, was among those who testified at the hearing. According to Sandoe, Congress is mostly addressing spending cuts to Medicaid by aiming to reduce the number of people enrolled in the program. The Oregon Health Plan — Oregon's Medicaid program — insures 1.4 million people in the state, or about 33% of the state's population, Sandoe said. Medicaid covers a variety of services for nearly half of all births in Oregon along with long-term health services and coverage for people with disabilities. Class action lawsuit accuses Grocery Outlet of deceptive pricing in Oregon stores Under the 'big, beautiful bill,' upwards of 100,000 Oregonians could lose Medicaid coverage, according to Sandoe, noting the bill could lead to at least $1 billion in Medicaid cuts to Oregon in the 2027-2029 biennium. Those payments support hospitals, clinics and health care providers. Medicaid cuts in the state would especially harm Oregonians and health care providers in rural counties, Sandoe said. 'For example, in Eastern Oregon, Malheur County for instance, 51% of the population is enrolled in Medicaid. So, providers in those counties rely heavily on Medicaid funding and if those providers aren't able to stay in business, not only does it impact the 51% of people that have Medicaid coverage, it also impacts the 49% of people that rely on other health insurance coverage to see those providers in that area,' Sandoe explained. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now 'When more people have coverage, it's not just good for the people who are enrolled, it is good for the whole system,' Sandoe told the committee. 'People covered are able to treat disease earlier, and providers are able to be paid for the health care services they deliver. This keeps providers in business for everyone.' During Sandoe's presentation to the health care committee, she explained several changes the federal bill would make, including adding new work requirements. The bill proposes requiring states to verify 80 hours of work activities per month for Medicaid applications and renewals twice per year. This would be required for people ages 19-64 in the Medicaid expansion group starting December 31, 2026. For Oregon, this means up to 462,000 Oregonians — many of whom work — could face additional red tape to keep their health care coverage, according to Sandoe, adding that 100,000-200,000 Oregonians could lose Medicaid coverage because of challenges demonstrating that they meet the work requirements. Tillamook opens first owned-and-operated facility outside of Oregon Additionally, the bill would require copays. This would be a change for Oregon, which has not charged copays since 2017, Sandoe explained, noting, 'copays of any dollar amount can be detrimental for Medicaid patients, preventing patients from getting needed medical care or consistent access to their prescription drugs.' The 'big, beautiful bill' also proposes stripping Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood clinics. According to Sandoe, this could lead to clinic closures in Oregon, noting tens of thousands of people could lose access to birth control, cancer screenings and abortion care provided by Planned Parenthood. The bill would also prohibit Medicaid funds from covering some healthcare services. National Geographic names Oregon Coast train ride among 'dreamiest' for stargazing Today, Oregon law requires the Oregon Health Plan and private health insurance plans to cover medically necessary gender-affirming care. However, the federal proposal would ban Medicaid funding for gender-affirming care for people of all ages and private insurers would no longer be required to cover this type of care – putting access to gender-affirming care at risk for more than 7,000 Oregonians, according to Sandoe. The OHA Medicare director warns these cuts to Medicaid could end up costing taxpayers more in the end. 'When we have instances that providers go out of business or — for example, (federally qualified health centers) or other providers that provide primary care services — then we're not able to do what we do really well in Oregon which is to ensure that we're treating the person early in their health care conditions before it becomes at a stage of needing higher costs and ultimately when a person is sick, they end up using the health care system in some capacity and having that higher cost does cost everyone more if it's uncompensated care.' Drug trafficker sentenced to 15 years in prison after largest meth bust in Oregon history Following the hearing, Committee Chair Deb Patterson (D-Salem) released a statement, saying, 'More than 1.4 million Oregonians have Oregon Health Plan coverage funded by Medicaid, and it's clear from the testimony today that slashing the program will have serious impacts on that population and well beyond. Patterson added, 'Our rural hospitals and clinics will lose funding, decreased staffing could make appointments harder to get, and people who are forced to delay care will face worse health outcomes.' The proposed budget bill passed the House on May 22 and is now being considered in the Senate. President Trump said he wants the bill passed by July 4. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
GOP tax and spending bill dings states that offer health care to some immigrants here legally
