The latest news stories across the state of Oregon from the digital home of the Oregon coastal cities, OregonBeachMagazine.com
Friday, May 5, 2023
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Columbia Memorial Hospital Expansion Estimated At $175 Million
A filing with the Oregon Health Authority has revealed the estimated price tag for major expansion plans at Astoria’s Columbia Memorial Hospital — In a letter of intent to the state, the hospital says the project is estimated to cost $175 million, not including interest.
The 180,000-square feet of new construction planned at the hospital’s current campus is about equal to the size of the Warrenton Fred Meyer and would include an expanded emergency room, improved operating rooms, and upgraded patient rooms.
The filing with the state confirms that the hospital will not increase the number of beds at Columbia Memorial from its current 25.
Earlier this year, the hospital had said the expansion would broaden the scope of its services including new specialties often found only in large institutions. But in the recent letter to the state, hospital CEO Erik Thorsen wrote, “This expansion will not add any new services.”
A spokesperson for the hospital declined to provide further explanation to KMUN.
The letter says the new development will provide a resilient structure that can serve as a safe harbor in case of natural disaster. This will be done by building up and by putting critical infrastructure on the roof.
According to the hospital, the estimated $175 million dollars needed for the expansion would be raised through loans, donations, cash reserves and grants. Groundbreaking is planned for late next year.
Intoxicated Suspect Crashes While Attempting To Elude Lincoln City Police
On Tuesday, May 2, 2023 about 4:35PM, Lincoln City Police arrested 43-year-old Manuel Campos, of Corvallis, Oregon, after he crashed his vehicle while attempting to elude from police.
At about 4:17 PM, Lincoln City Police began receiving 911 calls reporting someone was shooting a firearm in the wooded area behind the Ridge Apartments and Taft High School. As Lincoln City Police Officers arrived in the area, they received information that a Hispanic male had come out of the woods and had just left in a white Ford pickup. A responding officer located the white Ford pickup with the Hispanic driver leaving the area and initiated a traffic stop in the area of SE 48th Street and High School Drive. The white pickup initially pulled over, but after the officer exited his patrol car, the white pickup sped off eastbound on SE 48th Street. The officer began pursuing the pickup as it continued eastbound on Schooner Creek Road at a high rate of speed. A short time after the pursuit began the officer advised that the white pickup had crashed and the pickup rolled over in the 1000 block of Schooner Creek Road. Additional Lincoln City Police Officers arrived to assist. The driver and lone occupant had crawled out of the cab and was taken into custody.
Personnel from North Lincoln Fire & Rescue and Pacific West Ambulance quickly arrived and began medical treatment of the driver who was complaining his back hurt, but had no other obvious injuries. During the subsequent scene investigation, a loaded handgun was located in the cab of the pickup as well as ammunition and a number spent cartridge casings. In addition, a significant number of empty beer cans were found scattered around the overturned pickup. Personnel from Pacific Power and Spectrum Communications also responded due to a utility being broken apart after being struck by the pickup during the crash.
Pacific West Ambulance transported the driver, who initially provided a false name, to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital for further medical evaluation and treatment. After being discharged from the hospital, the driver was transported to the Lincoln County Jail where fingerprints were used to positively identify him as Manuel Campos.
Campos was lodged at the jail on the following charges; Driving under the Influence of Intoxicants, Felony Attempt to Elude, Felon in Possession of a Firearm, Reckless Driving, Reckless Endangering, and Disorderly Conduct II. The investigation is open and additional Charges may be forth coming.
The Lincoln City Police would like to thank North Lincoln Fire & Rescue, Pacific West Ambulance, Pacific Power, and Spectrum Communication for their response and assistance at the crash scene. We would also like to thank the involved citizens who worked in partnership with our agency, enabling us to quickly respond to and apprehend a dangerous person, and maintain the safety of our community.
Lincoln County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update – Public Feedback Requested
Lincoln County Community Members are encouraged to participate in the public feedback process for the Lincoln County Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Community Wildfire Protection Plans (referred to as CWPPs) are strategically developed to guide wildfire mitigation at all scales and land ownership to reduce the harmful impacts of wildfire to people, structures, and communities. They are developed through a collaborative effort between local fire departments, emergency managers, and state and federal forest managers.
CWPP’s have three minimum requirements:
- Collaboration: Local and state government representatives, in consultation with federal agencies and other interested parties, must collaboratively develop the CWPP.
- Prioritized Fuel Reduction: The CWPP must identify and prioritize areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommend the types and methods of treatment that will protect at-risk communities and essential infrastructure.
