2026 Legislative Priorities
Due to the implementation of federal legislation, HR 1, the Oregon Legislature will be making budget cuts during the 2026 legislative session. CLHO’s message is simple - NO CUTS TO LOCAL PUBLIC HEALTH. Why? Because local public health programs save millions of dollars for the healthcare system, the state, and employers by reducing lost productivity from employee illness.
CLHO’s 2026 Legislative Agenda
Healthcare Transformation
At its inception, Oregon’s healthcare transformation plan was a 3 legged stool. CCOs (Coordinated Care Organizations) were expected to manage and pay for care, but the other two legs—public health and early childhood education—were also expected to receive significant investment to prevent chronic diseases, increase educational attainment, improve health outcomes, and reduce the need for costly care.
CCO Founding Documents
- OHPB Blueprint for Health 10.25.11 - This “Blueprint” is a draft report that includes timelines for implementation. Public Health starts on page 16 and is a large component. The document also links education levels, high school graduation rates, and healthy behaviors.
- OHPB Action Plan for Health December 2011 - this is the final version of the above Blueprint, but it isn’t as detailed about the public health components—instead, it does a lot of summarizing. This was presented to the legislature during the 2011 Legislative Days in December.
In the United States, healthcare is a business. Health insurance, including CCOs, are a business. The purpose of a business is to make money. Instead of a sick-care business, we need a system that invests in HEALTH. That is the only way we will ever achieve the triple aim of better health, better care, and lower costs. How? Invest in local public health. In the short term, at the very least, the state can do is to make NO CUTS to local public health’s budget.
Take Action
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