Buehler lays out health care plan; Brown fires back

Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, the Republican nominee for governor. announced his vision, goals and plans for health care in Oregon on Wednesday at The Center, the medical practice he helped found. It didn’t take long for Gov. Brown’s campaign to respond, attacking Buehler’s record as a lawmaker on various health care votes.

Here first is Buehler’s news release, in full, followed by Brown’s:

The six-point health care plan has big important goals that will help lead to a healthier Oregon. This is the second policy proposal Buehler has released; his first was education in June.

“Oregon was once a leader in health care policy innovation and delivery. But today, unfortunately, Oregon is known for scandals, lawsuits, mismanagement and waste. This chaos has gone on for far too long. Millions have been wasted that should have been used to care for those in need,” said Buehler. “Under Governor Brown, Oregon’s health care mismanagement has grown worst, innovation has stalled and our legacy of bipartisan policy-making has all but disappeared.”

The six big important goals to recapture a sense of shared purpose, innovation and collaboration for a healthier Oregon are:

1. Reclaim Oregon’s Leadership in Delivery of Medicaid Services: Protect Oregon’s Medicaid families from federal cuts and put the State Medicaid program on permanent foundation. Advance to the next stage of Oregon’s innovative Community Care Organizations (CCOs).

2. Every Oregonian Who Needs Mental Health Care Gets It: Integrate mental health care into State Medicaid and CCO delivery; expand access to care through walk-in community-based partnerships; reduce the suicide rate; establish evidenced-based standards for substance abuse treatments; stop the criminalization of the mentally ill.

3. Cut Opioid-related Deaths by 50 Percent: Boost medical treatment and peer-to-peer counseling; set evidence-based standards for licensed treatment centers; tighten controls on legal distribution and return of control substances.

4. Support Reproductive Rights and Women’s Health Care: Regardless of changes in federal law, ensure that Oregon remains a pro-choice state with full access to reproductive rights and care; decrease unintended pregnancy rates by 25 percent with greater awareness and expansion of Oregon’s landmark over-the-counter birth control law.

5. Ensure Every Oregon Child is Healthy and Ready to Learn: With nearly 50 percent of Oregon school kids enrolled in Medicaid, improve wellness and dental check-up rates from bottom 10 in the nation to top five in the nation; provide on-site behavioral specialists and peer-support hotlines in public schools with CCO-provided health care.

6. Drive Down Drug and State Employee Health Costs: Empower the Attorney General to prosecute the leaders of price-gouging pharmaceutical companies. Adopt a single formulary to negotiate State procurement of drug purchases; have state workers enter accountable care contracts with hospital and clinic systems in Portland and Willamette Valley to drive down medical care costs.

“Health care is not a luxury – it’s a basic human need. As Governor, this principle will guide me in making decisions to ensure that every Oregonian, no matter your age, income or health, has access to quality and affordable care,” said Buehler.

Click here for Buehler’s health care plan.

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Gov. Brown’s campaign news release:

Fact check: Buehler had a chance to lead on health care, and he left Oregonians behind

Rep. Knute Buehler released a campaign document aiming to cover up his record on health care today, but he can’t erase his votes.

“The real question for Rep. Buehler is why did he vote to cut 430,000 Oregonians off of Medicaid and vote against putting Roe V Wade into state law?” said Christian Gaston, Communications Director for Kate Brown For Oregon. “He can’t walk away from his record as easily as he walked away from Oregon families who need health care.”

The facts:

In 2018, Buehler opposed making coordinated care organizations (CCOs) more transparent and to spend excess revenues on addressing the social determinants of health. On 2/20/2018 Buehler voted no on HB 4018, which requires meetings of the governing body of coordinated care organization in which decisions are made final to be open to the public and to take public testimony. Meetings must be recorded and posted on the CCO’s website. HB 4018 also requires CCOs spend a portion of their annual net income or reserves on services designed to address health disparities and social determinants of health. The bill passed the House 32-26. [Oregon House floor vote on HB 4018, 2/20/18]

In 2017, Buehler voted against Medicaid funding. On 6/15/2017, Buehler voted no on HB 2391, which lowers insurance premiums for hundreds of thousands of people and protects health care coverage for the more than 1 million Oregonians who get care through the Oregon Health Plan, our state’s version of Medicaid. HB 2391 raises revenue from provider taxes and an assessment on insurance premiums. The bill passed the House 36-23 and was signed into law. The bill was referred to the ballot as Measure 101, where voters overwhelmingly approved it. [Oregon House floor vote on HB 2391, 6/15/17]

In 2017, Buehler opposed the Reproductive Health Equity Act. On 7/1/17, Buehler voted no on HB 3391, the Reproductive Health Equity Act on the House floor. HB 3391 requires health benefit plan coverage of specified health care services, drugs, devices, products and procedures related to reproductive health, regardless of gender. It also guarantees access to abortion for all women in Oregon, regardless of immigration status. [Oregon House HB 3391 Floor Vote, 7/1/17]

In 2017, Buehler voted against pharma price controls to stop price gouging. On 4/17/2017 Buehler voted against HB 2387, to create an Oregon Premium Protection Program in the Department of Consumer and Business Services and establish the Oregon Premium Protection Fund to lower out-of-pocket costs, increase transparency, and prevent price gouging. During a March 22 work session on the bill, he said this: “[The] Market will find a way.” In response, a St. Charles emergency nurse said “It’s very disappointing that Rep. Buehler would vote no on this bill, knowing that it will immediately reduce out-of-pocket costs and create transparency in a multi-billion dollar industry.” [Oregon House Health Care Committee, HB 2387, 4/17/17; KTVZ.com, 4/18/17]

In 2015, Buehler opposed a bill to limit co-pays for prescription pharmaceuticals to $100 a month. HB 2951 would limit co-pays and co-insurance for a 30-day supply of a prescription drug to $100. The bill got a hearing in the Health Care committee but did not get a vote. [Oregon House Health Care Committee, 3/16/15]