Demonstrators gather for a protest organized by the Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee calling for the continuation of MinnesotaCare for undocumented adults outside of the Governor's Reception Room at the Minnesota State Capitol Tuesday, May 27, 2025. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer) The Republican budget bill the U.S. House approved last month includes a surprise for the 40 states that have expanded Medicaid: penalties for providing health care to some immigrants who are here legally. Along with punishing the 14 states that use their own funds to cover immigrants who are here illegally, analysts say last-minute changes to the bill would make it all but impossible for states to continue helping some immigrants who are in the country legally, on humanitarian parole. Under the bill, the federal government would slash funding to states that have expanded Medicaid and provide coverage to immigrants who are on humanitarian parole — immigrants who have received permission to temporarily enter the United States due to an emergency or urgent humanitarian reason. The federal government pays 90% of the cost of covering adults without children who are eligible under Medicaid expansion, but the bill would cut that to 80% for those states, doubling the state portion from 10% to 20%. That's the same penalty the bill proposes for states that use their own money to help immigrants who are here illegally. Ironically, states such as Florida that have extended Medicaid coverage to immigrants who are here on humanitarian parole but have not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act would not be harmed by the bill, said Leonardo Cuello, a Medicaid law and policy expert and research professor at the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University's McCourt School of Public Policy. It is 'wildly nonsensical and unfair' to penalize expansion states for covering a population that some non-expansion states, such as Florida, also cover, Cuello said. 'It would appear that the purpose is more to punish expansion states than address any genuine concern with immigrant coverage.' Republican tax bill could slash billions for Oregon Health Plan, state officials say West Virginia is one of the states where lawmakers are nervously watching U.S. Senate discussions on the proposed penalty. Republican state Rep. Matt Rohrbach, a deputy House speaker, said West Virginia legislators tabled a proposal that would have ended Medicaid expansion if the federal government reduced its share of the funding, because the state's congressional representatives assured them it wasn't going to happen. Now the future is murkier. Cuello called the proposed penalty 'basically a gun to the head of the states.' 'Congress is framing it as a choice, but the state is being coerced and really has no choice,' he said. There are about 1.3 million people in the United States on humanitarian parole, from Afghanistan, Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, Ukraine and Venezuela as well as some Central American children who have rejoined family here. The Trump administration is trying to end parole from some of those countries. A Supreme Court decision May 30 allows the administration to end humanitarian parole for about 500,000 people from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Not many of those parolees qualify for Medicaid, which requires a waiting period or special status, but the 40 states with expanded Medicaid could be penalized if immigrants qualify for the program, said Tanya Broder, senior counsel for health and economic justice policy at the National Immigration Law Center. It would appear that the purpose is more to punish expansion states than address any genuine concern with immigrant coverage. – Leonardo Cuello, Georgetown University research professor Meanwhile, an increasing number of states and the District of Columbia already are considering scaling back Medicaid coverage for immigrants because of the costs. The federal budget bill, named the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, is now being considered by the Senate, where changes are likely. The fact that so many states could be affected by the last-minute change could mean more scrutiny in that chamber, said Andrea Kovach, senior attorney for health care justice at the Shriver Center on Poverty Law in Chicago. By her count, at least 38 states and the District of Columbia would be affected by the new restrictions, since they accepted some options now offered by Medicaid to cover at least some humanitarian parolees without a five-year waiting period. 'They're all going to be penalized because they added in parolees,' Kovach said. 'So that's 38 times two senators who are going to be very interested in this provision to make sure their state doesn't get their reimbursement knocked down.' The change to exclude people with humanitarian parole was included in a May 21 amendment by U.S. Rep. Jodey Arrington, a Texas Republican who chairs the House budget committee. Arrington's office did not reply to a request for comment, though he has stressed the importance of withholding Medicaid from immigrants who are here illegally. '[Democrats] want to protect health care and welfare at any cost for illegal immigrants at the expense of hardworking taxpayers,' Arrington said in a May 22 floor speech urging passage of the bill. 'But by the results of this last election, it's abundantly clear: The people see through this too and they have totally rejected the Democrats' radical agenda.' Some states already are considering cutting Medicaid coverage for immigrants, though Democratic lawmakers and advocates are pushing back. Washington, D.C., Democratic Mayor Muriel Bowser has proposed phasing out a program that provides Medicaid coverage to adults regardless of their immigration status, a move she says would save the District of Columbia $457 million. Minnesota advocates protested a state budget deal reached last month with Democratic Gov. Tim Walz to phase out health care coverage for adults who are here illegally, a condition Republican lawmakers insisted on to avoid a shutdown. Similarly, Illinois advocates are protesting new state rules that will end a program that has provided Medicaid coverage to immigrants aged 42-64 regardless of their legal status. The program cost $1.6 billion over three years, according to a state audit. The state will continue a separate program that provides coverage for older adults. 