TAPE/#

Speaker

Comments

TAPE 60, A

003

Chair Monnes Anderson

Calls the meeting to order at 1:04 p.m.  Opens an informational meeting on Oregon’s New Web-Based Resource on Hospital Prices.

HOSPITAL PRICES, OREGON’S NEW WEB-BASED RESOURCE ON – INFORMATIONAL MEETING

025

Kevin Earls

Vice President, Finance and Health Policy, Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems.  Submits written testimony on the new website created addressing hospital transparency (EXHIBIT A).  Presents new website, www.orpricepoint.org.  Explains how the website was created.

080

Chair Monnes Anderson

Asks Earls to state the name of the website again.

081

Earls

Responds.  Adds that there is no password needed.  Begins to demonstrate the “basis query” function of the website.

155

Earls

States that data for hospitals will be updated every quarter.  Continues to review the step-by-step process for using the “basic query” function of the website.

200

Earls

Continues to review the “basic query” function of the website.

268

Sen. Morrisette

Asks if an example of professional fees could be added.

275

Earls

Responds that the association does not have that information.

284

Sen. Morrisette

Suggests that an example be added to explain it to consumers.

295

Earls

Discusses lack of communication between patients and hospitals.

300

Chair Monnes Anderson

Discusses examples of equipment that should be added.

312

Earls

Reiterates that the website was created in a short period of time, and more will be evolved and added.  Continues presenting the “basic query” function of the website.

440

Earls

Reviews charts and statistics regarding payer mix.

TAPE 61, A

040

Earls

Reviews statistics about charity care, bad debt and total uncompensated care from the example hospital chosen.

065

Chair Monnes Anderson

Asks why charges are shown instead of actual costs.

068

Earls

Answers question.

118

Sen. Morrisette

Asks if the chart is still referring to Salem hospital.

120

Earls

Affirms.  Discusses information collected for the website.  States that Oregon is one of two states that has a hospital transparency website.

175

Chair Monnes Anderson

Asks for confirmation that every hospital in Oregon has charity care.

176

Earls

Responds.

177

Chair Monnes Anderson

Asks question regarding the format of charity care.

178

Earls

Responds.  Concludes testimony.

185

Chair Monnes Anderson

Comments on the production and content of the website.

190

Sen. Morrisette

Comments on the importance of displaying other charges.

195

Earls

Comments on the content not displayed.

197

Sen. Morrisette

Remarks that the information should be displayed for liability.

198

Earls

States that they will work on addressing that issue.

200

Chair Monnes Anderson

Closes the informational meeting on Oregon’s New Web-Based Resource on Hospital Prices and opens a public hearing on SB 1040.

SB 1040 – PUBLIC HEARING

210

Rick Berkobien

Committee Administrator.  Explains the bill.

235

Erinn Kelley-Siel

Advisor, Governor’s Health Policy Task Force.  Testifies in support of SB 1040 on behalf of Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

275

Dr. Bruce Goldberg

Administrator, Office of Oregon Health Policy and Research.  Testifies in support of SB 1040.

336

Joel Ario

Administrator, Insurance Division, Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS).  Testifies in support of SB 1040.

400

Ario

Continues to testify in support of SB 1040.

TAPE 60, B

005

Chair Monnes Anderson

Asks Ario to address the loss of competition if hospitals report claims data.

008

Ario

Responds.

020

Sen. George

Comments on concerns of section thirteen (13) and section fourteen (14) of SB 1040.  States concerns of disclosing information on page two (2), lines four (4), five (5) and six (6) of SB 1040. 

035

Goldberg

Responds to concerns regarding the disclosure of data from page two (2), lines four (4), five (5) and six (6) of SB 1040.

044

Sen. George

Asks question regarding responsibility of information.

046

Ario

Responds to Sen. George’s concerns from section thirteen (13) of the bill.

075

Chair Monnes Anderson

Notes that Kelley-Siel needs to leave.

077

Sen. George

Asks Kelley-Siel if the Governor knows of the concerns regarding liability under section thirteen (13) of the bill.

080

Kelley-Siel

Responds.

085

Chair Monnes Anderson

Explains to Sen. George the discussion held with the Legislative Counsel office.

087

Sen. Kruse

States that he has the concerns over section (13) of the SB 1040.

095

Mike Becker

Regence BlueCross BlueShield – Oregon.  Submits and presents written testimony in support of SB 1040 (EXHIBIT B).  Explains concerns that need to be addressed.

150

Chair Monnes Anderson

Asks Becker to clarify his second concern regarding hospital transparency.

151

Becker

Clarifies.  Continues testimony.

