Citywide forum, concerns over health care

On Sept. 26 eight panelists spoke to over 200 people and answered questions about health care in Eugene and the state of health care in the area and in Oregon. The panel included Rep. Nathanson, Speaker of the Oregon House Julie Fahey, Lane County Health and Human Services Director Eve Gray, Volunteers in Medicine Executive Driector Deleesa Meashintubby, and doctors and executives representing PeaceHealth, Optum, Trillium, and Clear Health. The Eugene Register Guard (registerguard.com) reported on the forum on October 10. Speaker Fahey described important statewide programs including the Oregon Health Plan, and Oregon’s Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Rep. Nathanson outlined three of her proposals for the next legislative session: prohibit noncompete agreements for staff physicians that prevents them from continuing to see patients after leaving an employer, raise the student-to-faculty ratio allowing more nurses to study, graduate, and begin working in Oregon, and set minimum requirements and registration for urgent care clinics.