'Our position is that decision-makers in Illinois shouldn't be doing Trump's work for him,' said Kovach, of the Shriver Center on Poverty Law. 'Let's preserve health coverage for immigrants and stand up for Illinois immigrant residents who have been paying taxes into this state for years and need this coverage.' Illinois state Sen. Graciela Guzmán, a Democrat whose parents are refugees from El Salvador, said many of her constituents in Chicago may be forced to cancel chemotherapy or lifesaving surgery because of the changes. 'It was a state budget, but I think the federal reconciliation bill really set the tone for it,' Guzmán said. 'In a tough fiscal environment, it was really hard to set up a defense for this program.' Oregon Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek is among the governors holding firm, saying that letting immigrants stay uninsured imposes costs on local hospitals and ends up raising prices for everyone. 'The costs will go somewhere. When everyone is insured it is much more helpful to keep costs down and reasonable for everyone. That's why we've taken this approach to give care to everyone,' Kotek said at a news conference last month. Medicaid does pay for emergency care for low-income patients, regardless of their immigration status, and that would not change under the federal budget bill. Franny White, a spokesperson for the Oregon Health Authority, said her state's Medicaid program covers about 105,000 immigrants, some of whom are here illegally. She said the policy, established by a 2021 state law, can save money in the long run. 'Uninsured people are less likely to receive preventive care due to cost and often wait until a condition worsens to the point that it requires more advanced, expensive care at an emergency department or hospital,' she said. California was among the first states, along with Oregon, to offer health insurance to immigrants of all ages regardless of their legal status. But it now is considering cutting back, looking to save $5 billion as it seeks to close a $12 billion budget deficit. In May, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed freezing enrollment of immigrant adults who are here illegally, and charging them premiums to save money. 'It's possible that other states will decide to cut back these services because of budgetary concerns,' said Drishti Pillai, director of immigrant health policy at KFF, a health policy research organization. If the federal budget bill passes with the immigrant health care provision intact, states would have more than two years to adjust, since the changes would not take effect until October 2027. 'We have time to really understand what the landscape looks like and really create a legal argument to make sure folks are able to maintain their health care coverage,' said Enddy Almonord, director for Healthy Illinois, an advocacy group supporting universal health care coverage. Stateline, like the Capital Chronicle, is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions: info@
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Republican tax bill could slash billions for Oregon Health Plan, state officials say
A person holds a "Protect Medicaid" sign in front of Oregon State Capital in Salem on May 1, 2025. (Mia Maldonado / Oregon Capital Chronicle) A Republican tax bill passed in the U.S. House and headed for a vote in the Senate would slash billions in federal Medicaid funding across the country — leaving an outsized mark on states like Oregon that offer health care policies centered on inclusivity. The state relies on more than $11 billion in federal funding each year to cover about 75% of its Medicaid program, known as the Oregon Health Plan. That funding could be more than cut in half if the Republican tax bill passes, according to Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner. State officials say the bill also has the potential to leave hundreds of thousands of low-income Oregonians without health insurance. Republicans behind the bill say it will deliver large tax cuts, increase immigration security and impose welfare reform. Oregon leaders have called the bill financially irresponsible and a way to punish states that provide Medicaid regardless of citizenship status, and to patients seeking gender-affirming care and reproductive health care, including abortion. Oregon Health Plan benefits have not changed at this time, and the Oregon Health Authority is still assessing the bill's potential impacts, agency spokesperson Amy Bacher told the Capital Chronicle. One in three Oregonians are enrolled in the Oregon Health Plan. This includes more than half of the state's kids, as well as seniors who rely on Medicaid-funded nursing home support and individuals with caregiving needs. The bill would mandate that twice a year state officials verify all adults enrolled in Medicaid have worked or participated in community service for at least 80 hours each month. These requirements would create unnecessary paperwork burdens for low-income people already working, and disincentivize people from enrolling, resulting in 100,000 to 200,000 Oregonians losing their insurance for not complying with the policy, Oregon Health Authority's Medicaid director, Emma Sandoe, told the Oregon Senate Health Care Committee on Tuesday afternoon. 