225

Sen. Morrisette

Asks Becker to comment on miscellaneous charges from hospitals.  Asks if patients know of the additional charges.

235

Becker

Responds.

245

Sen. Morrisette

States that all charges need to be public to have transparency in hospitals.  Asks if Regence covers all hospital charges.

250

Becker

Responds.

265

Sen. Morrisette

Asks if insurance companies handle hospital charges separately.

270

Becker

Answers, yes.  Clarifies that the Chair’s question is referring to the transparency of the miscellaneous charges.

274

Sen. Morrisette

Answers, yes.

276

Becker

Concludes testimony.

280

Chair Monnes Anderson

Recess the public hearing on SB 1040 and opens a work session on SB 824.

SB 824 – WORK SESSION

290

Sen. Kruse

MOTION:  Moves to RECONSIDER the vote by which " Moves SB 824 to the floor with a DO PASS AS AMENDED recommendation ".

294

VOTE:  5-0-0

Chair Monnes Anderson

Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.

295

Chair Monnes Anderson

Closes the work session on SB 824 and opens a work session on SB 882.

SB 882 – WORK SESSION

310

Rick Berkobien

Committee Administrator.  Explains the bill and introduces the -4 amendments to SB 882 (EXHIBIT C).

323

Sen. Kruse

MOTION:  Moves to ADOPT SB 882-4 amendments dated 4/15/05.

VOTE:  5-0-0

Chair Monnes Anderson

Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.

330

Sen. Kruse

MOTION:  Moves SB 882 to the floor with a DO PASS AS AMENDED recommendation and the SUBSEQUENT REFERRAL to the committee on Ways and Means BE RESCINDED.

VOTE:  5-0-0

Chair Monnes Anderson

Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.

SEN. MONNES ANDERSON will lead discussion on the floor.

350

Chair Monnes Anderson

Closes the work session on SB 882 and reopens the public hearing on SB 1040.

SB 1040 – PUBLIC HEARING

356

Sen. Kruse

Comments that he has substantial concerns with section thirteen (13) of the bill. Asks if the report will help patients understand their total hospital costs.

360

Mike Becker

Regence BlueCross BlueShield - Oregon.  Answers, yes.

361

Sen. Kruse

Asks how that is done.

362

Becker

Explains.

369

Sen. Kruse

Clarifies that the discussion is on aggregate numbers.

380

Becker

Answers, yes.  Elaborates.

400

Sen. Kruse

Comments on patients’ reasons for choosing hospitals.

420

Patrick Pine

President, Oregon Health Care Purchasers Coalition.  Corporate Benefits Manager, ESCO Corporation.  Submits and presents written testimony in support of SB 1040 (EXHIBIT D).

TAPE 62, B

030

Pine

Continues testimony in support of SB 1040.

080

Sen. George

Asks if ESCO Corporation sells products to people at different costs.

082

Pine

Answers, yes.

084

Sen. George

Asks if the corporation does any cost shifting with their customers.

085

Pine

Responds.

095

Sen. George

Asks if ESCO Corporation conducts business with the government.

096

Pine

Answers, yes. Elaborates.

100

Sen. George

Asks how ESCO Corporation would feel if they had to disclose all pricing information.

106

Pine

Responds.

118

Sen. George

Asks question regarding cost shifting.

125

Pine

Comments on cost shifting.

135

Lynn-Marie Crider

Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Local 49.  Submits and presents written testimony in support of SB 1040 (EXHIBIT E).

195

Sen. George

Asks if SEIU has employees that work in areas that would be regulated.

199

Crider

Answers, yes.

200

Sen. George

Asks Crider to clarify that SEIU would be negotiating with providers.

204

Crider

Responds.

215

Ruby Haughton

CareOregon, Inc.  Testifies without a stated position to SB 1040.  States concerns with section thirteen (13) of the bill.

245

Chair Monnes Anderson

Asks Bruce Goldberg if long-term facilities are properly included in the bill.

256

Bruce Goldberg

Administrator, Office of Oregon Health Policy and Research.  Answers that they are included.

260

Chair Monnes Anderson

Asks if the Office can collect data without statutory directive.

264

Goldberg

Responds.

275

Scott Gallant

Oregon Medical Association.  Submits and presents written testimony without a stated position to SB 1040 (EXHIBIT F).

350

Chair Monnes Anderson

Comments that SB 1040 will be carried over to Monday, April 25^th.

358

Sen. George

Remarks on Gallant’s testimony.  Comments that the bill could be very costly.  Asks Gallant to comment regarding possible costs of SB 1040.

370

Gallant

Responds.

415

Chair Monnes Anderson

Closes the public hearing on SB 1040.  Adjourns the meeting at 3:00 p.m.