01-22-18 City Council Agenda Packet

Home Browse Search

ith the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Oregonians are benefiting from better access to health care. Recently, Lane County opened two new community health clinics to respond to the new Medicaid population, and our regional Coordinated Care Organization, Trillium Health Plan, continues to integrate primary care, dental care, and mental health care to maximize each Medicaid dollar. This framework is the result of a successful federal CMS 1115 Demonstration Waiver, which Oregon was able to gain in 2012, which was renewed in January 2017 and runs through 2022. The first waiver brought new federal dollars into Oregon, and that funding has assisted with significant transformation of health care delivery. As a result, Oregon is providing better health outcomes at a lower cost. Where most states are experiencing annual growth in health care costs of 4.5%-5.5%, Oregon has held its growth rate to 3.4% and, with the new waiver, is committed to holding that rate through 2022. However, the new waiver through 2022 does not come with the funding included with the first waiver. Therefore, the Oregon Health Authority faces a cut to their budget by 1.4 percent and faces further uncertainty without a reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program and funding for the federal qualified health centers and Community Health Clinic fund. We continue, to struggle to recruit primary care providers and are taking concrete steps to attract new providers to our community, which is made more difficult due to the absence of a hospital-based physician residency program within Lane County. In addition, the Oregon Health Authority and the US Department of Justice have entered into an agreement known as the Oregon Performance Plan which should substantially assist in the development of community based mental health services for those individuals with severe and persistent mental health issues. This partnership is critical as the region continues to see an increase in opioid abuse related problems. United Front partners agree upon the need for continued funding and support of on-going programs that enhance early childhood health, education, and safety. These investments create long-term community benefits by reducing the load on social service providers over the course of a person's lifetime. While these investments are critical, our communities continue to face a homelessness crisis that impacts quality of life for all residents, and appears to be getting worse in spite of an improving economy. Furthermore, the health of our community directly correlates with the impact our local food and beverage cluster has on enhancing community wellness through partnerships, job training, and increased access to healthy foods. Lane County's local food and beverage sector was one of the only industries that continued to create jobs during the recession. Oregon has one of the largest concentrations of food processing businesses in the United States. Lane County is rooted in heritage and a culture that supports the local food industry, with many strong players in the niche specialty: natural and craft food markets.