- Treatment of Structural Ignitability: The CWPP must recommend measures that homeowners and communities can take to reduce the ignitability of structures.
What do CWPPs do?
- Describe the local community.
- Assess the risk of wildfire to the local community.
- Prioritizes projects that reduce the risk of wildfire to the local community, infrastructure (like water treatment plants), and/or natural resources (like timberland and watersheds).
- Projects outlined in a CWPP are projects like fuels reduction, road improvements, evacuation planning, and prescribed fire used for reducing risks.
- CWPP’s are often required when applying for federal funding for local wildfire risk reduction projects.
Public Feedback Requested:
The Lincoln County CWPP is being updated in partnership with the Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience (OPDP) at the University of Oregon. The plan updates are scheduled to be completed by mid-2023. Community members have two ways to participate in the public feedback process:
- Feedback Survey: Complete the public feedback survey, offered in both English and Spanish through May 19th (approximately 10 minutes to complete). Click this link to access the survey – https://tinyurl.com/CommunitySurveyLincolnCounty
- Attend one of the in-person or virtual information sessions where community members can ask questions directly to the UofO OPDP team members. See the end of this media release for dates, times, and locations.
Matt Thomas, Oregon Department of Forestry – Toledo Unit indicated “The purpose of the CWPP is to promote awareness of the countywide wildland fire hazard and propose workable solutions to reduce wildfire risk. When solutions are identified, this plan serves as the foundation for locating funding at the Local, State, and Federal level to apply it on the ground to help mitigate wildfire risks.”
Lincoln County Planning Director, Onno Husing, commented “The Planning Department is committed to updating the Community Wildfire Protection Plan with our local, state and federal partners to ensure a strong foundation continues in the preplanning and mitigation of a wildfire threat for the protection of our communities, businesses, and environment.”
Additional Information/Resources:
- Current Lincoln County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (2018)
- See the attached informational resource about the CWPP update process specific to requested public feedback.
- 2023 Wildfire Readiness/CWPP Information Session Schedule
- Lincoln County Wildfire Hazard Preparedness Information
In Person CWPP Information Sessions:
- These sessions directly follow the Lincoln County Emergency Management Wildfire Readiness Presentations on the same day. The CWPP sessions are approximately 30-60 minutes depending on questions, no registration required.
- #1 – Saturday, May 13th, beginning at 10:30am. Depoe Bay – Neighbors for Kids, 634 US 101, Depoe Bay [wildfire readiness presentation begins at 9am].
- #2 – Saturday, May 13th, beginning at 3:30pm. Newport – Oregon Coast Community College, Community Room, 400 SE Collage Way, Newport/South Beach [wildfire readiness presentation begins at 2pm].
Astoria City Council Clarifies Dangerous Animal Ordinance
Astoria’s police chief will no longer have the final say in whether to order euthanasia of a dangerous pet.
Under the city’s dangerous animal ordinance, animals at large that kill other animals or have a history of fighting and causing injury are designated level five, the highest level of dangerousness. In cases when pets are designated level five, they are subject to euthanasia.
The City Council on Monday amended the ordinance to give a Municipal Court judge the final say in how to classify an animal instead of the police chief. The police chief will make a recommendation based on the city’s code.
The amendment also gives the judge more discretion to classify the animal at a lower level.
City Manager Scott Spence said that prior to the amendment, dogs designated as level five had to euthanized.
“What this amendment does is provide flexibility where that does not actually have to occur,” he said.
The change came after a pit bull named Layla was classified as level five dangerous animal last year after killing a cat.
After Layla’s owner lost an appeal in Circuit Court — and after public outcry in support of saving Layla — the city moved to allow the dog’s release to the owner’s residence in Multnomah County, where the dangerous animal ordinance had more leeway.
Multnomah County agreed to release Layla with conditions.
During the first public hearing on the ordinance amendment in April, City Councilor Tom Brownson thanked Police Chief Stacy Kelly for following up on the issue.
He said the ordinance was out of date and needed to reflect the need for adding discretion when dealing with people’s pets. “This is exactly what you did,” Brownson said. “And I really appreciate the follow-through.” (SOURCE)
Wildfire Alert App Expanding Coverage To Oregon
Watch Duty, a wildfire alert app run by active and retired firefighters and first responders, is expanding its coverage to Oregon next week.
John Mills, co-founder and CEO of the nonprofit organization, said the app helps bring real-time wildfire updates to people, typically faster than law enforcement or government agencies.
