Political Science Assignment

Oregon Legislative Assembly

It started on Friday Mar 6, 2015 when we decided to attend the 78th Oregon Legislative Committee about Health Care. We read the entire agendas before we attended it, and they were really interested topics that not only we will use it in the assignment, but it can help and benefit us in our real life if they were applied. The committee was meeting in Oregon Capitol Hall, room HR E. The Committees members consisted of Chair REP. Greenlick, Mitch, VICE-CHAIR REP Nosse, VICE CHAIR REP Hayden , REP Keny-Guyer, REP Weidner, REP Lively, REP Kennemer, REP Buehler, and REP Clem. Committee Administration. Sandy Thiele-Cirka and Committee assistant Mania Daniel.

They started with the work session HB 2234 which Requires Oregon Health Authority and insurers offering policies or certificates of health insurance that reimburse costs of physician services to create billing codes or alternative mechanism to enable community assessment center to bill for child abuse medical assessment and related services.

It started with a testimony from Gene Wisenhouse, and what said was that they testified on this before, and we still looking for compromise and fix solution how actually we build or going to pay this, and he supports dash 4 a lot of effort by lobbyist and representatives in the health authority and providers. So the action on this was Do Pass recommendation as Amended and Be Printed Engrossed. All the committee members voted I on it.

Then they moved to HB 2825 which Carried Over from 3/4/15 Agenda: Requires Oregon Health Authority to seek out and apply for funding for, and appropriates moneys from General Fund to pay for, crisis intervention services and residential care for individuals with mental illness.

The action on this was Do Pass recommendation as Amended and that be referred to the committee reference. All the committee members voted I on it.

After that they moved work session HB 2541 to Wednesday, and move to HB 2560 which Carried Over from 3/4/15 Agenda: Requires health benefit plan to cover cost of colonoscopy for insured who is 50 years of age or older and who has positive fecal immunochemical test result.

So the action on this was Do Pass recommendation as Amended and Be Printed Engrossed. All the committee members voted I on it.

Then they moved to work session HB 2307 which Prohibits mental health care professionals and social health professionals from providing any service to person under 18 years of age for purpose of attempting to change person's sexual orientation or gender identity. It was moved to Monday because, REP Lively, REP Kennemer think there are a lot of questions out there for them, and they still chasing them down. After the work sessions part, the committee jumped to the public hearing session and they started with REP Keny-Guyer who Carried HB 2930 which Requires hospital to adopt rules granting admitting privileges to licensed, certified nurse midwife nurse practitioner saying that she has been working with direct entry midwife previously. And make sure that they had a strong choice and access, and quality delivery through the direct treatment for midwifes. Then Sarah Wickenhagen, the advance practitioner policy analyst in the Oregon board of nursing. She testified how important this bill is and capabilities to ensure patient safety.

Lora Janson who is a certified midwife nurse says that %96 of those birds according hospital sitting, and how the hospital’s limitations effectively effect what they been trained to do. That bill will be open for public hearing. HB 2931 who is carried by REP, Keny-Guyer and Senator Michael Dembrow which Directs Oregon Health Authority to disseminate to school districts information related to elevated levels of radon. REP Keny-Guyer described how serious is the Radon is. APA ranked that Radon as the most serious environment health problem we are facing now. It’s the highest leading cause for cancer after smoking in the States. It’s a disease that not many people know about because it’s a natural currying gas goes through soil. They will open an open public hearing for that bill. Lastly, HB 2600 which Requires continuation of group health insurance coverage for employee on family leave on same terms as when employee is not on leave. And HB which Requires Oregon Health Authority to submit blueprint for basic health plan to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services by December 31, 2015. Will both receive a public hearing.

Finally, The committee ended around 2:55 PM after discussing all these bills, and closed the public hearing for the HB 2934.