[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6284951,"mediaKeyId","2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556","parentId",2576382,"title","Debate erupts over 340B contract‑pharmacy restrictions and a clearinghouse alternative","audioSeconds",4699,"startMs",10161000,"endMs",14860000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556&start=10161&end=14860","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556/thumbnail_10161000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6284951/Oregon/Debate-erupts-over-340B-contractpharmacy-restrictions-and-a-clearinghouse-alternative","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284951-fb324007b3ad33ba5b97907e1ed5547e/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140627&Signature=gMFcEKR4qG72vPrvkhZhkiH7OV8tYY5PpddY8E9OpZ7oTl8dTx3YQ1mdHC7Ew~Ex2o--4yt6DKTh892G1KDBWg329WHelIhKlmG-mJm4xDBIShqhOf8hS0arhF4UfilQLx28R8P67bIRIDULM68gXJBkeTtq8dCN86b7X2PcjgBQ6xIi-SvfbTy-qH34ZFLVE~n0~apehdQqzU4p8Q~wxKacsdtT7oTCACPzNrO~B7NE6oHdUDMm2iqXfW2U5QdV3GQ0jZB8xePcA34mE-h7p~fABst~C7NAp4ZUSUHvUaVsPZptuRuS38N41fH8vcJB8Yo0o4VeLkAIHRPfochY4A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Oregon State Legislature","date","2025-03-11T00:00:00Z","article","The House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care held extended testimony on legislation that would limit manufacturers’ ability to restrict which contract pharmacies covered 340B entities may use and would authorize a clearinghouse approach for verifying 340B claims rather than relying on a claims modifier.

Lede/nut: Sponsors described two complementary policy strands: HB 2,057 (technical change to authorize a neutral clearinghouse for transactional validation in commercial claims) and HB 2,385 (ban on manufacturer contract restrictions that narrow the pharmacies covered entities can designate). Supporters — FQHCs, hospital systems and pharmacy advocates — said pharmacy restrictions implemented in 2020 have forced clinics either to lose discounts or force patients to travel to limited pharmacies; they asked the Legislature to restore long‑standing practice that let covered entities contract with multiple pharmacies to serve patients across large geographies.

Opposition and transparency concerns: Pharma industry representatives and the Biotechnology Innovation Organization opposed statutory limits on manufacturer auditing and other transparency protections. They argued the state should not restrict manufacturers’ ability to require transactional claims flags (a claims modifier) because those flags help detect duplicate discounts and diversion; federal audits by HRSA and OIG have, they said, revealed program misuse in other states.

Clearinghouse proposal: Supporters described a neutral clearinghouse model (Oregon’s Medicaid exclusion/clearinghouse was described as a reference example) in which pharmacies’ dispensed claims and covered entity prescription lists are adjudicated by a trusted third party; that third party would provide validated datasets to manufacturers and PBMs without requiring the pharmacy to resubmit claims (current practice can require claims resubmission days later). Supporters said the clearinghouse reduces administrative burden for contract pharmacies — some national chains have resisted providing claim modifiers — and provides the accurate, consolidated data that manufacturers request.

Economic and policy stakes: Opponents warned the 340B program has grown dramatically and must be reined in or reformed at the federal level; they argued state statutes that prevent transaction‑level flags risk duplicate discounts and reduce program oversight. Supporters argued the clearinghouse is the “gold standard” and already used in Medicaid in Oregon. Testimony included both technical details and examples of how local clinics use 340B savings to subsidize uncompensated care, medication assistance programs and rural pharmacy access.

