Category HEALTH CARE
Oregon’s largest union wants to assist caregivers—and grow its own ranks
Senate Bill 1138 would create a board to oversee working conditions in the direct care industry and give that board extraordinary authority.
Salem Health cancels patient appointments after Regence split
Sub: Patients with Regence insurance are being met with conflicting answers and told they can’t pay out of pocket for medical care with Salem Health providers as contention between the two health care entities continues.
Oregon budget writers plan to spend hundreds of millions more on health, social services
New spending on Medicaid is part of a routine “budget rebalance” which the Legislature does before the end of each budget cycle
New program will help people recover from opioid withdrawal, connect with treatment
Starting March 10, people in opioid withdrawal will have easier access to medication that treats their symptoms, which include physical pain, nausea and emotional distress. The aim is to help people who have just overdosed break the cycle of using again and make treatment easier.
Community health improvement effort will focus on housing, access, mental health and substance use
A recent health assessment found that people in Marion and Polk counties are struggling to access quality health care. The findings will guide a five-year plan for improving community health.
Oregon Health Authority Director Sejal Hathi has taken a side gig in California
Stanford University is touting its hire of Hathi, a prominent state official and a physician, to see patients at its teaching hospital. It's a paid position, but Hathi said she is talking to the university about how to avoid receiving compensation.
Salem Health ends negotiations with Regence, leaving thousands out-of-network at city’s only hospital
On Wednesday, Salem Health announced that it would no longer negotiate with Regence, and asked patients to either switch insurance or seek medical care somewhere else to avoid costly out-of-network medical bills.
COLUMN: Diving into the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage
Jim Sellers, former Oregon journalist and state agency employee, writes a regular column to help thousands in Salem deal with the confusing world of Medicare and federal benefits. He's available to answer your questions.
Oregon U.S. Rep. Salinas pushes for mental health care in bill
U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas wants to set a minimum standard of three free behavioral health visits a year for people enrolled in Medicaid or Medicare.