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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 17, 1994)
A ugust 17, 19 9 4 • T he P ortland O bserver P age A 4 — I ...... ' W M * S * roî! " I •’ ' §68 4*.. <nK$nrtlanh<0b«erucr ' The Oregon Health Plan B t J ane C i mmins - (Chair, Oregon Association o f Hos pitals and Health Systems Board and Administrator, Legacy Meridian Park Hospital) In recent weeks, I have traveled throughout parts o f this beautiful state to advocate for an issue that is of critical importance to every Orego nian: the Oregon Health Plan And if Oregon’s future is indeed to be a healthy one, this plan should be em braced and understood by everyone who cares about our state and its destiny. Why do 1 want Oregonians to care about this issue? Because 1 be lieve our viability as a state depends on it. In 1993, Oregon spent $10 bil lion while nationally l5% ofourGross Domestic Product went to health care. These numbers make it imperative that we control the cost of health care. And, as costs continue to grow, so do the numbers of uninsured Oregon ians. Today, more than 600,000 citizens have either inadequate or no health insurance. These are compelling fig ures; this is a compelling issue. Is there a health care crisis in Oregon? Absolutely. Just ask those people in our communities who are private providers, employers, or pub lic administrators working diligently to deliver health services to our citi zens. Or, ask a single, working mother whose children desperately need health care. Discussions about the Oregon Health Plan are frequently offered as the nation debates a federal health plan. Our plan, however, has a con text unique to Oregon. It is designed to control Oregon’s health care des tiny through fiscally responsible ac tion. Its goal is to provide universal health care insurance through a pub- lic/private partnership that assures access to coverage for all Oregonians. Debate about the Oregon plan began during the 1987 legislature. Two years later, in 1989, the original legislative package consisted of three bills that combined methods to pro Howard MacAllister of Milwaukie waits in the reception area of the Physicians and Surgeons' Portland Clinic in downtown Portland. Health care for all Oregonians is the aim of the Oregon Health Plan. To pay the state’s share of $65 million vide health insurance coverage for ditions. The next two legislative sessions, for the expanded Medicaid program the poor, the working uninsured and the medically uninsurable. SB 27 ex in 1991 and 1993, amended that plan called for in the Oregon Health Plan, panded Medicaid to include all indi significantly. 1991 offered SB 1076, the last legislature approved a general viduals and families earning less than which reformed the health insurance fund contribution and a 10-cent per 100 percent o f federal poverty in market for small firms with 3-25 pack increase in the state cigarette employees. In 1993, HB 5530 pro tax. come guidelines. Today, the plan keeps Orego SB 935 established tax incen vided the enabling legislation with a tives for small businesses to provide structure and process for answering nians healthy by doing five importatnt things; moving toward universal cov health insurance to their employees key policy issues on the plan. erage; defining a basic benefit pack The Oregon Health is financed and dependents through an employer age; reforming the small group insur by a combination of federal and state mandate. SB 534 created an insur ance market; offering major cost-con dollars. Oregon's share for the cur ance pool to subsidize coverage for tainment; and providing a strong, bi rent biennium is $436 million out ot a individuals who were uninsurable partisan consensus on health care re because of pre-existing medical con total Medicaid budget of $ 1.2 billion. Nutritionist Offers Advice For Healthy And Enjoyable Restaurant Dining Free Health Lectures O ffered By Portland Adventist The following free programs during September and October are open to the community . They will be presented at Portland Adventist Medical Center, 10123 SE Market Street unless another location is listed. No preregistration is required, unless otherw ise indicated. Fore more informa tion call 256-4000 (toll free from most areas in Portland/Vancouver). FREE HEALTH LECTURES: Leg Pain: Sign of Aging or a Symptom of Vascular Disease Free Non-Fasting Cholesterol and Blood Pressure Screening. Prereg istration required. The Importance of Diagnosis and Treatment - Mark Hart, MD Cardiologist. HELP FOR HERNIAS: In this seminar you will learn: • What is a hemia? • How can hernias be prevented? • What treatment options are available? • Newer ways to treating hernias with mesh, keyhole incisions and laparoscopes which provide reduced postoperative pain, earlier return to work fewer complications and lower reoccurance rate. FREE RELIGIOUS LECTURES: Walla Walla College Seminar Series - This four part seminar looks at issues in the book of Daniel, focusing on the question of relevance for today. Special attention is given to the prophetic chapters of Daniel 7,8 and 9 from both historical and contemporary perspectives. SUPPORT GROUPS: Ex-smokers Support Group - Stopping smoking is a process, not an event. Recovery from nicotine addiction is not something you do alone. Meet with other ex-smokers for support. Heart Talk - This monthly support group for heart patients and their families is an ideal time to share concerns and learn methods to cope with the effects o f heart disease W'omen with Cancer - This group prov ides education and support and increases coping skills. C all 251 -6301 SENIOR HEALTH SEMINAR: Taking the Pills & Learning the Skills - When your doctor prescribes a pill or medication, do you know the right question to ask'’ How familiar are you with potential problems with taking multiple medications? These and other questions will be answered by Mary Jo Hubert, registered pharmacist, and Eric Kaplan, pharmaceutical representative Secure Horizons - Learn about the health plan and Medicare and how the two work together for maximum coverage Aids Project Continues HIV Testing Program As part o f the Speak To Your Brothers Project. Cascade Aids Project continues a