September 22, 2026 | It’s Go Time: Forging a path forward

About

With costs soaring, access dwindling and major federal Medicaid cutbacks looming, healthcare leaders have mapped a system overhaul to improve care and spend less. Join us to learn about and comment on their proposals, including such key pillars as primary care and behavioral health. Tasked by Governor Kotek, the Health System Sustainability Group is led by former Governor Kitzhaber.

This forum, a partnership between Oregon Health Forum and The Foundation for Medical Excellence, begins laying groundwork for action in the 2027 state Legislature. View HSSG summary and report.

Featuring

Betsy Boyd-Flynn – Executive Director, Oregon Academy of Family Physicians (OAFP)

In her leadership role at OAFP, Ms. Boyd-Flynn represented providers on the Health System Sustainability Group. She previously served on the Oregon Medical Association executive leadership team. With a focus on coalition building, she believes primary care delivered by family physicians is a powerful engine for improving health and driving change.

Ann Ford, MPH, MBA – CEO, Greater Oregon Behavioral Health Inc. (GOBHI); President, Eastern Oregon CCO

Ms. Ford leads both this rural and frontier behavioral health and social service network and the EOCCO, which is a partnership between GOBHI and Moda Health, integrating care across Baker, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Lake, Malheur, Morrow, Sherman, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa and Wheeler counties. Her health system transformation work includes service on the Health System Sustainability Group.

Bruce Goldberg, M.D. – Professor, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health; Former Director, Oregon Health Authority

Dr. Goldberg helped create the Oregon Health Authority, where he served as director and spearheaded the nationally recognized transformation of Oregon’s health plan for low-income Oregonians to one based on a coordinated care model. Governor Kotek tapped him to lead the Medicaid Advisory Group, which released cost-cutting options for the Oregon Health Plan in early July.

John Kitzhaber, M.D. – President, The Foundation for Medical Excellence; Former Oregon Governor

John Kitzhaber is the author of the Oregon Health Plan and architect of subsequent reforms establishing the Coordinated Care Organizations. He leads the Health System Sustainability Group, commissioned by Governor Tina Kotek to outline major reforms to lower healthcare costs without compromising quality or access.

Moderator

Cathy Kaufmann – Founding Member, Nexus Health Strategies

Ms. Kaufmann specializes in healthcare system transformation with state Medicaid agencies, county governments, Medicaid managed care plans and health systems. As founding director of the Oregon Health Authority Transformation Center, she helped establish the CCOs in 2012, implement the Affordable Care Act and streamline and improve Medicaid enrollment.