'When people lose coverage, that also means reduced federal dollars coming into Oregon,' Sandoe said. The work requirements alone could reduce federal funding by $1.4 billion per year, she said. Over 10 years, that would result in a loss of up to $16 billion in federal funding for the Oregon Health Plan. These estimates do not include additional funding cuts caused by other provisions in the bill. Another provision of the bill would prohibit federal funds from Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, from going toward gender transition procedures for minors. Beginning in 2026, that prohibition would expand to adults. LGBTQ+ adults are twice as likely as non LGBTQ+ adults to have Medicaid as their primary source of insurance, according to the Williams Institute at University of California, Los Angeles. About 7,000 Oregonians use Medicaid to receive gender-affirming care, Sandoe said. LGBTQ+ advocates in Oregon said the bill is another aggressive step from the Trump administration to target transgender Americans. 'If this bill passes, more transgender people will die,' Blair Stenvick, a spokesperson for the nonprofit advocacy group Basic Rights Oregon, told the Capital Chronicle. 'Gender-affirming care costs are a minuscule fraction of all Medicaid costs, and singling out transgender people — both youth and adults — is an intentional, ideological move from a fascist government obsessed with controlling people's bodies and personal decisions at all costs.' The federal government would match 80% rather than 90% of Oregon's Medicaid funding unless the state ends its program insuring people regardless of citizenship status. That drop in matching funds would amount to a $1 billion loss each year, Sandoe told the committee. Oregon is one of seven states that offers Medicaid to eligible adults regardless of immigration status and one of 14 states, plus Washington, D.C., that covers children regardless of immigration status. In 2017, the state passed a 'Cover All Kids' program to extend Oregon Health Plan benefits to children regardless of immigration status. In 2022, the state allowed all eligible adults regardless of their immigration status access to health coverage through 'Healthier Oregon.' About 100,000 people are enrolled in the program. The bill would prohibit Medicaid reimbursement for 10 years to organizations that provide abortions. Federal funding for abortion has been prohibited for decades under the Hyde Amendment, but the bill would block organizations like Planned Parenthood and other nonprofit providers from receiving reimbursements for other reproductive health services, such as family planning and cancer screenings. There are 12 Planned Parenthood centers in Oregon, Sandoe said, providing pap smears, cervical and breast cancer screenings and STD treatments, among other services to mostly low-income Oregonians. About 70% of Planned Parenthood Columbia Willamette patients use Medicaid, the nonprofit's CEO and President Sara Kennedy told the committee. The nonprofit operates clinics in Vancouver, Washington, the Portland metro area, Salem, Bend and Ontario. 'Abortion access will absolutely suffer,' she said, noting that only 10% of patients visiting the nonprofit receive abortions. Planned Parenthood affiliates in Oregon already operate with a budget deficit because Medicaid reimbursement rates do not cover the full costs of providing care, she said. The federal bill would only exacerbate the nonprofit's deficit. 'If this bill passes, cancers will go undetected and untreated,' she said. 'Pregnancies will become more dangerous — not just for Planned Parenthood patients — but for our entire population, and that is even here in a state that has incredible protections for reproductive health care.' The bill would also cap or freeze the taxes states can impose on medical providers — a strategy all states except Alaska use to increase the number of state dollars for Medicaid that can then be matched by federal dollars. States rely on provider taxes to fund 17% of their Medicaid spending, according to most recent data available from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. Republicans target a tax that keeps state Medicaid programs running In March, Gov. Tina Kotek signed a bill into law extending its taxes on medical providers through 2032. These taxes fund about a quarter of the Oregon Health Plan, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported. 'States will be forced to take on a larger share of the burden of paying for Medicaid — an impossible task, given that Oregon is already dealing with a budget deficit,' Oregon's U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, a Democrat representing the state's 6th Congressional District, told the Capital Chronicle. All five of Oregon's Democratic U.S. House Representatives opposed the bill. Oregon's sole Republican congressman, U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, representing the state's 2nd District, voted in favor of the bill. Oregon's U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat, said the stakes for the bill are 'truly life and death' for Americans. 'Taking away health insurance and benefits like home care and mental health care from seniors, people with disabilities, kids, and working families will be deadly,' he said in a news release. 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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Kotek launches council to address Oregon's behavioral health workforce crisis