HIV testing program for gay and bisexual m en. The program is run in conjunction with MCHD, and offers confidential and anonymous testing every Tuesday evening, 6:00- 1 form. Within the context of the plan there are five components that work each day to deliver health care to all Oregonians: The Oregon Medical Insurance Pool iffor Oregonians who have been refused insurance due to preexisting medical conditions. The Small Employer Health In surance created reforms that affect the health plans offered to firms with 3 to 25 eligible employees. The Oregon Medical Assistance Program offers health care benefits for low income Oregonians through Medicaid. The Employer mandate requires that all firms eventually provide cov erage or pay into a state fund through a payroll tax system for each em ployee. Under current law this man date begins on March 31, 1997 for companies with 26 or more employ ees and on January 1, 1998 for those with 25 or less employees. The Insurance Pool Governing Board provides a voluntary small business option for firms with 1 to 25 employees not currently offering cov erage. These programs mean important thing citizens. Today 3,600 Orego nians are already a part of the medical insurance pool. The small business tax credit program has served 7,100 employers. Medicaid, which covers approximately 250,000 low income citizens, has already added 81,000 Oregonians to its coverage. The Basic Health Care Package covers all major diseases ot women, children and men. It includes all pre ventive and screening service. And it provides services such as hospice, prescription drugs, most transplants, routine physical and mammongrams. It also stresses prevention with ser vices such as maternity and newborn care, immunizations, well-child ex ams and preventive dental care. T h a t’s the plan today. But what about tom orrow ? What about the health future o f O regon? Can we keep the m om entum o f the O regon Health Plan alive as the 1995 legislative session loom s? Can we afford the Oregon Health Plan? This is a better question: can we afford not to have the Oregon Health Plan? I believe the answer is a re sounding no. Now more than ever Oregon needs this plan as a way to provide universal coverage, contain costs and assure continued quality health care services for all Orego nians. These important goals for all of us. This is our call to action. 8:00pm, at Cascade AIDS Project, 620 SW 5th Avenue, 3rd floor, Port land,. It is planned that the program will eventually expand to Thursday evenings and two Saturdays each month For more information, call Cascade AIDS Project a, 223-5907. » D ining outside the hom e is not only an enjoyable social o c casion, but also a necessity for m illio n s o f A m erican s w hose hectic lifestyles leave little tim e or inclination to slave over a hot stove. In fact, 1993 was the first year that A m ericans spent more m oney dining out than eating at hom e. N u tritio n ist G eorgia Kostas, MPH, RD, offers p ractical ad vice for finding foods that taste good and are good for you when dining aw ay from hom e. Kostas. who is director o f nutrition at the C ooper C linic at The C ooper A erobics C enter in D allas and author o f The B alancing Act: N utrition and W ight G uide, cau tions health -co n scio u s individu als to eat low -fat, healthy foods both at hom e and in restaurants. And she says m any restaurants are helping by expanding their m enus to offer healthier, go o d tasting choices. K ostas offers the follow ing advice for m aintaining a healthy diet when eating out. TIPS FOR ORDERING IN RESTAURANTS: • Stick to h ealth y entrees sim ilar to what you eat at home. A void s p lu rg in g on h ig h -fa t foods ju st because y o u 're dining out. • O rd e r m e a t b ro ile d or baked. C hoose poultry (w ithout the skin), veal, fish and seafood, or lean cuts o f beef, such as a filet, top sirloin or flank. • D o n ’t hesitate to ask how foods on the menu are prepared, or to request that foods on the m enu be prepared to suit your diet. • O rder w ater, tea, diet soft drinks, club soda or coffee. Lim it drinks that are high in fat and calories, such as m ilkshakes, ice cream drinks, coffee d rinks with ice cream and regular soft drinks. a d v ic e on f o o d s t o A V O ID : • To m aintain a low -fat diet, av o id m enu item s th at fried , cream ed or made with thick g ra v ies, ch eese sau c es or su g ar glazes. If you have no choice, rem ove the crust, push the sauce aside or ju st eat h alf the regular portion. O rder sauces and salad d ressin g s on the side and use them sparingly. • Be careful o f item s that may seem low in fat, but actually are not These include to rtilla chips, soups m ade with cheese or cream , and dishes m ade with nuts. a d d it io n a l a d v ice fo r the “ edge” o ff your appetite. • Frequent the same restau rant or chain when possible. A regular custom er knows the menu and know s what foods can be prepared special w ays to avoid extra fat and calories. • A lcohol can be part o f a CANTALOUPE S w eet fla v o rfu l w h o le m elons ‘ CUT MELONS 24C LB. POUND F.F.V. COOKIES •NUT MALLOWS ‘ TANGO • ROYAL DAINTY •REGAL GRAHAMS DINING IN RESTAURANTS: • D on’t skip m eals, and never arrive at a restaurant “ s ta rv in g .' or you will probably overeat. Snack on an apple or another healthy food beforehand to take 12 to 16 oz PKG. NO W FOR EACH FROZEN YOGURT ÜMPÖÜA ENROLL healthy diet when consum ed in m oderation (no m ore than 10 drinks per w eek). But be careful: Although som e alcoholic drinks, such as b ee r, co n tain no fat gram s, once the alcohol is m e tabolized in the body, it is con verted to fat. F A L P rovidence M ontessori S chool UMPQUA NONFAT $Ä89 HALF GALLON CARTON * Ages 214 to 6 M o n d a y - Friday • 7 a.m. - 6 p.m . EACH NEW! Morning Half-day Montessori Class • Experienced staff • Nutritious lunch snacks • RN • Diversity among children & staff • Creative Movement Class 8 7 2 -2 4 0 0 Providence Child Center • 830 N.E. 47th Avenue wt TliSIITVt Tut nil JIT TO I IMII OUANIIIIIS The FRIENDLIEST STORES IN TOWN since IOOH SPECIALS EFFECTIVE TUESDAY through SUNDAY AUGUST 16 Ihiouqtl 21, 1994 MEMBER OE UNITEO GROCERS F O n Y O lin NTATTFST K IF N O W S S T O IIF O i l f,r.Q 5 2 2 0