SALEM, Ore. - Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the Affordable Care Act, Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber predicts slower growth for health care costs. The Democrat made the comments Thursday in Salem.
The Obama administration has committed to give Oregon $1.9 billion over five years to help make patient care more cost effective.
“We’ve got a five-year window to begin to change that delivery system to a new more efficient way of providing health care," Kitzhaber said. "And the federal government has given us resources to help support the system while we do that. But those resources is not going be avail to just prop up the existing system. That’s not what they’re for.”
The Supreme Court ruling preserves steps Oregon is already taking to make health care more cost effective and set up a new web-based health insurance marketplace called an exchange.
On the Web:
Supreme Court opinion:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/11pdf/11-393c3a2.pdf
Gov. Kitzhaber's video statement:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8GYB9tnEAA
Oregon Coordinated Care Organizations:
http://www.oregon.gov/oha/ohpb/pages/health-reform/ccos.aspx
Oregon Health Insurance Exchange:
Copyright 2012 Northwest News Network
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