Subcommittee hears Oregon Medical Board budget; agency details fee changes, stalled IT project and staffing needs

The Joint Interim Subcommittee on Human Services held a public hearing Feb. 11 on HB 5022, the Oregon Medical Boardbudget bill, where board leaders described a budget built largely on licensure fees, planned fee changes to cover rising costs, and a stalled IT replacement project that the agency said must be rebooted.

Nicole Krishnaswamy, executive director of the Oregon Medical Board, told the committee the board regulates more than 27,000 licensees and is "100% other funded," relying primarily on fees rather than general fund dollars. Kendra Beck of the Department of Administrative Services summarized the governor's recommendation as a current-service-level budget that adds a part-time associate medical director, raises limitation for the Health Professional Services Program (HPSP), and increases limitation for pass-through expenses.

The budget package includes proposed fee adjustments the board says are intended to meet long-term revenue needs. Materials presented to the committee show license application and registration fees represent about 98% of the agency's revenue. The boardincludes a proposed 20% increase for full and limited license registration fees, a 20% increase on late registrations for physician assistants and acupuncturists, and the establishment of a $25-per-year…