Page 18 Agreement saves OHP coverage House and Senate Re- publican leaders an- nounced that they have reached an agreement with the Oregon Hospital Asso- ciation that would allow the state to preserve hospi- tal coverage under the Ore- gon Health Plan (OHP) without the additional cost to the state. Hospital coverage would be maintained through a hospital assess- ment that would leverage federal dollars to cover the cost. Sen. Jackie Winters (R-Salem) chairman of the Joint Ways and Means subcommittee on Human Services said, “It’s our hope that this will allow us to restore hospital cover- age for our most vulner- able citizens within avail- able resources. “This represents great progress to ensure the vi- ability of OHP and is con- sistent with the bi-partisan reforms we have already enacted to put the Health Plan on firmer financial footing.” Key elements of the Republican leadership’s plan to preserve hospital coverage under the Oregon Health Plan include: *Avoiding a $260 mil- lion cost-shift to employers that would result from a loss of state and federal Medicaid resources. *Stabilizing provider reimbursement rates for OHP Plus and Standard. *Using short-term fi- nancing opportunities with new hospital assessments to encourage greater use of managed care for physi- cian services. *Reallocation adminis- trative savings from re- structured managed care services into direct medical care to meet the needs of low-income Oregonians enrolled in the health plan. Did you find it? The first person to bring the ‘hidden’ snow cone in this issue to the ‘I.V. News’ office will receive one free cotton candy at Dave’s Perfect Pizza during the Blackberry Festival. PUBLIC NOTICE TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Josephine County Commissioners will conduct informal meetings with public officials, county depart- ment heads and employees, and other citizens, every legal day, Monday through Friday, with the exception of Wednes- day, between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M., in Room 154 of the Josephine County Court- house. On Wednesdays, the office hours are from 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. A daily schedule of all prearranged meetings will be posted each morning beginning at 8:00 A.M. from the Executive Secretary of the Board of Com- missioners. The purpose of these meetings will be to gather information, discuss issues, and deliberate toward decisions concerning matters of public policy and concern. All inter- ested persons may attend said meetings except those desig- nated as “Executive Sessions.” In addition, notice of advisory board and commission meet- ings are also posted in the Commissioners Office. DONE and DATED this 22nd day of Jan. 1997. JOSEPHINE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Harold Haugen, Chair Jim Riddle, Vice Chair Jim Brock, Commissioner Approved: Steven Rich Josephine County Legal Counsel PUBLISH ONCE A MONTH Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, August 6, 2003