71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
HA to HB 2519
 
LC 2227/HB 2519-3
 
                       HOUSE AMENDMENTS TO
                         HOUSE BILL 2519
 
           By COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND PUBLIC ADVOCACY
 
                              May 4
 
  On page 1 of the printed bill, delete lines 4 through 24 and
delete pages 2 through 4 and insert:
  '  { +  SECTION 1. + }  { + Preamble. (1) The Legislative
Assembly finds that the Oregon Health Plan:
  ' (a) Has provided access to health care services to over one
million Oregonians who would otherwise not have been able to
afford health care services; and
  ' (b) Has improved health outcomes by expanding access to
timely preventive services and primary health care services.
  ' (2) In spite of its important achievements, thousands of
Oregonians still do not have health insurance coverage, often
seeking health care services through the emergency department
late in the course of their illness when costs are higher and
outcomes are less favorable.
  ' (3) The costs incurred by the health care delivery system by
providing health care services through emergency departments are
shifted to patients with health insurance coverage, driving up
the costs of health care services and health insurance for all
Oregonians.
  ' (4) The lack of flexibility in current federal Medicaid
policy forces the state into 'one-size-fits-all' benefit packages
and 'all-or-nothing' coverage decisions, and this prevents the
state from using federal resources to develop a system of public
subsidies based on the relative medical and financial
vulnerability of those being served. + }
  '  { +  SECTION 2. + }  { + Policy. It is the policy of the
State of Oregon that:
  ' (1) The state move toward providing a system of universal
access to health care services;
  ' (2) All Oregonians have access, at a minimum, to a standard
basic level of health care services;
  ' (3) The state provide subsidies, using federal and state
resources, to make health care services affordable to all
Oregonians and that those subsidies should encourage the shared
responsibility of employers and individuals in a public-private
partnership;
  ' (4) The respective roles and responsibilities of government,
employers, individuals and the health care delivery system be
clearly and explicitly defined;
  ' (5) All subsidies be explicit and based on an individual's
ability to pay, not exceeding the cost of purchasing a standard
basic level of health care, except for those with special
vulnerabilities; and
  ' (6) The health care delivery system encourage the use of
health care services, including appropriate education, early
intervention and prevention, and procedures that are effective
and appropriate in producing good health. + }
  '  { +  SECTION 3. + }  { + Increased Access for Uninsured
Individuals. In order to carry out the policy established in
section 2 of this 2001 Act, the State of Oregon shall increase
access to a standard basic level of health care services for
uninsured Oregonians with an income of up to 200 percent of the
federal poverty guidelines. + }
  '  { +  SECTION 4. + }  { + Levels of Coverage. (1) The
standard basic level of health care services provided under
section 3 of this 2001 Act shall be:
  ' (a) Referred to as 'OHP Standard';
  ' (b) Developed by the Health Services Commission using the
process outlined in ORS 414.720 as a guide; and
  ' (c) At least actuarially equivalent to the minimum level of
care mandated by current federal Medicaid law.
  ' (2) For Oregonians who are medically vulnerable, including
but not limited to children, pregnant women, the frail elderly,
the blind and persons with disabilities, supplemental health care
services that are clinically appropriate to their medical needs
shall be provided in addition to OHP Standard and shall be
referred to as 'OHP Plus.' This augmented level of health care
services shall be determined by the Health Services Commission
under the process outlined in ORS 414.720. + }
  '  { +  SECTION 5. + }  { + Subsidies. (1) Subsidies for health
care services shall be based on family income and other personal
resources.
  ' (2) To the extent possible, subsidies from public resources
shall apply to health care services provided through both public
programs and private insurance coverage.
  ' (3) The State of Oregon shall seek federal matching funds to
assist in covering the cost of all subsidies, whether health care
coverage is provided by public programs or private insurance.
  ' (4) For uninsured Oregonians with an income below 200 percent
of the federal poverty guidelines, the state shall pay a portion
of the cost of OHP Standard on a sliding scale based on income,
with the greatest subsidy at the lowest income level.
  ' (5) Oregonians receiving subsidies for OHP Standard may be
required to pay premiums and copayments based on an individual's
ability to pay and structured in a manner that encourages the use
of preventive services.
  ' (6) The subsidies and levels of health care services shall be
structured with the objective of creating a seamless continuum of
health care coverage from full public subsidy to coverage and
health care services that are financed entirely by personal
income and other resources. + }
  '  { +  SECTION 6. + }  { +  Waivers. The Legislative Assembly
directs the Department of Human Services to seek federal waivers
from the federal Health Care Financing Administration necessary
to carry out sections 1 to 5 of this 2001 Act. + }
  '  { +  SECTION 7. + }  { + The section captions used in this
2001 Act are provided only for convenience in locating provisions
of this 2001 Act and do not become part of the statutory law of
this state or express any legislative intent in the enactment of
this 2001 Act. + }
  '  { +  SECTION 8. + }  { + This 2001 Act being necessary for
the immediate preservation of the public peace, health and
safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2001 Act
takes effect on its passage. + } ' .
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