Mills said he almost lost his ranch in Sonoma County to wildfires on multiple occasions and said Watch Duty helps save lives during fire season.
“It wasn’t until the 2020 lightning siege when half of California was on fire that it really occurred to me that the key was these men and women, retired and active firefighters, first responders and others who were on Facebook and Twitter listening to radio scanners all day and all night,” Mills said. “That’s where I found all the real-time information.”
Watch Duty was created in 2021 and currently covers the state of California, with more than 500,000 users. The website and app will cover the state of Oregon starting May 2.
Mills said having access to real-time information during fire season can potentially save lives. As fires continue to become more frequent in California and Oregon, he said every second counts.
“It’s extremely important to us that everything is vetted and still using nixels and Code Reds and everything else the government used,” Mills said. “You need to have those but ultimately, we need more information faster and so Watch Duty works in unison with the government.”
Senate Republicans Continue a Quorum-Denying Walkout Boycotting Sessions To Try and Halt Bills On Guns And Abortion
Most Republican members of the Oregon Senate failed to show up for the second straight day Thursday, delaying action by the majority Democrats on bills on gun safety, abortion rights and gender-affirming health care.
The stayaway prevented a quorum, with Senate President Rob Wagner calling for another try on Friday. Republican lawmakers have used walkouts in the past, but this time — if they continue to stay away — they’ll be testing a law approved overwhelmingly in a ballot measure last November that bans lawmakers with 10 unexcused absences from running for reelection.
The boycott comes as several statehouses around the nation, including in Montana and have become battlegrounds between conservatives and liberals. Oregon has increasingly been divided between liberal population centers like Portland and Eugene and its mostly conservative rural areas.
—— Several Oregon Senate Republicans went missing Wednesday and Thursday, kicking off the latest in a series of legislative walkouts that the party has staged in recent years.
Walkouts are stall tactic employed by the minority party, usually to kill specific legislation. Most bills only require a simple majority vote to pass, but the Senate and House can’t hold votes unless a quorum is present, meaning at least two-thirds of each chamber’s members.
Democrats hold 17 of the Oregon Senate’s 30 seats and 35 of the House’s 60 seats, which means they have enough votes to pass most (but not all) legislation without Republican support, but they can’t achieve a quorum in either chamber on their own. If enough Republicans walk out, business grinds to a halt.
The leader of Senate Republicans, Sen. Tim Knopp, spoke on the phone Thursday with Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek after telling journalists Wednesday that a derailed legislative session would jeopardize the governor’s legislative agenda, including tackling homelessness.
Knopp’s spokesperson, Ashley Kuenzi, said Kotek expressed willingness to help resolve the impasse. But the governor’s office had a different characterization of the call, with Knopp being asked to stop the boycott.
“The governor listened to his concerns and reiterated that he is making choices,” said Kotek’s spokesperson, Elisabeth Shepard. “She asked him to choose to get back to work to do the people’s business.”
Knopp told a news conference Wednesday that Republicans are protesting because bill summaries are not being written in plain language even though a 1979 state law requires they be readable by anyone with an eighth or ninth-grade education, which is measured by a score of at least 60 on the Flesch readability test.
Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber said that’s just a pretext, and noted that the vast majority of bills have passed with bipartisan support, including on housing and attracting the semiconductor industry to Oregon.
“This is about abortion, guns and transgender rights,” Lieber said. “The timing of this is such that they’re walking out on important legislation that Oregonians sent us here to do.”
The Senate added this weekend to its schedule to convene, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The existence of the readability law, passed by the Legislature in 1979 with bipartisan support, was discovered in April by a Republican caucus staffer. Knopp said he does not know when the law was last employed to make bill summaries easy to read.
“But it’s important that we follow the law because, if we’re passing laws today, are we just expecting in, you know, 20, 30, 40 years that people are just going to ignore the laws that we have on the books that we all passed,” Knopp said Wednesday. “I don’t think we would appreciate that.”
Asked if the Republican boycott was due to the bills on gun control and abortion and gender-affirming care, Knopp said, “It’s about every bill. But those bills specifically also don’t qualify under this law, and they refuse to fix them.”
Knopp said Republicans are reviewing bills to see if they pass the readability test. He added that legislative counsel, the non-partisan office that drafts legislation, “in large part is to blame for the bills not meeting Oregon law.”
Some local leaders, labor organizations and activists supporting reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights in Central Oregon called on Knopp to end the Republican walkout and planned to hold a rally later on Thursday in Bend — Knopp’s hometown.
