How Oregon Is Getting ‘Frequent Flyers’ Out Of Hospital ERs
The state is trying to reduce health care costs by encouraging those who constantly turn up at the ER to get their health care from regular doctors instead.
Oregon’s Dilemma: How To Measure Health
The federal government has allocated $2 billion to Oregon to test ideas for coordinating care given by doctors, nurses, and hospitals. Now, the state has to figure out how it will measure its success
Health Law Covers Breast Pumps, But Not All Moms Get The Best
Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance plans are required to give new mothers equipment and services to enable them to breast feed. What the law doesn’t say, however, is what kind of equipment has to be provided.
Putting The ‘Care’ Into Long-Term Care Insurance
States enact new rules to help consumers make claims.
The Great Fluoride Debate In Portland
Portland, Ore., is the largest American city that doesn’t add fluoride to its drinking water. Activists have been vocal, for and against a proposal to change that. The science shows that fears of side effects from small amounts of fluoride to protect teeth are unfounded.
Oregon’s $2 Billion Medicaid Bet
Gov. John Kitzhaber, a former emergency room doctor, has convinced the federal government that he has a way to make Medicaid treatment better, and cheaper, by completely changing the way the sickest people in the state get health care.
Oregon Emphasizes Choices At Life’s End
The state has been at the forefront of trying to make sure a person has as much control over the end of life as possible with a detailed directive that has been adopted by 14 other states.
Grading Docs With Electronic Medical Records
Digitized medical records have the potential to have a powerful effect on doctors’ behavior and patients’ care.
Oregon Wants To Grade Its ACOs
Oregon’s Gov. John Kitzhaber, a Democrat and a physician, is pushing for a way for the state’s health plans to coordinate care better for patients.