Committee action: The hearing included testimony from a wide array of stakeholders; no committee vote was held. Lawmakers directed stakeholders to continue working on technical language.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Committee On Behavioral Health and Health Care 03/11/2025 3:00 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Sponsors and safety‑net providers told the committee that manufacturer restrictions on contract pharmacies have reduced pharmacy access and 340B benefits for clinics and patients; manufacturers and trade groups warned the state should not limit audit or claims‑flagging tools used to detect duplicate discounts.","taxTitle","Behavioral Health and Health Care, House of Representatives, Committees, Legislative, Oregon","taxId",17444,"location","Oregon","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6284960,"Lawmakers hear urgent calls to raise Medicaid dental reimbursement and streamline payments to recruit providers",2435,1265000,3700000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556&start=1265&end=3700","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556/thumbnail_1265000.jpg","/articles/6284960/Oregon/Lawmakers-hear-urgent-calls-to-raise-Medicaid-dental-reimbursement-and-streamline-payments-to-recruit-providers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284960-2e5f7fd517c808a018e4644bcc82f9db/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140627&Signature=BRXeMWl1DdTKpUxhjieEitmNDqsQu1b7rRNYXCoG-6F2cr9sHL5poF7gMIzow11ri~uxC~h-MlHvQvauU44agyA2gm~wxnSKVAAkFTXqKXwJRrtwooSbZv5giF92NiXCexZk7G5YKNuN-sP~B8fGGnJxopkaZ4p89Fkb--pxIZgJlKgUDrOiK4kifL~OIGaNYs7LRXVqaRacobozTasfyvxZKCiioU7wXrZqO8n71kOQ2GNmrVqRYQokr9XvuC8fOCss5P3KckM33nVokMHkAIzvfYqm21XmpGDTl7oiZksotncLZ6pY~Cl2i6qWFPqibhTn7wfeJoQvQfpDTZWFng__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","An informational session and public hearing before the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care focused on Oregon Health Plan (OHP) dental payment methods and two bills aimed at stabilizing the dental safety net: an informational presentation from Oregon Health Authority staff about fee‑for‑service and capitation components, followed by a public hearing on House Bill 2,597 (rate methodology/rebasing) and testimony on House Bill 2,211 (definition and limits for dental subcontractor scope).

Lede/nut: Ahmed Farag, oral health and dental director at the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), and Will Clarkshim, OHA chief actuary, told the committee that dental payments flow through two channels: a fee‑for‑service schedule (OHA to provider) and capitation (OHA to CCOs, which may subcontract dental services). Clarkshim explained capitation math: rate per service × utilization; utilization dropped steeply in 2020 and has only partially recovered for adults, which suppressed capitation payments in recent years. OHA has created directed payments for 2025 to reward preventive bundles and incentives for new/retaining providers; continuation depends on utilization and budget.

Why it matters: Witnesses — community dentists, large dental groups and dental care organizers — said OHP dental reimbursement has not kept up with costs such as labor, rent and supplies and that low and variable rates force providers out of Medicaid, reducing access. They urged a transparent, market‑based rebasing so rates reflect real cost structures and to reverse a “vicious cycle” of rate cuts and declining participation.

What sponsors and providers proposed: Representative Hai Pham (sponsor of HB 2,597) and Rep. Cyrus Javedi (dentist and sponsor) described HB 2,597 as a database/reference approach to align Medicaid dental valuations with commercial market benchmarks (the bill seeks a floor of roughly 59.8% of commercial rates as testimony put it). These changes would require OHA to incorporate an independent industry benchmark into rate setting and include a biennial report back to the Legislature.

Provider testimony: Willamette Dental Group, ODS Community Dental, Advantage Dental Plus, Oregon Dental Association and independent dentists testified in favor. They said recent rate declines have reduced the number of DCOs and contract dentists and that rural and safety‑net access is at risk. Providers urged technical fixes to HB 2,597 but strongly supported the direction. Willamette Dental Group also testified on HB 2,211 seeking clearer statutory definitions for dental subcontractors and limits on new administrative demands that groups say are unfunded and cause administrative waste.

FQHC caution: Marty Carty of the Oregon Primary Care Association said federally qualified health centers operate under federal payment rules; as drafted, HB 2,597 would not automatically increase FQHC dental reimbursement because their billing and payment rules differ. He warned of unintended consequences if FQHCs are excluded from intended increases.

Data and numbers: OHA staff noted utilization for non‑disabled adults in 2023 was around 70% of 2019 pre‑pandemic levels; they reported “green shoots” in 2024 but said 2026 capitation modeling depends on 2024 processed data. Witnesses cited a 2024 OHSU‑OHA study and a 2024 report showing Oregon Medicaid adult dental reimbursement as a percent of dentist charges (a figure cited by witnesses was ~28.3% in comparative claims referenced during testimony).

