Summer 2012 - Oregon Chapter of The American Massage Therapy ...

By Cindy Robert
AMTA-OR Lobbyist
AMTA Oregon News ~ 4
#1 — FORWARD!!!
Governor making more strides in health care transformation
Licensed Massage Therapist included in changes
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has given preliminary approval of a five-year,
$1.9 billion demonstration of a Federal-State partnership to transform the way that care is delivered in Oregon's
Medicaid program. The initial investment of $620 million in the second year of the State’s current biennium
will allow Oregon’s new coordinated care organizations to better deliver higher-quality care for
Medicaid patients while reducing preventable errors. Oregon estimates that this will achieve $11 billion in
savings over the next decade.
The deal brings $620 million this year, another $620 million next year and smaller totals for the last three
years to help underwrite the cost of transitioning to the new system. Kitzhaber and lawmakers counted on
that federal money when they approved the 2011-13 budget.
In 2012, state legislators passed a plan to improve Medicaid, but needed federal money to make it happen.
The transformation centers around the creation of what are called Coordinated Care Organizations (CCO's),
which are teams of health care workers from specific geographic areas. Instead of competing against each
other, doctors, nurses and other health care providers will team up to work together. Eventually, this model
could be extended beyond the Medicaid population.
Alternative providers, such as chiropractors, acupuncturists, naturopathic & optometric physicians, nurses
and massage therapists, worked together to assure that these networks included all types of providers and included
requirements for provider reimbursement, network adequacy and appeals in order to meet the needs
of Oregonians in the Oregon Health Plan. With the
goal of comprehensive, preventive care alternative providers
worked together to assure the right "nondiscrimination"
language was included in the next phase
of Oregon's health care transformation.
For the 600,000 depending on Medicaid, there will not
be big changes right away. There will be a transition
period, and then the first Coordinated Care Organizations
are expected to be up and running by the end of
summer.
Please let AMTA Oregon know what you are hearing
about CCOs and your inclusion in them!
#2 — BALLOT MEASURES
• There are several ballot measures being circulated for
signatures to garner a place on the November election in
Oregon.
• Preventing state and local governments from implementing
a real estate transfer fee/tax.
• Setting up state licensed stores for the sale of medical
marijuana.
• Legalization of marijuana.
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