GOP lawmakers employed the same boycott strategy in 2019 and 2020 to freeze legislation capping greenhouse gas emissions, among other things. Oregon has a two-thirds quorum rule, meaning the state House and Senate need two-thirds of their members to be present to conduct business. In the Senate, that’s 20 of its 30 members. Currently, 17 senators are Democrats, 12 are Republicans and one is an independent.
If Republican senators deny a quorum for the rest of the legislative session, which doesn’t end until late June, they could theoretically kill the bills on gun control, abortion rights and gender-affirming care.
The wide-ranging bill on abortion and gender-affirming care would shield patients and providers from lawsuits originating in states where abortion and gender-affirming care are now restricted. It would also allow doctors to provide an abortion to anyone regardless of age and bar them in certain cases from disclosing that to parents.
The gun control measure would increase the purchasing age to 21 for AR-15-style rifles and similar guns, impose penalties for possessing undetectable firearms and allow for more limited concealed-carry rights.
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Judge Denies Oregon Republican Effort To Waylay Abortion, Gender-Affirming Health Care Bill
Republicans failed to win a temporary restraining order delaying House Bill 2002. The party’s Senate walkout continues.
Republican lawmakers stumbled Thursday in their legal effort to delay a contentious abortion bill by insisting Democrats had not followed proper procedure when putting it forward.
Marion County Circuit Judge David Leith denied a petition on behalf of two GOP legislators and the advocacy group Oregon Right To Life, requesting the court temporarily block Senate Democrats from passing House Bill 2002. In doing so, Leith signaled serious misgivings that the case would ultimately succeed, nodding to arguments from government lawyers that the court had no authority to block the Legislature from doing its job.
“I don’t see any likelihood of success in persuading the court … to enjoin that legislative function,” Leith said.
It was not ultimately clear Thursday whether Republicans would continue to pursue the matter in court. Meanwhile, the party made clear it has other options to block Democrats’ progress.
For the second day in a row, just two Republican lawmakers showed up in Senate chambers for a scheduled floor session. Ten Republicans and one Independent were absent — many in protest to Democrats’ agenda this year — meaning the chamber did not have a 20-member quorum and could not conduct business.
At issue in the court case — filed Wednesday by state Sen. Suzanne Weber, R-Tillamook, state Rep. Emily McIntire, R-Eagle Point, and Oregon Right To Life — is a state statute that legislative officials say hasn’t been followed in decades.
Under ORS 171.134, legislative attorneys that write summaries of bills before the Legislature need to ensure they are readily understandable by the general public. Specifically, the law, enacted by Democrats in 1979, says those summaries need to score a 60 or higher on something called the Flesch-Kincaid readability test, or something comparable. The Flesch test analyzes text for how easy it is to read, and a score of 60 connotes a reading level of about eighth grade.
HB 2002′s bill summary — and breakdowns of pretty much every other piece of legislation — don’t meet that threshold. Republicans have attempted to force Democrats to revise the document to comply with the law, but have been overruled by the majority party, hence the lawsuit.
The GOP was represented in court Thursday by Vance Day, a former Marion County judge who has seen controversy over refusing to marry same-sex couples, among other things, and was suspended from the bench for ethical violations.
“This is obviously an unusual case,” Day told Leith, his former colleague on the Marion County bench. “You’re being asked to step into a different branch [of government] with, in many ways, probably a very heavy foot.”
But Day made the case that the Legislature had failed to comply with the law, and that there had to be some form of accountability when that happens.
If Democrats could simply fail to follow the law, he asked, “then what is the use of the statute. Is there no remedy under the statute?” Day argued that a restraining order would not block Democrats from ultimately passing HB 2002, just force them to follow the law.
Lawyers with the Oregon Department of Justice told Leith that’s not how the state’s constitution works.
Under the state’s separation of powers, they said, the court could not step in to dictate the manner in which lawmakers legislate. “That strikes right at the core of legislative functions and at the core of legislative independence,” said Assistant Attorney General Alex Jones.
The DOJ likened the statute in question to a legislative rule that lawmakers could choose to obey as they saw fit. And they pointed out that, under the state constitution, lawmakers cannot be forced to come to court for civil process during legislative session.
Senate President Rob Wagner, House Speaker Dan Rayfield, and three legislative officials are named as defendants in the suit. “President Wagner can’t be sued today, because the Legislature is in session,” said Assistant Attorney General Brian Simmonds Marshall. “If he was the key witness in an automobile accident case, he could not be subject to a summons … I honestly have no idea why any of them think they can stop the Legislature from legislating.”