Committee action: The hearing closed after extensive testimony; no committee vote on either bill was recorded that day.

Ending: Providers asked the Legislature to move quickly on rate rebasing and on statute clarifications to prevent further erosion of Medicaid dental access.","Oregon Health Authority staff briefed the House committee on OHP dental rate mechanics — fee‑for‑service payments and capitation to CCOs — noting adult utilization has not fully rebounded from the pandemic, and the committee then heard hours of testimony urging an industry‑benchmarked rebasing (HB 2,597) and clearer definitions for dental subcontractors (HB 2,211).",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6284966,"Representative Leslie Muñoz urges Latino health task force to boost culturally specific care in Oregon",353,117000,470000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556&start=117&end=470","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556/thumbnail_117000.jpg","/articles/6284966/Oregon/Representative-Leslie-Muñoz-urges-Latino-health-task-force-to-boost-culturally-specific-care-in-Oregon","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284966-9371d4b7ead8946255f1316620f62373/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140627&Signature=CGCzTMDGTDMUsvVaCr-8nAyPmzNFXWvdcVkEytngbWol9V14m1RI-GNsXY9KIWBvEMW78LGrL-ZglTkDTFoKI4HSNpnkSSNrvMI63j5LW-Yx6obpY-jhGp9EP9G50WTSQSt9tbxT~Wuy2vLJJ0KvWpSKdZPPzEA8HQKriLcV~2sBk-6Y4GlOD~kRHnEC7YFwDtPYPjdFyAc9Z9YOHXNOmsMtgpR9py1JPEbo9KsY4caQJlEiClD2j~kRNEeO1ictEu67n2ZvtYPRhHI5a3J0wj2igmGSl7KtCNxKeOTtee4-fx7a2vSnxKEdv97WcIVmWqY-kGCUZeMGf7kX8eATHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Leslie Muñoz, the bill’s chief sponsor, told the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care that House Bill 3,650 would create a Latino health system task force to describe and plan a culturally specific system of care for Latinos in Oregon.

Muñoz said the task force would produce two concrete outcomes: a culturally specific referral network that would allow Latino families and providers to find appropriate bilingual, bicultural services and a joint strategy with health systems and coordinated care organizations to grow the provider workforce. “HB 36 50 will create a Latino health care system task force,” she said, “The task force will have the broad charge of describing what a system of care for Latinos would look like.”

Why it matters: Testimony cited persistent under‑utilization of benefits by Latino patients despite high insurance coverage, contributing to preventable conditions and higher emergency use. Witnesses and the representative argued that better coordination, culturally competent providers and a pipeline from education to practice could reduce disparities in oral, behavioral and chronic disease outcomes for Latino communities.

What speakers told the committee: Salvador Arresola, director of a culturally and linguistically specific 13‑bed residential program in Central Oregon, said patients “feel at home and respected” because the program provides cultural foods and instruction in native languages. Tony Jervin (listed in testimony as a rural family doctor and vice chair of the Oregon Health Policy Board) and other clinicians described clinics that operate as “mini Latino health systems,” with integrated primary, dental and behavioral care that deliver better outcomes when language and culture are respected.

Program and scope: During testimony Muñoz noted existing investments and examples: PacificSource community grants (she said “over $2,000,000” dedicated to Healthy Oregon Program improvement), statewide Healthy Oregon Program expansion for children, and a 2022 OHSU investment she described as “$45,000,000 into the OHSU 30 30 30 program” to grow workforce diversity. She recommended using the Unite Us platform (Connect Oregon) to help stand up a culturally specific referral network.

Questions and next steps: Committee members asked for clarification about the task force’s purpose and whether it would address recruitment and retention. Clinicians and community health workers urged the committee to keep implementation practical and focused on community outreach, bilingual materials and integrating workforce training with health systems and CCOs. Representative Muñoz closed by urging the committee to “vote aye on HB 3,650.”

