A bill to increase health care transparency and accessibility for users of the Oregon Health Plan (OHP), Senate Bill 134 B, is on the move in the Legislature.
The bill requires Coordinated Care Organizations (CCOs) to publish information on the web to educate consumers about behavioral health best practices and expectations relating to quality of care screening, and treatment and provide other resources for mental illness and substance use disorders. The bill also allows for tribes to engage at the local level for Medicaid reimbursement.
SB 134 B was brought to the Legislature to create an increased level of transparency around behavioral health within CCOs, increase coordination of data and collaborative efforts between CCOs and providers, and is strongly supported by Multnomah County.
In the House Committee on Health Care public hearing, Association of Oregon Counties (AOC) Legislative Affairs Manager, Andy Smith in his testimony on the bill noted, “AOC strongly supports this bill. Just a little context in terms of counties in terms of OHP, about 25 percent of our state’s population is on OHP. In 11 of our counties, that number is over 30 percent. Behavioral health is a top healthcare need for our constituents.” In his testimony, Smith called out the elements of the bill AOC members support as strengthening access and utilization, and creating pro-consumer tools for individuals who need mental health services.
As the 2019 Legislative Session is winding down, there are a few stops left for this bill. It first passed the Senate with a unanimous vote on April 11, and passed the House Committee on Health Care with amendments on May 14. With a current backlog of bills to be third read on the House floor, the bill may move slowly from the House, but will need to go back to the Senate for concurrence on the new amendments adopted in the House.
Contributed by: Megan Chuinard | Public Affairs Associate