Oregon health Authority wants a third of the state's surplus
For the current year, the state of Oregon forecasts it will end up with a $664 million surplus
But the Oregon Health Authority is wanting an extra $260 million from the state of Oregon to provide expanded medical care coverage to the poor. But at the same time, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) is needing more tax money to serve all those who are poor enough to meet federal guidelines to enter Medicaid, the state is to receive upwards of $1 billion from the federal government in the form of rental assistance and utility bill assistance.
That OHA is in a financial hole because so many more Oregonians qualify as poor, kind of signals that the state is a relatively poor state compared to other states.
You would think that OHA could transfer some of its funding to meet its $260 million shortage for serving more poor Oregonians with some of the $1 billion the federal government is providing Oregon Medicaid patients for keeping them in their homes.
If the federal government should ever become frugal and have to cut its Medical care support, Oregonians are going suffer greatly from the state's over dependence on federal transfer monies.
Here's the two links to the two related OHA funding reports:
Under federal $1 billion agreement, Oregon will expand Medicaid coverage - oregonlive.com
Unexpected signups fuel $260 million budget hole at Oregon Health Authority | The Lund Report
(posted by Elvis Clark on October 25, 2024)
Expanding Tele-health across state lines - may be needed
Increasingly, the Oregon Health Authority is taking over Health Care for Oregonians -this is a worry
Federal Telehealth law runs only through the end of this year 2024 and seems limited to only Medicare patients. The Federal Telehealth law was enacted in 2020 at the behest of then President Trump, providing healthcare choice during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
Oregon law seems to limit telehealth to those just visiting the state.
But given the increasing domination of the Oregon Health Authority over most all healthcare provision in Oregon, there should be ways for Oregonians to seek out healthcare outside of OHA's oversight. Shouldn't Oregonians have the right to private healthcare, since public healthcare can and has become rationed at times or with long wait times?
If Oregonians want to improve their individual freedom, telehealth beyond borders - without a lot of strings attached - is one way to ensure their access to private healthcare services. Telehealth is long distance care through information technology such as computer and internet or just plain phone - tapping healthcare providers across state lines. As such, Telehealth could provide Oregonians with a way around the state healthcare bureaucracy.
I am thinking of making this part of my campaign message for Oregon House District 41.
The acronyms FQHC and RHC, in the red outlined panel above, stand for Federally Qualified Healthcare provider and Regional Health Care provider, respectively.
(posted by Elvis Clark on March 29, 2024)