GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Study: Oregon’s Medicaid Experiment Is Working
Oregon Public Broadcasting
“When we were being honest about what we could accomplish in the first five years, we figured we’ve got to get more people access to care and we’ve got to make sure that there’s a level of quality in that primary care that’s more consistent across the state,” Smith said. “The report tells us that we did all of those well.”
Oregon health reforms get mixed check-up
Portland Tribune
He said the next five years would be a significant test of whether the CCOs thrive, adding that federal or state reforms will be needed to address high drug prices. He said the Oregon system “may be well suited to address these issues over the next five years.” The federal government provides a majority of the funding for the Oregon Health Plan but the state chips in a significant portion as well, which drove the Measure 101 fight. The state reforms kicked in even as an expansion mandated under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act flooded the system with billions in additional federal funds as well as nearly 400,000 newly eligible members.
Sudden oak death task force fights for funding
Coos Bay WordLink
The plan was designed to hopefully eradicate sudden oak death by 2019 provided the task force gets the funding it needs. “This is probably the scariest thing we’ve seen as far as a pathogen effecting our economy,” Oregon State Rep. David Brock Smith said. The scientific name of the disease is phytophthora ramorum. he NA-1 strain has been present in Curry County since 2001. In 2015 a new strain of the disease was recognized in Curry County known as the EU-1.
Rep. Marsh holds town hall meeting, reveals goals for short legislative session
KTVL
“There’s going to be a struggle over this,” said Marsh, “But we have momentum and we’re going to push the discussion as far as we can during this session.” She is looking to pass a Greenhouse Gas Cap and Invest program with the goal of reducing green house emissions and producing new revenue. “Overtime, we will be able to achieve as a state, an 80 percent reduction below our 1990 emissions by the year 2050,” she said.
ELECTIONS
Secretive, Business-Oriented Group Launches Attack Ad On Oregon Gov. Kate Brown
Oregon Public Broadcasting
“One of Priority Oregon’s functions is to hold public officials accountable and hold them up to standards of transparency,” said Jill Gibson, a Portland attorney long active in attempts to ban compulsory union dues for public employees in Oregon represented by organized labor. She is now serving as Priority Oregon’s spokeswoman.
OTHER NEWS
Who’s Who of Oregon Politics Gathers to Celebrate the Life of Former Mayor Vera Katz
Willamette Week
For Portlanders, the neighborhoods and structures that Katz did so much to build will provide plenty of other reminders. When Katz was in eighth grade, the printed program distributed at her service said, a teacher asked her class to write did what they wanted on their tombstones. Katz’s choice: “She made a difference.”
OPINION
Editorial: Statistics offer look at value of CTE
Albany Democrat-Herald
The statistics released last week by the state seem to support that belief. As as state officials and legislators look to find ways to continue driving graduation rates, these new statistics offer additional evidence of the value of career and technical education.
Guest: Short legislative session begins soon
Rep. Brad Witt
February 5th marks the beginning of the “short” session, and we recently spent 3 days in Salem preparing for that biennial event. Committees in both Chambers held hearings to introduce legislation proposed by the members. Since the Session will only last 35 days, House members may only introduce two bills, while Senators may only introduce one bill. Standing Committees are allowed to introduce three bills, so by the time it is all said and done, we will probably have around 300 bills to review.
Guest: Pass Clean Energy Jobs bill
Pep Fujas, professional skier who grew up in Ashland, skiing every winter at Mount Ashland. He lives in Salt Lake City with his wife and two young daughters
I am excited to see momentum on pricing climate pollution in Salem. As federal leaders continue to deny climate change, Oregon has a chance to lead the nation in the transition to a clean energy economy — to better the future for our children and our mountains.