The Oregon Caregiver FALL/WINTER 2022 www.ohca.com 20 PUBLIC POLICY Oregon recently concluded a historic election cycle. It resulted in continued Democratic majorities in the State Legislature and former Speaker of the House Tina Kotek (D) emerging victorious from a threeway contest that was the most expensive in the state’s history. As we move forward from the election, the OHCA government relations team is gearing up for the 2023 legislative session. The 2022 election featured uncharacteristically competitive races because of newly drawn congressional and legislative district lines along with retirements of long-serving elected officials. Additionally, voters were making decisions amid an uncertain political climate with major issues impacting the lives of Oregonians, including record-high inflation, a looming recession, Supreme Court action on a range of issues, and concerns about public safety, affordable housing, and homelessness. The upcoming Oregon legislative is a “long” session. Lawmakers convene in January and will have approximately six months to complete their business. During this session, the state will set its budget for the next two years, including consideration of adjustments to Medicaid reimbursement rates. OHCA will vigorously advocate on behalf of its members with a legislative agenda centered on helping to relieve the current workforce crisis, pushing for Medicaid reimbursement rates to meet the true cost of care, and reducing the fiscal burden placed on providers by temporary staffing agencies. In addition, OHCA will evaluate—and engage in as needed—other legislation or regulatory proposals that may have an impact on long term care providers. Workforce The shortage of trained and qualified direct caregivers, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, and certified nursing assistants is challenging the long term care sector and limiting equitable access to services and supports for Oregonians in all areas of the state. It is now well-documented that nursing facilities and community-based care settings have experienced a deeper and more sustained labor shortage than other sectors of the health care continuum. Before the pandemic began, employment levels at hospitals and long term care communities were about the same. But by March 2022,1 nursing facility and residential care facility employment levels fell well below that of hospitals and have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels. Moreover, re-employment patterns varied across the health care sectors with long term care faring by far the worst.2 While 54 percent of hospital workers went back to work for their same employer after making an unemployment claim, only 25 percent did so on long term care settings. Additionally, 40 percent of employees who were employed in long term care and filed an unemployment claim during the pandemic left the sector and took a job in a different field. With all this in mind, OHCA will prioritize advancing legislative concepts that provide support to workers in long term care. One such example is subsidizing the cost of childcare for these employees. More than 80 percent of licensed and unlicensed caregivers in senior care facilities are women, and many of those women are caring for children under the age of 18. Childcare in Oregon is expensive, and many workers must choose between staying in their job and staying home with their children. OHCA believes the state could play a role in providing financial support to long term care workers to help pay for childcare costs, which will improve retention and preserve access to long term care for Oregonians who need it. Medicaid Rates For the past two years, the state’s economic and revenue forecast has looked bright despite the economic challenges posed by the pandemic. OHCA has been able to leverage additional state and federal funds and work with the legislature to make critically needed investments in the sector, including temporary and permanent increases to Medicaid reimbursement and funding to improve long term care infrastructure. 2023 Session Preview By Libby Batlan, Oregon Health Care Association OHCA will vigorously advocate on behalf of its members with a legislative agenda centered on helping to relieve the current workforce crisis, pushing for Medicaid reimbursement rates to meet the true cost of care, and reducing the fiscal burden placed on providers by temporary staffing agencies.
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