Day argued that Democrats could easily repeal ORS 171.134 if they want, but noted they have made no move to do so. But the DOJ said that, by passing HB 2002 in its current form, lawmakers would effectively be choosing to nullify the law — at least as it applies to that bill.
In the end, Leith seemed to agree that there’s a high likelihood he ultimately could not block Democrats from acting. And since the argument was not likely to fly in the case, he denied the restraining order.
But Leith also made clear he did not believe Democrats complied with the readability statute.
“If it was mine to decide, I would say that the summary doesn’t meet that standard,” Leith said. “I am also not at all sure that it’s possible to accurately convey the information that would summarize this bill without exceeding the threshold that the statute provides.” (SOURCE)
Watered-Down Version of Rent Control Bill Clears Oregon Senate Panel
A watered-down version of a proposal meant to prevent a repeat of the nearly 15% rent hikes allowed this year cleared a Senate committee Thursday.
Oregon’s 2019 statewide rent control law caps increases on many buildings to no more than 7% plus inflation. Last year’s high inflation cleared the way for landlords to hike rents by 14.6%.
Sen. Wlnsvey Campos, D-Aloha, introduced Senate Bill 611 in January to change the allowable hike to no more than 8% or 3% plus inflation, whichever was lower. By the time the Senate Rules Committee voted to send the measure to the Senate floor on Thursday, the bill had been amended to the lesser of a 10% cap or 7% plus inflation.
Campos told committee members that she and supporters have had many conversations with renters, landlords and other legislators to reach an agreement on the bill.
“We feel that we have brought forth a bill that would benefit many Oregonians,” she said. “We have heard the stories of folks who were on the brink of losing their housing and whose voices have come forth a lot throughout this discussion, saying that these sorts of rent increases are the difference between them being able to stay in their homes or not.”
The changes weren’t enough for Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, who voted against the bill. Knopp and other Republicans also opposed the 2019 rent control law.
“While this policy may help some people, it will hurt many,” he said.
He said landlords who otherwise might not have raised rent now issue annual rent increases or charge the maximum allowed. Knopp, the executive vice president of the Central Oregon Builders Association, added that developers will build in states with fewer restrictions.
The real estate website Zillow estimates that the median Oregon rent is $1,810. Under the current law, that median rent could increase by almost $265 per month, or nearly $3,200 per year. The introduced version of SB 611 would have capped increases for that median apartment at about $145 per month, or just under $1,740 annually, and the latest version would result in a cap of $181 per month or about $2,170 per year.
Oregon’s rent control law only applies to buildings once they’re 15 years old, and it doesn’t apply to subsidized housing. There’s also no limit on how high landlords can set rent between tenants.
The measure’s future is unclear as Senate Republicans continue a quorum-denying walkout preventing the chamber from passing bills. Some Senate Republicans are continuing to participate in committee meetings but have stayed away from the Capitol when they’re scheduled to be on the floor. (SOURCE)
A Couple Accused Of Chaining Up, Strangling And Verbally Abusing A Child For Nearly A Year Has Been Arrested In Oregon
Ana Miranda, 67, and her husband Charles “Randy” Ward, 74, were arrested on criminal mistreatment charges as part of an investigation into child abuse, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) said.
The investigation began on April 26 when detectives with the violent crimes unit received reports of possible child abuse at a home near Tigard. They interviewed several witnesses and got a search warrant for the home, ultimately finding evidence inside the house that “corroborated the allegations of abuse.”
Detectives received information that a child was being chained up in the house, often for more than 12 hours daily. The child was also strangled, hit, kicked, and verbally abused, including derogatory slurs,” the sheriff’s office said.
The abuse went on for nearly a year, investigators said. It allegedly started because the child took food and drinks from the kitchen.
The couple lived at the house with nine children and two adults.
Miranda was indicted on eight counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment, single counts each of strangulation, second-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.
According to a criminal indictment filed Wednesday in Washington County Circuit Court, Miranda “knowingly” withheld food, physical and medical care from a minor several times between July 2019 and April 2023. The assault charge stems from an alleged physical injury caused by metal pliers.
Ward was indicted on four counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment, also for allegedly withholding food and care from the minor on purpose.
A deputy district attorney in Washington County filed notices to seek sentence enhancements against each suspect, claiming they were “deliberately cruel to the victim,” adding that “the degree of harm or loss attributed to the current crime of conviction was significantly greater than typical for such an offense.”
