Chip's Clips News from Senate District 22 - N/NE Portland  Dear Chip,
I wish you a happy, safe, and restful holiday. Whether you're staying in Oregon or traveling, I hope you'll be able to spend time with your family and friends.
Staff and I have been busy this fall working with Rep. Tina Kotek and Rep. Lew Frederick on preparing our N/NE living-wage jobs agenda for the upcoming February 2012 legislative session. Please keep your ideas coming because the best ideas for legislation almost always come from constituents just like you. I'm holding office hours most Wednesdays at Pattie's Home Plate in St. Johns if you would like to get together to share your ideas and concerns. Please call my office at 503-231-2564 to schedule some time. And as always, if I can ever be of service to you or your family, please don't hesitate to call or e-mail at sen.chipshields@state.or.us. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely, 
Sen. Chip Shields
Faced with greater scrutiny, Oregon health insurance carriers are seeking smaller premium increases Making health insurance companies justify your premium increase  Our office has been disputing the claims of health insurance companies that the underlying costs of health care are out of control. With medical inflation at 2 percent, and medical utilization down, we argued that double-digit premium increases just didn't add up. That's why we pushed for public hearings in the state's health insurance rate review process. We also pushed for a second opinion on whether premium increases are really necessary.
This advocacy on your behalf seems to be paying off. Faced with greater scrutiny, the carriers are requesting smaller increases, which is good news for small business. For example, in the Oregon small group market (2-50 employees) - Regence asked for a 14.6% increase in 2010, but only a 4.5% increase this year.
- HealthNet asked for a 12.2% increase in 2010, but only a 1.4% increase this year.
- HealthNet asked for a 12.2% increase in 2010, but only a 1.4% increase this year.
A special thanks is owed to many people for working so hard on these issues, including: Rep. Mike McLane (R - Powell Butte); Laura Etherton of OSPIRG; Larry Kirsch of IMR Health Economics; Sean Moriarty, Ann Fisher and Rick Skayhan and other members of the Reasonable Insurance Premium Coalition; John Gawlista of the Oregon Landscape Contractors Association; Sabrina Corlette of the Georgetown University Health Insurance Policy Institute; Barbara Niehus of Niehus Actuarial Services; Deborah Chollet, Ph.D. of Mathematica Policy Research Inc.; Judge Steve Grasty of Burns; Doug Marlow of Hermiston; Kevin Wilson of Hillsboro; and Charlie Ringo of Bend. Many small business owners took time out of their busy lives to testify before my committee: Bruce Lawson of Homeland Fireworks; realtor Stella Kopperud; Holly Pruett; Christine Chin-Ryan of Synergy Consulting; Diane Frank; and Chris Rycewicz of Miller Nash. Mistreated by an insurance company? File a complaint with the Oregon Insurance Division if you've been treated unfairly. Also, sign up to receive notice of a health insurance rate request filing.  Been treated unfairly by an insurance company? File a complaint with the state's Insurance Division and let me know how it goes. Click here or call 1-888-877-4894 to file a complaint. In Oregon, the Attorney General cannot sue insurance companies that engage in fraud. I'm working to change that, but in the mean time, your only real recourse is with the state Insurance Division.
Please keep my office appraised of how your complaint proceeds by emailing at sen.chipshields@state.or.us or calling 503-231-2564.
Do you want to be notified when your health insurance carrier files a rate request in the individual or small group markets (2-50 employees)? Then click here to sign up for email alerts. You can comment on the rate request for 30 days after it has been filed with the state Insurance Division. You can also contact the OSPIRG foundation's Health Insurance Rate Watch by clicking here. Fierce Advocacy: "Sen. Shields' office saved my home." Being an effective state senator is about being accessible and delivering real results. It's also about hiring fierce advocates for constituents, such as MaryAlecia Briggs. Staffer MaryAlecia Briggs received a phone call from Wanda Clark in August 2011. She was struggling to take care of her family's needs after the death of her mother and constituent Nathaniel Hartley suggested she call our office.
The Oregon Department of Revenue was dragging its feet on setting up a payment program for her to maintain possession of her home, which had been in her family for several decades. Thanks to Ms. Briggs' advocacy with the Department, Ms. Clark is still in her home and the issue with the Oregon Department of Revenue has been resolved. "Without Sen. Shields' office, I would have lost my home. Sen. Shields' office saved my home," said Ms. Clark.
My committee will be putting forward legislation to defend people at risk of foreclosure and will also be working on solutions to remedy the major problems people are facing with the Senior Tax Deferral Program.
But outside of changing statute, sometimes people just need an advocate to get agencies to do their job. Kudos to staffer MaryAlecia Briggs for being that advocate and for a job well done.
