SALEM, Ore. — A new group under the Oregon Health Authority has officially met for the first time, taking on one of the state’s biggest challenges; making health care more affordable for Oregonians.
The Industry Advisory Committee, formed by the Oregon Health Policy Board earlier this year, is made up of 15 members representing hospitals, insurance providers, county health departments, and medical groups across the state. The committee’s role is to provide expertise and insight to the Committee on Health Care Affordability, a companion group focused on creating policies that reduce costs and improve access for patients and caregivers. Together, the two committees will advise the Health Policy Board on strategies to curb health care cost growth in Oregon.
Members include leaders from major health organizations such as Praxis Health, Legacy Medical Group, Cambia Health Solutions, Trillium Community Health Plan, Providence St. Joseph Health, and Kaiser Permanente, along with representatives from Lane County and smaller regional hospitals.
According to the Oregon Health Authority, the Industry Advisory Committee will focus on reviewing cost trends, identifying cost drivers, and ensuring that proposed affordability recommendations are practical and effective in real-world health care settings. The group is also tasked with fostering collaboration across the industry and challenging existing models to promote innovation and value in health care.
In Monday’s meeting, Oregon Health Policy Board member Bill Kramer said the new committees were created to fill a gap in statewide collaboration.
“At this time, the board also recognized there wasn’t an existing table or group to bring people together to have these conversations about affordability and to think boldly and innovatively about what Oregon could do in this space,” Kramer said. “So this led to the creation of the Affordability Committee and the Industry Advisory Committee.”
A recording of today’s meeting — and future sessions — will be posted on the Oregon Health Authority’s website here https://www.oregon.gov/oha/hpa/hp/pages/industry-advisory-committee.aspx