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Ways and Means backs Oregon Health Authority's rural health transformation grant application (up to $1 billion over five years)
Summary
The Joint Interim Committee on Ways and Means retroactively approved the Oregon Health Authority's application seeking up to $200 million annually (up to $1 billion over five years) to support rural health access, infrastructure and workforce initiatives; the Legislative Fiscal Office said the funds are new money.
The Joint Interim Committee on Ways and Means on Nov. 19 approved the Oregon Health Authority's retroactive submission of a federal grant application intended to support a multi‑year Rural Health Transformation effort for rural communities.
Senator Solman, reporting for the Human Services Subcommittee, described the program's goals — innovation, strategic partnerships, infrastructure development and workforce development in rural communities — and said the application seeks up to $200,000,000 per year over five years (up to $1,000,000,000 total). The subcommittee recommended retroactive approval to submit the application to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Representative Smith asked whether the $1,000,000,000 would be new funding or would supplant existing dollars. Matt Statham of the Legislative Fiscal Office responded directly: "This is new money." Committee members emphasized the program will not by itself offset larger funding shortfalls and that additional, ongoing work will be necessary to shore up rural hospitals and providers.
Senator Lieber warned that while the grant could help, it will not replace larger projected losses in rural health funding, saying the award 'will not make up for the $15,000,000,000 that's gonna get lost over the course of 5 years' as described in the transcript.
After brief discussion, the committee voted to approve the subcommittee recommendation to retroactively submit the application; recorded aye votes from members on the transcript include Representatives Valderrama and Levy and the chair announced the motion passed. The committee noted that if OHA is awarded funds, it must return to the Legislative Assembly to request any necessary federal‑fund expenditure limitations or position authority.
The committee asked staff to provide more detail about the program's initiatives and costs in follow-up materials; no further procedural actions were taken during the session.
