Bill Expands Health Coverage for Former Foster Youth

KEZI 9 News
By Paris Jackson

EUGENE, Ore.—New legislation will extend medical coverage to former foster youth, who are no longer in the foster care system. Under the bill individuals will have medical coverage until they’re 21-years-old.

This new legislation will allow former foster youth, who are 18 to stay covered under the Oregon Health Plan until they’re 21.
That coverage use to terminate after they turned 18.

Many young adults can remain on their parent’s medical insurance until they’re early twenties, however foster children don’t have that luxury.

This group has a number of challenges once they leave the foster system, lack of health insurance being one of them.

“A lot of foster youth when they’re in foster care,  we don’t have to worry about health care because it’s already provided for us. Then once we get out of foster care, we’re slammed with this big priority that we have to go get health care coverage. And we can’t afford it, “said Oregon Foster Youth Connection President Jamie Hinsz.

Hinsz said a lot of former foster individuals are on medications for different mental illnesses, such as post traumatic stress disorder.  When their health coverage ends they no longer have access to certain prescriptions, resulting in paying out of pocket.

The bill will cover 400 former foster youth ages 19 to 21 each year. But Hinsz expects it to possibly help more.

Once the Governor Kulongoski signs off on the bill it will go into effect in May of 2010.

To view live news coverage, click here.

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House passes bill extending health benefits for teens leaving foster care

By Michelle Cole, The Oregonian
February 23, 2010, 1:50PM
SALEM —Teens aging out of foster care will retain health care coverage from the Oregon Health Plan until they turn 21, under a bill that passed the House on a unanimous vote.

All children in state protective custody receive physical and mental health benefits but most lost those benefits when they turn 18 and leave foster care. House Bill 3626 would allow coverage to remain in place until the youths turn 21. State officials estimate that 98 teens would benefit in the next two years, with the number growing to 400 youths by 2013.

Kids in foster care often suffer a higher rate of physical and mental health issues than others their age. They are also more likely to end up homeless.

These young people face “a very difficult path,” said Rep. Mitch Greenlick, D-Portland. Even so, he said, they can and they do “overcome barriers.”

The bill still must be approved by the Senate. The extra cost of providing coverage will be paid through a health care tax passed during the 2009 session and federal Medicaid funds.

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Oregon ban on baby bottle chemical fails on tie vote

By TIM FOUGHT
SALEM, Ore.

A bill to ban a chemical used in rigid plastic baby bottles and “sippy cups” failed Tuesday on a tie vote in the Oregon Senate.

Advocates wanted to ban products used by children younger than 3 years old that contain bisphenol A. They said the federal government has failed to regulate the hormone disrupter that can leach from food containers and pose multiple health hazards for fetuses and young children.

Opponents said federal regulators haven’t concluded the chemical is a health hazard, and the measure could threaten jobs and businesses in Oregon’s canning industry.

Bisphenol A was developed as an estrogen replacement before World War II and adopted for plastics in the 1950s.

The federal Food and Drug Administration has expressed concern about the chemical’s effects and ordered more tests.

A few other states have banned it in infant products or, as in Washington, are moving to do so. Many manufacturers and retailers already have abandoned baby bottles using bisphenol A.

“Parents are not choosing it, and it will go away,” said Sen. Jason Atkinson of Central Point, who said his family avoided it. He voted against the bill, saying it was a precursor to legislation to ban the chemical in cans.

Bisphenol A is in the epoxy resins used for can liners, enabling high-heat sterilization, according to manufacturers.

Originally, the bill also aimed at the use of bisphenol A in baby formula cans. The canning industry said it was too broad and might also apply to widely used products such as canned peas and pureed squash.

Even though that provision was deleted, lobbyist Craig Smith of the Northwest Food Processors Association said the group remained opposed to the bill. The state should await action by the federal regulators, and the bill had an objectionable provision to recall baby bottles that had been sold legally, he said.

Supporters of the bill said the chemical remains in some bottles for sale, and not all parents have or can take the time to be educated about the chemical.

“Their children are no less deserving of protection,” said Sen. Chris Edwards of Eugene.

Fifteen Democrats supported the bill Tuesday. Three Democrats and 12 Republicans opposed it.

In the Oregon Legislature, bills that fail, especially on tie or close votes, are not dead in a legislative session until the last gavel falls. The measure’s sponsor, Sen. Jackie Dingfelder of Portland, said the bisphenol A ban might be resurrected before adjournment, expected next week.

Bills that environmentalists favored have had a tough time in the February session.