A judge set bond for Ward and Miranda at $15,000 and $25,000, respectively, with the conditions that if they are released pre-trial they must be on house arrest, not reside with someone who lived in the residence where the incident occurred, not contact any minor or any victim in this case, or each other.
A sheriff’s office spokesperson said those charges stem from two victims living at the house, and that they are working to see if there was any other abuse. Sgt. Danny DiPietro said the agency is still investigating and could request additional charges.
There are many more children in that home, and the investigation is continuing to see if any of them sustained any injuries or any kind of abuse in the past,” DiPietro said.
“I want to make sure everyone knows that the children involved in this case are safe. They’re with family,” he added. Anyone with helpful information is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 503-846-2700. (SOURCE)
OHA Report Shows Oregonians Delaying Health Care Due To High Costs
Rising health care costs have caused more Oregonians to delay accessing health care since 2019, according to an Oregon Health Authority report.
Health care costs have been rising the past 10 years due to inflation. And the pandemic caused a spike in costs because of staffing shortages, expanded behavioral health care and a pause on non-emergency services, the report says.
Nationally, 38% of adults reported delaying health care in 2022 because of costs.
In 2020, health care and health insurance costs represented 23% of household spending in Oregon, an upward trend continuing from 2018 as costs increased faster than the national rate, according to the report.
Economic barriers to health care cause some people to delay getting the services they need, especially working-age adults and Hispanic or Latino individuals. The pandemic put a greater burden on these individuals, the report said.
People of color, those in rural areas, and low-income individuals and families experience more barriers to accessing quality health care, such as a lack of economic stability, transportation, and availability of services nearby.
While some people delay health care leading to worsening health outcomes, others accrue medical debt. The report said 10.2% of Oregonians reported using all or most of their savings on medical bills in 2021.
Oregonians most impacted by increased health care costs
Rising health care costs primarily affect uninsured working age adults in Oregon. Of those who are insured, those with Medicaid (Oregon Health Plan) and commercial health plans were more likely to delay care than those with Medicare.
In 2021, 9.2% of Oregonians 19-34 years old, 9.8% of those 35-64 years, and 5.2% of those 65 years and older reported delaying health care due to costs, the report shows.
Oregonians of color experience more economic barriers when accessing health care, according to the OHA’s Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target ProgramEditSign. People with two or more races or who are Hispanic or Latino were most likely to report delaying care due to costs.
American Indian and Alaskan Native Oregonians, who represent 1.9% of the population, were the third most likely to report delaying health care due to costs.
White people, who make up 74% of the Oregon population, reported the least difficulty paying their medical bills.
What is driving the increase in health care costs?
The net cost of private health insurance represents the cost to Oregonians for their health insurance, whether that is a commercial health plan, a Medicare Advantage plan or Oregon Health Plan. This cost per person rose by 38.7% from 2019-2020.
These costs are partially due to a low number of claims being made during the pandemic because people were not seeking non-emergency health care but still paying their monthly insurance premiums.
The average yearly cost per person for Medicare in 2020 was $1,360, a 64% increase from previous years. For Medicaid, these costs rose by 49.5% to $424 per person in 2020.
Insurance companies expect costs will continue climbing due to inflation, as people seek to access health care they were not able to receive during the pandemic.
Insurance companies also attributed rising drug costs to the pharmaceutical industry and an increase in inpatient hospital services as drivers of cost increases.
Efforts in Oregon to expand and improve access to behavioral health care have resulted in increased behavioral health spending, which also drives up the costs for patients.
Health care providers say workforce retention and recruitment has resulted in an increased economic burden as they try to incentivize workers to remain in or join the health care workforce, especially hospitals attempting to maintain operations.
In 2021, the Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems reported a 20% increase in hospital payroll costs.
OHA Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target Program: A hearing will be held May 17 to discuss the report, analyze the high costs of health care and discuss possible ways to lower the economic burden. (SOURCE)
83-year-old Clarence Edward Pitts walked away from his home in Bandon on Tuesday, January 31 at around 1:00 p.m. Pitts is described as:
- 6′ 00″
- 150 lbs
- Gray hair
- Brown eyes
- Last seen wearing an orange beanie, plaid jacket, tan pants and white shoes
- May have a walking cane
- Has dementia and PTSD
Pitts may be in a vehicle that was also found to be missing from the home:
- 1999 Toyota Van
- White
- Oregon license plate: WYN 788
If you see Clarence or have any information pertaining to where he may be, please call the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch Center at 541-396-2106 or the Bandon Police Department at 541-347-3189.