Ending: The committee closed the public hearing on HB 3,650 and moved on to the dental rate informational session on the same agenda.","Lawmakers and clinicians told the House Committee on Behavioral Health and Health Care that House Bill 3,650 would create a Latino Health System Task Force to map culturally and linguistically specific referral networks and expand workforce pipelines to improve utilization among Latino Oregonians.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6284955,"Committee hears evidence for expanding wait‑list emergency housing to link unhoused people to residential substance‑use treatment",1627,6253000,7880000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556&start=6253&end=7880","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2576382-413a6bf4a0d5d11420e3276f4d7da556/thumbnail_6253000.jpg","/articles/6284955/Oregon/Committee-hears-evidence-for-expanding-waitlist-emergency-housing-to-link-unhoused-people-to-residential-substanceuse-treatment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6284955-f003da2aee3950906c5126dec8640a76/orig.mp4?Expires=1771140627&Signature=mczKXwCC1d~99~PEalTqyXLIkyWhqX16xz~iqcMmDGop9~ytBSNaD6LxJwlimaw2B2vijGWZW3ZvqYG-OaIreWw5e5mvvvUVapgMv6p6KvCBWAQz5Hxb0Y6-T8Hlfz8q70KoYii2Jl1j5mlVu6FdutDQIZFSSonAkUJpfpX4XoUNnybDeOvnYa49Uzuv0a7roWXKJHPPgY1KCEO7pi2DtRqXqTWtMAiyD6boxTrR3MU1mUyksBYA9TZnZdrxlmO2xAZD0U7nkl8fGtPkfbN2HISqHrWX6IGC59Mx9tM5Kj6gOxHXPLCOCUNXbLwcBzCFf9I01vLpimAHs4NhZ1pn-w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Representative Pam Marsh and Senator Lisa Reynolds described a model developed in Jackson County to provide short‑term, low‑barrier housing for people who have been assessed as needing residential substance‑use treatment (or withdrawal management) but face long waits for available beds.

Lede/nut: Marsh said the problem is most acute for people who are motivated for treatment but are unhoused: without a safe place to wait they are difficult to locate when a bed opens. House Bill 3,146 requests $10,000,000 to develop 4–8 wait‑list emergency housing projects covering capital and operating costs, and prioritizes pregnant people for placements.

How it works: Witnesses from OnTrack Rogue Valley and the OASIS Center described two local pilots: a six‑bed prenatal‑priority site and a 10‑bed “Baby Street” site for adults. OnTrack reported moving 173 people from unhoused status into treatment beds across the pilot projects; OnTrack said average length of stay in emergency lodging is about 3.5 weeks and that 90% of guests moved from emergency lodging into treatment in a recent reporting window.

Why it matters: Supporters said the model stabilizes people during the window of motivation, reduces loss to follow‑up, improves residential utilization and can reduce downstream costs (hospitalizations, criminal justice, foster care). Senator Reynolds framed the proposal as a complement to maternal and child health work, emphasizing pregnant people as a priority to avoid substance‑exposed births.

Questions and operations: Committee members asked how sites coordinate with residential providers statewide and whether emergency lodging can serve as a bridge to other levels of care (day treatment, outpatient). Providers said they actively coordinate, can prioritize statewide bed offers and that the model’s single‑occupancy rooms and daily case management help keep people engaged and reachable.

Ending: Marsh and witnesses urged the committee to fund the pilot expansion so other regions can replicate the model; the committee closed the public hearing and moved on to other bills.","House Bill 3,146 would fund expansion of a wait‑list emergency housing model pioneered in the Rogue Valley that provides temporary, low‑barrier housing and intensive case management to people waiting for residential treatment or withdrawal management. Sponsors asked for $10 million to stand up 4–8 projects and presented early outcome data.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Debate erupts over 340B contract‑pharmacy restrictions and a clearinghouse alternative

Lawmakers hear urgent calls to raise Medicaid dental reimbursement and streamline payments to recruit providers

Representative Leslie Muñoz urges Latino health task force to boost culturally specific care in Oregon

Committee hears evidence for expanding wait‑list emergency housing to link unhoused people to residential substance‑use treatment