Oregon news and information

The federal government needs to prevent the ripple effects of a new Oregon law from protecting bad doctors, consumer advocacy group Public Citizen says. The first statewide law of its kind, SB 483 allows facilities, doctors and patients to settle malpractice claims or injuries through mediation...
FULL STORY »

On a recent Wednesday morning, a hospital in Portland, Ore., paged Dr. Christina Milano, a family physician, to notify her that one of her patients was in the emergency room. Within a half-hour, another hospital called when the same patient showed up in its ER.
FULL STORY »

Some states are emulating Oregon, and others are following somewhat different paths to control Medicaid costs and improve quality of care for their low-income residents. Some are focusing first on payment and...
FULL STORY »

See a sampling of states' videos promoting their health insurance exchanges.
FULL STORY »

The American Academy of Family Physicians reports that there are only six states at this point where primary-care physicians are receiving enhanced Medicaid managed-care payments under the healthcare reform law to bring them up to Medicare payment levels.
FULL STORY »

The emergence of unexpectedly low-cost health plans in some state insurance exchanges means that federal subsidies to exchange subscribers earning less than 400% of the poverty level will be lower than expected in some states.
FULL STORY »

Six elected officials are included in this year's 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare list, and it's an even mix: three Democrats, three Republicans; three based in Washington, three based in the states; and three...
FULL STORY »

The AMA has issued a strong criticism of the proposed 2014 Medicare physician-fee schedule, and also fired back against attacks on its Medicare physician payment advisory panel.
FULL STORY »

The online insurance exchange that Oregon established under the healthcare law will not allow residents to sign up for coverage on their own when enrollment begins nationwide on Oct. 1.
FULL STORY »

Doctors who get paid by makers of artificial implants for using their product must let patients know about it, according to a first-of-its-kind legal action by the Oregon Department of Justice.
FULL STORY »