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Amid a shortage in Oregon's behavioral health workforce, Governor Tina Kotek is launching a council in hopes of finding ways to adequately staff services for Oregonians facing mental health challenges and addiction. On Tuesday, the governor's office unveiled the Behavioral Health Talent Council, a group of 22 experts tasked with strategizing ways to address the state's behavioral health workforce crisis. The council will be led by , who will serve as the council's chair, along with three vice chairs including, New Narrative CEO Julie Ibrahim, Bridgeway Community Services Director of Operations Eli Kinsley and Southern Oregon University Behavioral Health Initiative Director Robin Sansing. DON'T MISS: Oregon needs 'urgent action' against behavioral health crisis, audit finds According to the governor's office, the Behavioral Health Talent Council will create a recommended workforce action plan by January 31, 2026, which will build on recommendations from a recent assessment commissioned by the Higher Education Coordinating Commission. 'Every Oregonian deserves access to quality, affordable healthcare, including mental health and addiction services,' Kotek said in a press release Tuesday. 'The lack of mental health and addiction professionals in Oregon threatens that vision, particularly for our most vulnerable communities. This council will go deeper into the issue and develop solutions that will strengthen our behavioral health system and improve access to care across the state.' 'I'm committed to helping Oregonians in every corner of our state access the healthcare they need when they need it,' added First Lady Kotek Wilson. 'As a social worker who has worked in the field, I've seen firsthand how workforce shortages affect both providers and patients. Through this council, I'm honored to bring experts together to prioritize practical, actionable solutions that address recruitment challenges, reduce turnover, and build pathways for a more diverse and prepared workforce.' New toxic algae in the Columbia River linked to 2 dog deaths, Clark County warns According to the governor's office, the council has four main goals. These include addressing the worker shortage, preventing turnover, increasing competency and diversity in the workforce and improving recruitment and retention for providers serving Oregon Health Plan members. 'The recommended plans we develop must be informed by the realities faced by providers and clients alike,' Kinsley said. 'My time as a practitioner has taught me that effective behavioral health systems require both structural support and community connection. I look forward to bringing my personal lived experience and professional journey to help create pathways that strengthen Oregon's behavioral health workforce in ways that truly serve our diverse communities.' The council comes after the Behavioral Health Talent Assessment found key factors that are driving the workforce crisis. This includes shortages of qualified workers, especially in rural areas, along with recruitment and retention challenges and high turnover rates based on low pay, safety concerns, high caseloads and insufficient support systems. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The council, which is hosting its first meeting on May 28, will provide regular updates about their work, officials said. The creation of a council focused on addressing the state's behavioral health workforce crisis follows the 2024 release of an Oregon Health Authority study, which found several gaps in Oregon's behavioral health care system. To help address these gaps, the study found Oregon needs a more than $835 million investment to address treatment center capacity — noting the state lacks over 3,000 treatment beds. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Merkley encourages ‘call to resist' at Central Oregon town halls
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) held a number of town hall meetings in central Oregon this weekend. The senator spoke to Oregon voters in Prineville, Sisters and Madras where they had the opportunity to ask Merkley about various topics including homelessness, veteran protections, the Trump administration, as well as other ongoing shakeups at the federal level. As Jefferson County was hit hard by conflagrations last year, some at the Madras town hall voiced concerns about the ability to fight wildfires in the coming season due to federal cuts, including 7,400 firings from the U.S. Forest Service nationally. Portland City Council President Pirtle-Guiney weighs in on cuts to mayor's proposed budget Merkley noted that, although the state has prior funding that's carried over from the federal level, the state may struggle if this season isn't 'normal.' 'We should be OK for a normal year,' he said. 'But if it turns out to be the worst year, like we had last year, then maybe not. It's a real concern.' Another town hall attendee shared concerns over proposals put forth in the House to cut $880 billion from Medicaid, currently used by one-third of Americans. Merkley assured he and Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) have been fighting to save the program, provided in the state as the Oregon Health Plan. Pacific Northwest broadcaster braces for cuts as Trump aims to defund NPR, PBS 'It's a big risk right now and I've been dedicating a lot of time of ringing the alarm bells about what it will do to devastate healthcare in America,' he noted. An additional question brought up President Trump's use of cryptocurrency, one of which is a 'memecoin' launched before his inauguration in January. On Monday, the token surged in popularity after its website offered top holders a chance to dine with the president on May 22. 'If I proceed to say, as an elected official, 'Hey, you wanna have some influence with me or come meet with me? Buy some memecoins and go to the top of the list.' That is corruption, plain and simple, that is wrong,' Merkley stressed. He ultimately ended his town hall with a call to action. 'This is a call to resist, a call to defend our core constitution, a call to be off the couch, a call to hold your electors accountable,' Merkley said. 'Give us a hard time, with your phone calls, with your letters, with your attendance at town halls, with your questions, with your demonstrations. And join an affinity group, because to be angry and frustrated alone is to be oppressed. To be angry with others is to be energized and effective.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
