The Oregon Medicaid Demonstration Project--Will It Provide Adequate Medical Care?

Abstract

The expansion of Medicaid eligibility and other aspects of the Oregon plan are steps in the right direction. The state's final proposal, however, does not represent a complete basic health care package. Oregon would come closer to its stated goals by funding more services and by better addressing practical clinical problems. The medical profession aims to provide one standard of care to all Americans, regardless of their form of health insurance or where they live. The Oregon experience challenges the medical community to define a basic health care package. In such efforts, physicians should be careful to distinguish their personal economic interests from the medical needs of patients and the accepted standard of care. After reviewing Oregon's waiver application, the federal government should press for changes, including an increased number of covered services. Such improvements would help Oregon achieve an adequate level of medical care for its Medicaid recipients. They might also inspire efforts to reform health care in other states.