OAHHS Spring Summer 2019

13 Spring/Summer 2019 When we see costs doubling and tripling for common but lifesaving drugs like insulin, it threatens people’s lives and the sustainability of our health care system overall. Oregon has been using the word “transformation” for several years to describe health care. Have we really transformed the system? Transformation is a journey, and we are still in the early stages of that journey. Oregon has long been an innovator in health reform with a triple aim goal of lower costs, better health care and improved health. Our transformation goal has been to change the health care delivery system by reducing waste, improving outcomes, and creating accountability. Evidence shows it is working: Oregon’s Medicaid CCOs have seen a 50 percent reduction in avoidable emergency department use and increased utilization of preventive care. The CCOs have saved taxpayers more than $1.9 billion over the first five years, but we are not done. This is a path that we will always be on as we face increasing cost pressures and changing demographics. The next stage of transformation must address issues of equity and health disparities in our state and the critical need for increased access to behavioral health services. We also must increase our adoption of value-based payment systems. Finally, we now recognize that social factors such as housing, education and jobs have a greater impact on long-term health outcomes than medical care. The next stage of our journey will require that health systems engage with communities to address social determinants of health. What can the state do to improve health care in the rural parts of Oregon? The Affordable Care Act, including Medicaid expansion, has had a tremendous impact on rural communities. In some rural counties, close to 40 percent of residents are on the Oregon Health Plan. We need to continue to improve access to quality care for rural Oregonians, and develop the capacity and diversity of the health care workforce, with a focus on the unique needs of workers in rural Oregon. Creating good jobs throughout the state also can improve health outcomes. My Future Ready Oregon initiative is providing skills and job training to students and adults, helping to close the gap between the skills that Oregon’s workers have and the skills that Oregon’s growing businesses and rural communities need. There is now broad agreement that access to clean, safe housing is critical to health. Does that help in the push to create more affordable housing in Oregon? Chronic homelessness and rising rents have created a housing crisis in Oregon, and there is a lot of support this legislative session to invest in affordable housing. Housing plays a key factor in the health of communities. Recognizing the importance of this connection, the Oregon Health Authority and Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) are collaborating to invest in permanent supportive housing to create at least 200 new units of housing with supportive services across Oregon. Tell us something people don’t know about you. I regularly practice yoga for the benefits it has on my mental and physical well-being.