Great News About Reforming Health Care in Oregon

Some really good news today, thanks to some really good work by the Oregon Legislature and Governor Kitzhaber:

The news (courtesy The Oregonian):

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber has struck a deal with the federal government that is worth $1.9 billion over the next five years.

and

A statement released Thursday morning from D.C. spells out the terms: An initial $620 million investment from the federal government to come in 2013, with $1.9 billion expected over five years. With the money and a new coordinated care system, Oregon expects to save $11 billion in the next decade.

Today OHSU President Joe Robertson explained what this means to OHSU and health care providers across the state.

“In Oregon, particularly in health care, I believe we will remember this day for a long time to come. It is a monumental step in Oregon’s health care reform and helps ensure that all providers can do their part in caring for at-risk Oregonians.

“This is a transformational achievement in the state of Oregon to help create a much more efficient and effective heath care system in the state. However, there is a lot of hard work ahead of us to achieve $11 billion in savings. Today’s news is encouraging, but we must always focus on long-term solutions.”

Joe’s full statement can be found here.