In an effort to boost revenue for the state’s Medicaid program, the Oregon House voted Thursday to extend a levy on hospitals and health insurance plans.
In order to support federal financing for the Oregon Health Plan, the state’s Medicaid program that offers health care to low-income and disabled people, House Bill 2010 would modify and prolong taxes on hospitals and health insurers.
The Oregon Health Plan, which covers 1.4 million Oregonians, including more than half of the state’s children, is anticipated to receive $2.1 billion in tax revenue.
A combination of federal and state money, including hospital and insurance provider assessments, support the Oregon Health Plan.
However, because the levies unleash billions of federal matching monies, the hospitals support them. The majority of state Medicaid spending is financed by the federal government. For every $1 Oregon spends on Medicaid, the federal government gives $1.37, according to the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University.
In essence, it lowers the quantity of treatment given to uninsured patients and gives the hospitals more money in the form of increased payments for the care they give to low-income Oregonians.
Because it allows the state to obtain more federal financing for the Oregon Health Plan, adopting HB 2010 is one of the legislative session’s top goals, according to the Hospital Association of Oregon, a significant lobbying organization that advocates for hospitals in the state. The state can obtain substantial federal matching payments, which account for around 25% of Oregon’s Medicaid funding, by leveraging these levies.
According to a statement from the hospital association’s president and CEO, Becky Hultberg, “We’re excited to see this bill get across the finish line because it protects access to care for so many Oregonians.” Additionally, hospitals rely on these monies to help maintain access to vital services in communities around the state, such as maternity care.
While the tax on health insurance plans will sunset in 2026, the hospital tax in Oregon is scheduled to expire in September. The expiration dates of these tax agreements would be extended until 2032 under HB 2010.
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House Speaker Julie Fahey, a Democrat from Eugene, stated in a statement that one in three Oregonians depend on the Oregon Health Plan for their health coverage. In addition to ensuring that our hospitals and providers have the resources necessary to serve all Oregonians, HB 2010 will help guarantee that those Oregonians will continue to have access to care.
Before the House floor vote, Rep. Andrea Valderrama, D-Portland, who voted in favor of the bill, stated that 42% of Oregon Health Plan enrollees are persons of color and that the state’s Medicaid program covers over half of all births in the state.
According to Valderrama, this means that thousands of parents, irrespective of their financial situation, have access to essential services like routine checkups, ultrasounds, complication screens, nutritional counseling, and maternity care in many of our community hospitals. Reauthorizing these funds demonstrates a dedication to preserving low-income families’, elderly people’s, children’s, and rural communities’ access to care.
Before the law can be signed by Governor Tina Kotek, it must first pass the Senate.
Without knowing what the future holds for Medicaid at the federal level, the Oregon House passed HB 2010. A budget resolution that asks for cuts to a portion of spending that is dominated by Medicare and Medicaid was passed by the U.S. House on Tuesday.
The effects of congressional Medicaid cuts on Oregon and its federal financing for the Oregon Health Plan are unknown.
–Kristine de Leon uncovers tales about data enterprise, small company, retail, and consumer health. [email protected] is her email address.
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