The Provider Tax continues to dominate health care discussions in the Capitol. A tax on hospitals and health insurance providers seems to be inevitable. Unfortunately it appears that the proposed tax may not generate sufficient revenue to cover the proposed plan, which has kept the door to a tax on Ambulatory Surgery Centers and Imaging Centers open. The bill that taxes all health care providers (HB 2076) still resides in the House Revenue Committee and we heard from Representatives this week that some members still support this concept. Additionally, some Republicans have expressed an interest in a health care transaction tax in lieu of the other proposals.
Senate leaders have explained that the goal is to pass some form of provider tax in the next month. The proposal will go through the House Health Care Committee and then to the Ways and Means Human Services sub-committee. The sub-committee is chaired by Senator Bates and Representative Kotek.
The Oregon Board of Radiologic Technology bill, HB 2245 will have its first hearing on Monday. The Oregon ACC will provide written testimony explaining our role in the interim work group and the importance of the compromise that was made on the board composition. At this point, only a public hearing has been scheduled (not a work session) so the bill will not be moving out of committee.
On February 10th, we will be meeting with Senator Monnes-Anderson (chair Senate Health Care and Veterans Affairs), Senator Morrisette (chair Senate Human Services and Rural Health Policy), and Representative Maurer (co-chair House Health Committee). We will be discussing concerns over HB 2009, the bill that creates the Oregon Health Authority and includes a provider tax.
Below is the status of the above bills and others we are following and have discussed in previous reports. Listed is what committee they are in and what (if anything) has been scheduled for them. The Council may or may not take official positions on these bills. If you would like to read the entire measure all bills are available on the state legislative website:
http://www.leg.state.us/bills_laws/.
Provider Taxes (Discussed Above):
HB2009: Referred to the Health Care committee with subsequent referrals to Revenue and Ways and Means.
Public Hearing held 2/4.
Public Hearings scheduled 2/9, 2/11.
HB2076: Referred to Health Care with a subsequent referral to Revenue.
HB2116: Referred to Health Care with a subsequent referral to Revenue.
Integrated Health Home:
HB2131: Referred to Health Care with a subsequent referral to Ways and Means.
This bill creates standards for certification of integrated health care practices and establishes means for collaborative exchanges of information about quality improvement and best practices.
POLST:
HB2132: Referred to Health Care with a subsequent referral to Ways and Means.
Public Hearing held 2/4.
Health Licensing Boards:
HB2058: Referred to Health Care, Public Hearing held on 1/28.
HB2245: Referred to Health Care.
This is the Oregon Board of Radiologic Technology bill, discussed above.
Public Hearing scheduled 2/9.
Telemedicine:
SB24: Referred to Health Care and Veterans' Affairs.
This bill requires health benefit plans to provide coverage of medically necessary, evidence-based telemedical health services.
Tort Reform/Liability:
SB311: Referred to Judiciary, Public Hearing held 1/22.
Work Session scheduled on 2/11.
This is the legislatures attempt at setting a new cap for claims against public bodies (including OHSU). No one testified against the bill at the first hearing.
SB307: Referred to Judiciary, Public Hearing scheduled 2/10 is cancelled.
Extends Statue of Ultimate Repose.
Scope of Practice:
SB327: Referred to Human Services and Rural Health Policy.
This bill would essentially grant Naturopaths full prescriptive authority.
Public Hearing and Possible Work Session scheduled 2/16.
Prescription Drug Database:
SB355: Referred to Human Services and Rural Health Policy with a subsequent referral to Ways and Means.
Public Hearing and Possible Work Session scheduled 2/9.
This bill establishes a prescription drug-monitoring program for certain prescription drugs.
