Federal and State Policy

Key federal policy areas:

• Assure that underserved populations have access to health coverage, and timely access to comprehensive, integrated and well-coordinated primary care.
• Lead the evolution of payment to support advanced models of care to improve access and outcomes for health center patients, and lower system-wide costs in the short and long term
• Improve alignment of state and national metrics to support effective, quality care for vulnerable populations
• Strengthen the primary care workforce, particularly in rural and other underserved communities

OPCA’s Policy Team works closely with the Governor’s office, the State Legislature, the Oregon Department of Health and other key state agencies to provide input on legislation and policies that affect community health centers, their patients, and communities across Oregon.

As part of our mission to transform primary care to achieve health equity for all, we’re working together to advance public policy to:

• Increase access to affordable coverage and high-quality, integrated, patient-centered care
• Strengthen Oregon’s ability to address the factors outside medicine that have an outsized impact on health outcomes—such as poverty and homelessness, cultural and language barriers, trauma, and rural or social isolation
• Reduce system-wide health care costs and improve outcomes by working with patients and local communities to improve health
• Strengthen the primary care workforce, particularly in rural and other underserved communities
• Align metrics to ensure effective, quality care for vulnerable populations