January 13, 2003
The Fall of OHP
Just a few details on what might be slashed out of the Oregon Health Plan this year:
Lawmakers, for example, will consider paring mental health and addiction treatment for about 110,000 adults; those patients are already scheduled to lose coverage March 1. In his draft budget, Kulongoski has suggested that lawmakers make those cuts permanent.
The same group of about 110,000 patients is scheduled to lose dental care March 1. Kulongoski's budget retains those cuts, and asks lawmakers to slice dental care from an additional 100,000 adults in the Oregon Health Plan, said Lynn Read, acting state medical director.
Also up for debate in the Capitol are prescription drug benefits for about 100,000 adults, Read said.
The normal process on this site is for me to post items about which I have at least some sliver of something to say. Perhaps I'm just tired, or perhaps it's the three-day cold I've been fighting, but I'm just going to leave this one hanging out there in the air.