Policy Analysis of the Oregon Health Plan
Running Head: FHS 327 FINAL PROJECT A Policy analysis: The Oregon Health Plan Introduction and definition of the issue--why is it important to analyze? The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is a public and private partnership to ensure access to health care for Oregonians. The major components are: Medicaid reform, insurance for small businesses, and a high risk medical insurance pool. “In addition, OHP includes provisions for oversight, research, and analysis to achieve the best use of health care funding” (Department of human services; Oregon health plan a historical overview (2006, p 2). According to the DHS (Department of Human Services, p 1), their current goals are a complex set of ideas that affect every Oregonian, resulting in the need for a closer, more structured analysis. They include: ➢ All citizens should have universal access to a basic level of care. ➢ Society is responsible for financing care for poor people. ➢ There must be a process to defining a “basic” level of care. ➢ The process must be based on criteria that are publicly debated, reflect a consensus of social values, and consider the good of society as a whole. ➢ The health care delivery system must encourage use of services and procedures that are effective and appropriate, and discourage over-treatment. ➢ Health care is one important factor affecting health; funding for health care must be balanced with other programs that also affect health. ➢ Funding must be explicit and economically sustainable.
➢ There must be clear accountability for allocating resources and for the human consequences of funding decisions (2006, p 1). Therefore, looking at a the OHP with respect to its relative history, what policy options are available, including trade-offs, a clearer view of
➢ There must be clear accountability for allocating resources and for the human consequences of funding decisions (2006, p 1). Therefore, looking at a the OHP with respect to its relative history, what policy options are available, including trade-offs, a clearer view of
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