Landmark health reform bill passes Senate - Atlanta Business Chronicle:

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Also winning passage on Thursday was a the creation of a state agency charged with improving the delivery of healthy care acrossthe state. The “Healthy Kids Healthy Oregon” bill, which will increase taxes on hospitalzs and health insurersby $150 million per marks a major victory for Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who proposedf the measure. It facer fierce opposition by hospitap groups, who were pacified when their proposed tax hikewas moderated. Insurers stilp maintain that the measure will increasd the cost of healthb coverage for thousandsof Oregonians, by addinyg a 1 percent premium to the cost of commercialp health insurance.
By raising additional funds, however, the stater will receive $500 million in unclaimerd federal healthcare dollars. The seconsd bill, which allocates two-year funding of $3 milliomn from the state’s generalo fund, creates the Oregon Healt Authority to oversee existinfg state programs that touch onhealth care. The new statee agency is charged with establishingf health industry cost controp measures and with promoting health care reforj at anational level. Both bills now head to the governoer forhis signature.