Meetings Allow Input Over Oregon's Health Reform Proposal

Oregon Health Fund Board members will crisscross the state for public input on health care system changes.

Oregon State Capitol by Tim King Salem-News.com

(SALEM, Ore.) - Beginning on May 1st, the Oregon Health Fund Board will kick off a series of 13 community meetings across the state to listen to public input on the broad concepts of health reform.

The Oregon Health Fund Board, established by the 2007 Legislature, is a diverse group of seven citizens responsible for developing a statewide health reform proposal in time for the 2009 Legislative session.

Their volunteer work for this effort is guided by more than 100 committee members who serve on the advisory committees and several workgroups developing recommendations for the Board.

Also guiding the Board will be input from hundreds of Oregonians in cities across the state, from Coos Bay to Ontario, and Astoria to Klamath Falls, who will attend the YOUR OREGON, YOUR HEALTH community meetings.

YOUR OREGON, YOUR HEALTH meetings are sponsored by Northwest Health Foundation, and organized by the Oregon Health Forum, Oregon Health Decisions and the 25 member organizations of the Oregon Health Reform Collaborative.

The meetings will focus on finding common values among Oregonians around health care quality, access, cost and delivery. A report from the meetings will be presented to the Oregon Health Fund Board and the Governor’s health policy team in early July.

Oregon Health Fund Board Chair, Bill Thorndike, President of Medford Fabrication, shares the Board’s commitment to receiving public input through the YOUR OREGON, YOUR HEALTH meetings, "The community dialogues across the state will be valuable listening and learning opportunities for those of us serving on the Board, while also providing information to Oregonians about the current process to create a new system of health care in our state. We need to hear from Oregonians about what they want in that new system."

The evening meetings will be held in Gresham, Newport, Astoria, Klamath Falls, Medford, Washington County, La Grande, Ontario, Coos Bay, Eugene, Bend, Portland and Salem. Childcare and interpreters will be available at each meeting by calling Oregon Health Forum at 503-226-7870 or toll free at 1-800- 501-4220.

Detailed information on the meeting dates and locations can be found at: healthforum.org/events/meetings.html.