Sen. Mark Hass of Beaverton withdrew his proposed ban on plastic bags at checkout stands. A measure to make permanent a ban on offshore oil and gas drilling in Oregon’s 3-mile stretch of territorial waters in the Pacific was amended to limit the ban to 10 years. A measure aimed at resolving long-standing issues of property rights and recreational use of Oregon rivers failed Tuesday in the Oregon Senate.

A bill to encourage Oregon’s largest cities to plan for reducing greenhouse gases was still alive in committee.

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The bisphenol A measure is SB1032.

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Democrats scrounge for dollars for daycare & grants

by By TIM FOUGHT, Associated Press Writer

Originally printed at http://www.kgw.com/news/Democrats-scrounge-for-dollars-for-2-Ore-programs-84019252.html

SALEM, Ore. (AP)—Democrats in charge of the Oregon Legislature say they are scrounging for a few million dollars to add to programs such as day care subsidies for working families and college grants.

The sums are not large in the state’s budget—$16 million to extend the day care subsidies another year, $19 million to meet additional demand for the college student aid.

They have some powerful backers, though, such as unionized day care workers and Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who made the student Opportunity Grants a priority.

They also illustrate that even with voter approval of two tax increase measures last month, the Democratic majorities in the House and Senate have little room to maneuver on budget questions.

House Speaker Dave Hunt told a gathering of day care advocates Tuesday that adding money for the day care subsidies for families leaving welfare rolls is a priority because it helps both parents and child care providers stay employed.

If the Legislature didn’t act, parents in nearly 3,000 families with 5,500 children would lose the benefit. Most would have to quit working and fall back on more-expensive government assistance, said proponents of the new spending.

Hunt alluded to voter approval of Measures 66 and 67 in January. Had the votes gone the other way, issues such as additional spending on day care and college aid might have been washed away by a wave of budget cuts.

“Fortunately, Oregonian voters said loud and clear last month that cutting our way out of the recession is not the way,” he said.

Still, the measures don’t help with spending that’s not already in the budget, Hunt told the day care advocates, so what comes out of the Legislature’s February session is likely to be “frankly, not as much as you would like or we would like.”

The Democrats have a little more than two weeks to meet their self-imposed deadlines for making budget fixes and wrapping up a special session. The Ways and Means Committee is expected to consider tapping reserves and state agency budgets to find cash for unbudgeted spending, as well meet expectations from school districts about state aid.

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Oregon’s Healthy Kids insurance program expands coverage to more children

By Andy Dworkin, The Oregonian
February 05, 2010, 3:00PM

Almost all Oregon children can now buy health insurance, as a final phase of the state’s Healthy Kids insurance program started last week.

The legislature approved the Healthy Kids plan in 2009, funding it through a 1 percent tax on health insurance premiums. Last fall, the program’s first phases offered free coverage to children from lower-income families. More than 30,000 kids out of an estimated 65,000 eligible Oregonians have enrolled in that coverage.

The final piece of the program, Healthy KidsConnect, lets children from other families buy into the plan, which covers all usual check-ups, preventive care and medical care. The insurance also covers prescription medicine, medical equipment and dental, vision and mental health, including addiction services. Only legal Oregon residents under age 19 are eligible.

Families making between 200 and 300 percent of the federal poverty level, roughly $44,000 to $66,000 a year for a family of four, pay a sliding fee for insurance through Healthy KidsConnect. Monthly premiums range from $22 to $83 for families in this category, depending on their income and how many children are covered. Families making more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level can buy coverage for the full cost of $214 a month per child.

KidsConnect coverage is sponsored by the state but offered by private health insurance plans. State officials say the final phase of coverage could enroll up to 15,000 children. They aim to have 80,000 children covered through the Healthy Kids program by the end of this year.

The completion of the KidsConnect program means almost every child in Oregon can get health insurance, and marks “a proud day in Oregon’s history,” Gov. Ted Kulongoski said on Friday.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Healthy Kids insurance programs or applying can go online to http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/healthykids or phone (877) 314-5678.

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Legislative session: All Oregonians ask of Salem is an opportunity

By The Oregonian Editorial Board
January 30, 2010, 9:25AM
Oregon lawmakers will convene a new session Monday while enjoying a rare sensation in Salem—breathing room.

The state budget is balanced, more or less, thanks to the approval of Measures 66 and 67. There’s no crisis, no ax poised over schools or universities or public safety. Oregonians aren’t asking legislators to save the day.

They are only asking for a chance to experience, even briefly, the same respite in their lives, the same breathing room, that lawmakers will have when they report to the Capitol on Monday.

This monthlong session should be about giving Oregonians an opportunity to get out of crisis mode. Lawmakers should further extend jobless benefits to the persistently unemployed Oregonians who still cannot find work.

They should expand employment-related day care payments to workers juggling two or three jobs—often at odd hours—while trying to find safe and affordable care for their kids. They should pass legislation to help small businesses get access to the credit they need to recover and grow.

