Yesterday, state officials set new rules for health insurance rate hikes to rein in excessive
rates and unnecessary administrative costs. The new rules also make all rate
filings public.
The rules, which go into effect
April 1, give the Oregon Department of Consumer and
Business Services (DCBS) strong tools to stand up for consumers and small
businesses, and say "NO" to unjustified insurance company rate hikes. And
the information will be out in the open for all to see.
That's critically important as we
enter health insurance renewal season, and are already seeing insurers asking
for double digit rate increases.
The rules implement
a part of Oregon's
homegrown health reform package, which the legislature adopted as law last
June.
Every element of
the OSPIRG family of organizations played an important role in this
accomplishment. Starting two years ago, OSPIRG’s Laura Etherton helped the
Oregon Health Fund Board craft a comprehensive reform proposal to lower health
care costs and save Oregonians an estimated $12 billion over ten years.
Laura’s work with the Health Fund Board was funded in large part by OSPIRG
Student. In addition, OSPIRG Student volunteers collected photo petitions
from students across the state urging swift action to lower costs, testified at
Health Fund Board hearings, and helped generate important media coverage of the
Board’s work. Once the Health Fund Board proposal reached the Legislature
in January 2009, OSPIRG State funded Laura Etherton to work with a
close-knit coalition of legislators, small businesses, childrens’ advocates,
health providers and unions to pass health reform into law in June 2009.
In the last few
months, Laura and this coalition have focused on ensuring that the new law gets
implemented properly – and yesterday’s announcement is a milestone in that
effort. Between these strong rules and the other efforts established by
that health reform package which are now taking shape under the newly formed
Oregon Health Authority, it is clear Oregon is becoming a leader for quality
affordable health care.
Read
Laura Etherton’s post on the OSPIRG State blog last month detailing the elements
of these rules.
Read
a Blue Oregon post by Senator Chip Shields and Representative Chris Harker that
details this issue and OSPIRG’s role in it.
And
learn more about Oregon’s homegrown health care reform here.
