Ore. Senate Committee Votes to Beef Up Primary Care

Lund Report:

Jeff Heatherington, president and CEO of FamilyCare Health Plans, one of the state’s largest managed care plans, said the inequities in primary care have existed for 32 years.

“This is an economic issue that’s continued to drive down the number of primary care doctors,” Heatherington said. “There’s always been something that’s stopped us from raising these primary care doctors’ reimbursement.”

The issue has indeed divided the medical community in Oregon. But it’s an issue that likely must be solved if the overall goals of transforming the Oregon Health Plan can be accomplished, said Sen. Chip Shields (D-North Portland)

“I can’t imagine getting to ‘yes’ on the transformation bill without having something that beefs up primary care,” Shields said.

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