Legislators also must help the many Oregonians who are trying to go to community colleges and universities but facing ever-increasing tuition. The Oregon Student Assistance Commission has more than 30,000 pending applications. There should be no greater priority in Salem than putting more money into Opportunity Grants for these students.

Once lawmakers have done what they can for Oregon’s beleaguered families, they should turn to the larger question of how to give the state, its schools and other services more security—breathing room—during economic downturns.

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Oregon voters pass tax increasing measures by big margin

By Harry Esteve, The Oregonian
January 26, 2010, 10:17PM

Oregon voters bucked decades of anti-tax and anti-Salem sentiment Tuesday, raising taxes on corporations and the wealthy to prevent further erosion of public schools and other state services.

The tax measures passed easily, with late returns showing a 54 percent to 46 percent ratio. Measure 66 raises taxes on households with taxable income above $250,000, and Measure 67 sets higher minimum taxes on corporations and increases the tax rate on upper-level profits.

The results triggered waves of relief from educators and legislative leaders, who were facing an estimated $727 million shortfall in the current two-year budget if the measures failed.

“We’re absolutely ecstatic,” said Hanna Vandering, a physical education teacher from Beaverton and vice president of the statewide teachers union. “What Oregonians said today is they believe in public education and vital services.”

The double-barreled victory is the first voter-approved statewide income tax increase since the 1930s. Other states, facing similar budget woes, are watching the outcome closely because Oregon, after all, is a state that capped property taxes and locked a surplus tax rebate program into the constitution.

The last time voters approved a tax increase was 2002, when they agreed to bump up tobacco taxes to help pay for the Oregon Health Plan. Voters rejected income tax increases twice in recent years.

“You’re going to find a lot of people are going to be talking about this,” said Kevin Looper, campaign director for Vote Yes for Oregon, the main support group for the measures.

Looper was among more than 300 supporters who packed the Wonder Ballroom in Northeast Portland to watch results. Within 15 minutes of the polls closing, counties around the state released a flood of vote counts and it became clear that both measures had passed.

Multnomah County was key to the victory, with voters approving both measures by more than a 2-1 ratio. There was deep support elsewhere around the state, including Washington, Lane and Benton counties and communities on the coast. Even in more conservative areas, support was stronger than expected.

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Cries for help for Jeanette Maples got no answer

By Susan Goldsmith, The Oregonian
January 02, 2010, 5:24PM

EUGENE—Many in this community were heartbroken last month when they learned that 15-year-old Jeanette Maples was killed, but few were surprised when authorities charged her mother and stepfather with murder.

For three years, people in Jeanette’s life tried to get child welfare authorities involved, to no avail. Her step-grandmother, a concerned parent of a friend and educators all called the state Department of Human Services because she was bruised, constantly hungry and said she had been beaten at home.

Though police and prosecutors have released few details about the case, citing an ongoing criminal investigation, Jeanette’s relatives, friends and former teachers say she died a horrific death at her Eugene home after being starved and abused for years.

Her mother, Angela McAnulty, 41, and stepfather, Richard McAnulty, 40, have been charged with aggravated murder as a result of “intentional maiming and torture.” Both could face the death penalty if convicted, and both have pleaded not guilty.

DHS officials won’t comment, because they’ve convened a critical incident response team review to examine how the agency handled the case. The internal inquiry is expected to wrap up this month.

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Measures 66 and 67: Protect the hardest-hit Oregonians

By Guest Columnist
December 21, 2009, 8:00AM
John Mullin

It’s official: Oregon now ranks second in the nation for hunger. Food stamp use in our state has skyrocketed 36 percent over the past year. Today, 650,000 Oregonians—one in six—rely on food stamps. Just in the Portland metro area, for example, 231,911 people are currently enrolled in the program because they have nowhere else to turn. The reason behind the rapid rise in hunger is clear: Oregon has been hit hard by the economic crisis, and the effects are rippling through our communities. That’s why we must carefully consider Measures 66 and 67, which are designed to protect Oregonians who have been hardest hit by the recession from being hurt again by drastic cuts to essential services.

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State extends health care to 20,000 kids

By Bill Graves, The Oregonian

December 10, 2009, 6:35PM

An additional 20,000 children have health insurance and access to health care under Oregon’s initiative to insure virtually all children, Gov. Ted Kulongoski announced today. 

Under a law passed this year by the Legislature, Oregon is using a 1 percent tax on health insurer premiums to expand health care to 80,000 more children under age 18. Once that happens, about 95 percent of Oregon’s children will be insured. That is about as high a percentage as any state has achieved given that some families move or elude social outreach workers, state officials say.

