Vital Signs

Oregon is at the forefront of the nation's health care reform. OPB's Kristian Foden-Vencil looks at how those changes are affecting Oregonians.

How Many Oregonians Really Have Health Insurance?

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Sept. 17, 2015 12:30 p.m.

A popular claim among supporters of the Affordable Care Act over the last year has been that 95 percent of Oregonians now have health insurance. The trouble is, the latest figures out of the Census Bureau put the figure closer to 90 percent.

Oregon Considers Banning Gay-To-Straight Conversion Therapy For Children

Alan Sylvestre/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Feb. 23, 2015 midnight

The Oregon Legislature is holding a public hearing on a bill to ban conversion therapy for children.

Oregonians May Have More Time To Enroll For Uninterrupted Health Insurance

Kate Black/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Dec. 24, 2014 1:23 p.m.

Oregonians may have more time to buy health insurance and have uninterrupted coverage, than previously believed.

Organized Hospital Conversations Reduce Medical Errors By 30 Percent

CDC

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Nov. 06, 2014 11:55 a.m.

A new program, aimed at improving communication between doctors, has reduced medical errors by 30 percent.

Q&A: Understanding Oregon's Ebola Strategy

Kristian Foden-Vencil/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Oct. 28, 2014 7:15 a.m.

Governor John Kitzhaber and other health experts were in Portland Monday to say that the risk of Ebola getting a foothold in Oregon is low.

CDC Confirms At Least 4 Cases Of Enterovirus In Oregon

CDC

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Oct. 09, 2014 3:36 p.m.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that Oregon has seen at least four cases of enterovirus in two different counties.

Cover Oregon Board Opts To Stay Intact — For Now

Kate Black/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Oct. 09, 2014 1:29 p.m.

Cover Oregon's board decided not to take action Thursday on dissolving itself.

Obamacare Insured Aren't As Sick As Expected

Alan Sylvestre/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Oct. 07, 2014 3:20 p.m.

Most Oregonians who signed up for individual health insurance through the Affordable Care Act did not have insurance previously, according to a new study. They also weren't as sick as experts expected.

Oregon Models State Employee Health Coverage On CCOs

Alan Sylvestre/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Oct. 06, 2014 2:43 p.m.

Success among Oregon's coordinated care organizations has prompted the state to offer similar services to state employees.

Oregon Increases Incentive Payments For CCOs

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Sept. 25, 2014 2:34 p.m.

The state has increased the size of incentive payments it uses to encourage coordinated care organizations to reduce costs and improve health care.

Oregon Drops 2 Health Care Metrics, Adds 3 Others

Oregon Health Authority

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Sept. 24, 2014 2:58 p.m.

The state has dropped two of its yardsticks for gauging the success of Oregon's health care transformation -- because of their success.

Supreme Court Birth Control Ruling Could Have Wide Ramifications In Oregon

Ceridwen/Wikimedia Commons

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
June 30, 2014 5:53 p.m.

More than 97 percent of all Oregon businesses are defined as small and more than half of Oregon's workforce is employed by them - those whose owners oppose contraception on religious grounds may be able to opt out of birth control coverage.

Study: 1 In 9 Oregon Deaths Involves Alcohol

Gerd Altmann/pixabay.com

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
June 27, 2014 2:51 p.m.

Excessive drinking accounts for one in every nine deaths in Oregon, according to a study out of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Oregon's Medicaid Health Coordinaters Learn How Well They're Performing

Oregon Health Authority

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
June 24, 2014 3:43 p.m.

Local coordinated health care organizations have been waiting for a year to see how they're performing under Oregon's health care changes. Tuesday, they found out.

Q&A: Assessing Oregon's Reinvention Of Medicaid

Pete Springer/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil , Geoff Norcross
OPB
June 24, 2014 11:40 a.m.

The Oregon Health Authority released the first full year report Tuesday on how the new Coordinated Care Organizations are doing. Here's a first look at what the document reveals.

Lawmaker Says Oregon Will Release Cancer Study Details

The American Cancer Society screens participants in a nationwide study.

American Cancer Society

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
March 18, 2014 1:19 p.m.

State representative Vicki Berger says she expects to get the results of a study into the prevalence of the rare disease by the end of Tuesday, despite reports the state won't release them.

Q&A: Gov. Releases Report On Cover Oregon Problems

Frequently Asked Questions and an Application for Health Coverage with Cover Oregon

Kate Black/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
March 20, 2014 3:41 p.m.

Gov. John Kitzhaber released a report about Cover Oregon's problems at a press conference Thursday. Kristian Foden-Vencil spoke with Gretchen Kilby about what it says.

9,000 Patients Can't Find A Doctor In Lane County

Kristian Foden-Vencil/OPB

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
March 16, 2014 midnight

Trillium Community Health Plan in Lane County is struggling to deal with the big influx of new patients, as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

Oregon's Flu Season Remains 'Highly' Active

NIH

By Kristian Foden-Vencil
OPB
Jan. 17, 2014 11:42 a.m.

Flu remains highly active in Oregon, according to new numbers released by the state health authority Friday.

About Vital Signs

Oregon is at the forefront of the nation's health care reform. OPB's Kristian Foden-Vencil looks at how those changes are affecting Oregonians.

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