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Lane County commissioners approve contracts, delegate signing authority and adopt legislative principles
Summary
The board approved a package of contract actions including a TriZetto clearing-house contract with conditions and delegated signing authority to the county administrator; commissioners also adopted updated legislative principles and priorities. Motions passed unanimously.
Lane County commissioners on Jan. 14, 2025, approved a group of Health & Human Services contract actions and separately adopted updates to the county's legislative principles and priorities for the upcoming 2025 legislative session.
What passed
- Order 2501-1406: The board voted to approve a set of contracts for Health & Human Services, including agreements with TriZetto (a claims clearing house tied to Epic/OCHIN), Lane Community Health Council, Trillium Community Health Plan and others, and delegated authority to the county administrator (or designee) to sign the approved actions. The motion passed on a voice vote with all commissioners indicating "aye."
- Order 25011407: The board adopted amendments to the Lane County legislative principles and priorities document as recommended by the legislative committee (meeting Jan. 8, 2025); the order passed unanimously.
Why TriZetto drew extra attention
Eve Gray, presenting for Health & Human Services, told the board the TriZetto contract is necessary to process insurance claims for a treatment center that uses a separate medical-records system for confidentiality needs. TriZetto is the clearing house Epic uses; Gray said payers will not accept claims from multiple clearing houses under the same tax ID and that failing to sign the contract would leave the county with roughly $1,000,000 of billing risk because it could not file claims.
Gray said the contract contains limitations on the county's ability to recover damages if TriZetto were to suffer a data breach. To mitigate exposure, staff will update the notice of privacy practices given to patients to advise that third-party vendors may process claims and that federal privacy and security rules apply. Commissioners asked for further review and said they would study the contract language with counsel.
Conflict disclosure
Commissioner Farr disclosed a potential conflict of interest because a family member works for Trillium Community Health Plan; counsel had advised that the disclosure created a potential but not an actual conflict, and Farr participated in the discussion and vote.
Other legislative and budget items
Vanessa Cornwell, intergovernmental relations manager, reported recommended amendments to the county's state and federal priorities, including support for a bill (Senate Bill 473) establishing new punishments for threats against public officials and a federal funding priority for secure rural schools. The board discussed ongoing work with the county delegation on a behavioral health stabilization center and authorized staff to send letters of appreciation and continued support to state and federal legislators assisting those efforts.
Votes at a glance
- Consent calendar (motion to approve consent calendar for Jan. 14, 2025): Adopted by voice vote, 5-0. - Order 2501-1406 (approval of Health & Human Services contract actions and delegation of signing authority): Adopted by voice vote, 5-0. - Order 25011407 (adopt legislative principles and priorities as amended): Adopted by voice vote, 5-0.
Ending
County staff said they will continue to review contract terms for TriZetto with legal counsel, update patient privacy notices where necessary and continue coordination with the county's legislative delegation on funding priorities and budget implications for 2025.
