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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (June 18, 2025)
June 18, 2025 Page 9 Oregon to get Lower- Cost and Lifesaving Treatment in 2026 H eaLtH Cleveland Indians right fielder Melky Cabrera sprays sunscreen before a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Sunday, July 22, 2018, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde, File) Oregon to get lower-cost and lifesaving treatment in 2026 Focusing on People with Rare and Severe Diseases Beginning January 1, 2026, Oregon will be able to increase access to low- er-cost, lifesaving cell and gene thera- pies for people on Oregon Health Plan (OHP), the state’s Medicaid program. Oregon is one of 35 states that ap- plied in 2024 to join a multi-year ini- tiative with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to negotiate lower costs for innovative therapies. By lowering costs for participating states, the Cell and Gene Therapy Access Model will improve access to transfor- mative treatments for people who have health coverage through Medicaid and live with a rare or severe disease. States will initially focus on pro- viding lower-cost therapies for people living with sickle cell disease, a genet- ic blood disorder that affects 120,000 individuals nationally, the majority of whom are Black, African American and/or Hispanic. Approximately 800 Oregonians live with sickle cell disease. The average lifespan for people living with sickle cell disease is 20 years short- er than the national average life expec- tancy. Individuals living with the disease can experience severe and painful symp- toms such as organ damage and strokes, resulting in multiple hospitalizations, organ failure and even death. CMS esti- mates that 50-60% of people living with sickle cell disease are enrolled in Med- icaid and the U.S. health system spends $3 billion each year on care for people living with the disease. “The cost of cell and gene therapies for sickle cell disease is a real barrier that prevents Oregonians from living longer, healthier lives with less pain and fewer trips to the emergency room,” said Emma Sandoe, Medicaid Director for Oregon Health Authority. “This ini- tiative is a big step forward in promot- ing innovative treatments and increas- ing access to lifesaving treatment.” Cell and gene therapies are one-time treatments that can transform lives by correcting underlying causes of a dis- ease, addressing symptoms and stop- ping the progression of diseases. How- ever, gaining access to these potentially life-changing treatments can be difficult because they can cost millions of dollars. Through the Cell and Gene Thera- py Access Model, CMS will negotiate agreements with participating phar- maceutical manufacturers on behalf of states. Pricing for treatments will be tied to specific outcomes for Medicaid members including improved access to innovative treatment, improved health as well as reductions in health care costs and burdens to state Medicaid programs. You Should Wear Sunscreen Even If You Have Darker Skin Excessive Sun Exposure Can Cause Painful Sunburn, Experts Warn People with darker skin still need to wear sunscreen — for more reasons than one. Too much ultraviolet exposure from the sun can lead to sunburn, dark spots and wrinkles, and increased risk of skin cancer. The melanin in darker skin offers some extra protection from the sun, but derma- tologists say that isn’t enough on its own. “Everyone needs sunscreen. But the reasons that one might be reaching for sunscreen may differ depending on your skin tone,” said Dr. Jenna Lester, who founded the Skin of Color Clinic at the University of California, San Francisco. White people are overall more likely to get skin cancer compared to Black and Hispanic people. But Black and Hispanic people are less likely to survive the most dangerous kind of skin cancer called melanoma, according to the American Cancer Society. Black patients more commonly get melanoma on their hands and feet — places that are more shielded from the sun. Still, sunscreen is an additional pro- tective layer that helps prevent a host of other problems including sunburns, hy- perpigmentation after acne, rosacea and dark patches on the face. Dr. Oyetewa Asempa at Baylor Col- lege of Medicine often reminds her dark- er-skinned patients: “All of the prob- lems that you’re coming to see me for are caused or worsened by the sun.” To stay safe in the sun, it’s important to grab sunscreen with a sun protection factor or SPF of at least 30 and reapply every two hours. People headed for the pool or beach should put on sunscreen before- hand, remembering to reapply liberally and after getting out of the water. Most people don’t wear enough sun- screen when they apply, Lester said. Make sure to put two long fingers’ worth on the face and a hefty blob for the body. Look for chemical-based sunscreens to avoid ashy white cast. Two key ingre- dients in mineral-based products — zinc oxide and titanium oxide — are the cul- prits for that pesky discoloration on dark skin. Tinted sunscreens contain pigments that block visible light from the sun, of- fering additional protection against dark spots. And wearing a hat or sun-protec- tive clothing with an ultraviolet protec- tion factor or UPF grading can provide an extra safety boost. Whatever the sun protection routine, it’s important to keep it up, Lester said. Some UV rays can climb right through car and house windows to cause sun damage even when indoors, making it even more important to take care of the skin while the sun shines. “It’s about trying to make it a daily hab- it,” she said. “Consistency over intensity.”
