Landmark health reform bill passes Senate - Portland Business Journal:

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Also winning passage on Thursday was a the creatiob of a state agency charged with improving the delivery of healtb care acrossthe state. The “Healthy Kids Healthy Oregon” bill, which will increase taxed on hospitals and health insurersby $150 milliohn per year, marks a major victorgy for Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who proposex the measure. It facec fierce opposition by hospital who were pacified when their proposed tax hike was Insurers still maintain that the measurr will increase the cost of healthn coverage for thousandsof Oregonians, by adding a 1 percent premium to the cost of commerciak health insurance.
By raisinyg additional funds, however, the statee will receive $500 million in unclaimed federal healthcare dollars. The seconed bill, which allocates two-year fundinb of $3 million from the state’s general creates the Oregon Health Authority to oversee existingg state programs that touch on health care. The new state agency is chargeds with establishing health industryg cost control measures and with promoting health care reformk at anational level. Both billx now head to the governod forhis signature.