July 31, 2024 | Oregon’s Health Crossroads: How Can the State Replace its Pioneering System to Battle Wasteful Care?
Nearly 30 years ago, Oregon launched a system to require care covered by the Oregon Health Plan to be cost-effective and evidence-based. The goal? To create the most good for the most people. But the concept of rationing has long been controversial, and the state recently agreed with the federal government to eliminate the program.
Join our panel of experts for the continuation of our “Crossroads” series as they discuss what the state could do to replace the so-called ‘prioritized list’ of covered treatments and services. Can the program become something better?
Moderator
Emily Harris – Journalist
Emily Harris is an award-winning reporter with global, national and local experience, currently acting as senior advisor and forum moderator for the Oregon Health Forum. She is also the co-founder of a local news nonprofit, Oregon News Exploration, working to increase high-quality, community-first reporting to underserved communities in Oregon and SW Washington.
Panelists
Dr. Holly Jo L Hodges – Medical Director of Government Programs, Moda Health
Dr. Hodges is the Medical Director of Government Programs for Moda Health Plans, serving OHP members in the Eastern Oregon Coordinated Care Organization. She also served as the Insurance Industry Rep. and Vice-Chair of the Health Evidence Review Commission for nine years and currently chairs the HERC’s Value-Based Benefits Subcommittee.
Devan Kansagara – Professor of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University; Staff Physician, VA Portland Health Care System
Devan Kansagara is a Professor of Medicine at OHSU, and he practices and teaches internal medicine in the VA Portland Health Care System. He has held leadership roles in numerous evidence-based health care decision making groups and currently serves as chair of the Health Evidence Review Commission.
Dave Baden – Deputy Director for Policy & Programs, Oregon Health Authority
Dave Baden, formerly Oregon Health Authority’s chief financial officer, came to OHA from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where he was most recently deputy CFO. His accomplishments at OHA include managing OHA’s procurement process for Coordinated Care Organizations, as well as multiple critical roles during the pandemic.
Paul Terdal – Business Consultant; Health Consumer Advocate
Paul Terdal is a Portlander and an advocate for patient access to affordable, effective healthcare. For the last 15 years, Terdal has worked to help Oregon families access medically necessary, evidence-based care for autism and other medical conditions through legislation, regulatory action and litigation.
Charles Gallia – Health Policy & Research Consultant
Charles Gallia is a health care consultant working on policy research. He served as a Medicaid specialist for a local Education Service District & local school districts on Medicaid billing for kids with special health care needs. Charles also spent nearly 20 years with the OHA as a senior policy advisor for research & evaluation of the OHP.
Annual Sponsors
To discuss forum sponsorship opportunities, please contact Christian Gillespie at cgillespie@oregonhealthforum.org