What are the hospitals and health plans bringing to the table with this proposal?
Under this proposal, hospitals and health plans will participate in the processed claims assessment in exactly the same way as any other business, labor trust and or consumers would. In addition, health plans will be assuming the responsibility for administration of the new assessment and will ultimately be liable for the tax payments. Hospitals will continue to provide the charity care for an increasing number of Oregonians who will still be without insurance coverage. As an example, over the past 5 years, Oregon hospitals have provided $2 billion dollars of charity care at the same time they have been paying the current hospital tax to support expanded coverage. Given our recession, experts agree that the amount of charity care will significantly increase, even with the much needed OHP expansion. The other major contribution the hospitals and insurers are bringing to the table, is the work they are currently leading to “bend the cost curve” through the Health Leadership Task Force. W