The state has extended health insurance to 20,000 children since the governor signed the Healthy Kids Plan into law in August. State leaders hope to provide insurance for another 60,000 children by 2010.

“Many parents are struggling in this difficult economy,” Kulongoski said in a prepared statement. “One thing they don’t have to worry about is how to get their children the health care they need.”

The state has been enrolling uninsured children in the Oregon Health Plan who come from families with incomes up to 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Beginning in January, the state will subsidize on a sliding scale insurance for children from families with incomes up to 300 percent of the poverty level – $66,000 for a family of four. Children whose parents lack employer-sponsored insurance will have access to a new state-sponsored private insurance plan called Healthy KidsConnect.

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Health insurance exchange for kids to begin

Oregon’s program will be the first of its kind in the nation

By Tracy Loew • Statesman Journal • December 13, 2009

Oregon is getting ready to roll out the nation’s first health insurance exchange just for children.

In January, children in families between 200 percent and 300 percent of the federal poverty level will qualify for state-subsidized health coverage offered by five private insurers.

The plan, called Healthy KidsConnect, will serve as many as 35,000 children.

A family of four would qualify if its income was between $44,100 and $66,150 per year.

They’ll pay either 10 percent or 20 percent of the premium costs, depending on income, said Cathy Kaufmann, manager of the state’s Office of Healthy Kids.

Health insurance exchanges are a key part of national health care reforms being considered by Congress. They allow consumers to comparison shop plans with standardized benefits.

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Domestic violence murders: Community and victims cry out for solutions

By Guest Columnist
December 12, 2009, 9:13AM
By BRUCE GOLDBERG, ROBIN CHRISTIAN and SYBIL HEBB
The domestic violence murders staining our region in the past month have been horrific and relentless. In total, 18 people have lost their lives in less than 30 days. Along with seven women, two young children were shot and killed along with their mothers, and an adult son died trying, unsuccessfully, to protect his mother. All eight male perpetrators committed suicide.

These tragedies have occurred across Oregon, in both urban and rural communities. One thing is clear: Domestic violence is a public health and safety crisis in our state with far-reaching consequences. Individuals, workplaces, schools and agencies are negatively affected. The toll on victims, children, families and communities cannot be measured.

We have a responsibility to our families and our communities to do better.

We join together to issue a statewide call to action. In the aftermath of these tragedies, government and justice system officials, policymakers and advocates are asking what could have been done to prevent these deaths.

We applaud the fast response of state leaders such as Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who is convening a group of leaders in law enforcement, advocacy and social services to look at how we can do a better job. A statewide critical and thorough review of each case by a multidisciplinary group will assess whether there were missed opportunities to step in, provide safety and avert these heartbreaking deaths.

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Children without health care

By Chris Honore
For the Ashland Daily Tidings
December 05, 2009

Who can dispute that growing up healthy is essential to a child’s well being? And yet, the rising cost of health insurance, combined with a severe recession and increasing unemployment, often meaning loss of health care, puts the financial stability of families in jeopardy, asking them to make all but impossible choices between food, rent and clothes and health care.

Children without health insurance are ten times more likely than insured children to miss out on needed medical care.

More and more are showing up in emergency rooms for health care or going without. According to Children First for Oregon, “these children are more likely to suffer from common childhood illnesses that force children to miss school. They are three times more likely to go without needed prescriptions. Children without insurance are eight times more likely to go without preventative and primary medical care.”

The report goes on to state that medical debt is a rapidly growing problem in Oregon and across the nation.

There are more than 100,000 children in Oregon without healthcare insurance. Of the 45,605 children in Jackson County, 4,606 are uninsured. According to county officials, 51.5 percent of eighth graders have not had a physical exam in the past year; 69.3 percent have tooth decay; 44.2 percent have not seen a dentist in the previous year; there are 3,989 students for every 1.0 FTE school nurse in the county. The preferred ratio is 750 students to every 1.0 FTE nurse.

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Child abuse takes many different forms

By Chris Honore
For the Ashland Daily Tidings
December 04, 2009

What would cause a child to choose the mean streets of a city or a town rather than living at home? And what happens to those children who cannot leave, who are too young to make such a harrowing decision and so must remain, all the while suffering chronic and unremitting abuse?

But first, how is child abuse defined?

According to the Center for Disease Control there are four categories of child abuse: neglect, physical abuse, sexual abuse and psychological abuse.

In Jackson County, according to Children First for Oregon, in 2007, 440 children suffered abuse and neglect and 320 children suffered from threat of harm. Of those 760 children, Doug Mares, District 8 manager of the Department of Human Services, reports that 404 were younger than six years of age; 268 were six to 12; and 88 were 13 and older.

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