If you face a problem with a state agency and would like help resolving it, give my office a call or send an email our way. Accessible: Holding office hours most Wednesday's at Pattie's Home Plate in St. Johns Call 503-231-2564 to reserve some time to share your ideas and concerns  I'm holding office hours at Pattie's Home Plate Cafe at 8501 N. Lombard in St. Johns on most Wednesdays from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. for the next several months. Please call my office at 503-231-2564 or email sen.chipshields@state.or.us to schedule a time to share your ideas and concerns.
I will hold similar hours in the Cully neighborhood in the months ahead. Here are some of the great meetings I've had with constituents: - Randy Hauth of Hayden Island on the Oregon Commission for the Blind
- Kevin Corcorran on medical marijuana
- Director Margaret Van Vliet on the state's foreclosure programs
- Mike Eliason on foreclosure and open records
- Jason Tell and Kelly Scannell on ODOT issues
- Lilian Shirley on Medicaid and OHP transformation
- Kim Silva, Rex Burkholder, Jennifer Bashma and Leah Bouchard on Friends of Outdoor School
- Larry Scruggs on corporate welfare
- Steve Gilliam on jobs and community concerns
- Shamus Lynsky on education
- MESD board member Gary Holland on education
- Martha Shelly on foreclosure
- Salima McRae on jobs
- Holly Pruett on public safety
- Monthly meeting with Rep. Kotek and Rep. Frederick on N/NE living-wage jobs agenda
- Michelle DuBarry on insurance issues
- Ralph Hartmann on Elks Lodge 142 and veterans services
- Tricia Tillman and Bobby Green on cultural competency in health care
- Midge Purcell on jobs in N/NE Portland
Living-wage jobs & small business protection My bills for the 2012 February session  The legislative session in 2012 will be no longer than 35 days. My legislative priorities are razor-focused and ready to go:
- Reintroduce Senate Memorial 2: This memorial encourages President Obama's administration and Congress to introduce and pass the TRADE Act - a fair trade act that will require tough international environmental and labor standards. I had bipartisan support last session, and strong bi-partisan support for 2012.
- Reintroduce SB 667: This is a bill that my office has worked on for several years with Sal Kadri, the President of ValuCad, a minority-owned drafting company. It is a classic small business protection issue that is important to small, minority-owned drafting and engineering firms. During the interim, we've been working with state agencies and other important partners to come up with a bill that works for small business. DAS guidelines on indefinite quantity contracts have made it virtually impossible for these small firms to obtain state work.
Additionally, I will be working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on a number of bills that will help Oregonians across the state who are struggling to stay in their homes; prioritize funding for critical programs that serve seniors, kids, and our most vulnerable; continue to help Oregonians get back to work and get back on their feet; and champion the needs of Oregon's small businesses. Living-wage jobs town halls February 4 and March 9  I'll be hosting a series of jobs-related town hall meetings beginning in February with Rep. Tina Kotek and Rep. Lew Frederick. The first town hall will be Saturday, February 4th from 10 a.m. to noon at the St. Johns Community Center, 8427 N Center St. in the large community room.
The second town hall will take place on Friday, March 9th. Save the date, we'll have more details coming your way!
Oregon, like the rest of the country, is hurting. But a number of companies will be represented at the event in March with information about hiring opportunities.
Sen. Chip Shields in the Community Where I've Been. Where I'll Be.  Over the summer and fall, my office had many opportunities to connect with people from North and NE Portland, as well as statewide. Please call my office at (503) 231-2564 if you'd like to sign up for one of my regular meeting times at Pattie's Home Plate in downtown St. Johns, or if you'd like me to attend your association meeting.
Some of the places I've been:
- Principal for a Day at Beach Elementary
- Worksystems Inc. board meeting
- Carrington College at Lloyd Center
- PSU School of Social Work World Cafe focus group
- Children's Relief Nursery
- "The Gathering", a meeting of North Portland community activists and groups
- AmFor Electronics on Swan Island
- Basic Rights Oregon
- Senate Bill 89 rule making advisory committee
- Daily Journal of Commerce breakfast, keynote speaker
- Columbia Corridor Association
- Communication Workers of America Local 7901
- Urban League of Portland's Jobs Forum
- Self-Enhancement Inc.
- Vigor Industrial on Swan Island
- Service Steel on Swan Island
- Meeting with Multnomah County Commissioners
- Ecumenical Ministries and the ACLU
- Metro Regional Government
- Human Rights Day celebration at PCC-Cascade
- Early edition at Ainsworth United Church of Christ
- Foster Care National Adoption Day Celebration at Lloyd Center
- ReVolt Technology LLC at Airport Way
Some of the places I'll be. Please call my office at 503-231-2564 if you'd like me to come to your group or association meeting. | 
