OSRC PACT Update

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Political Action: A Benefit of AARC/OSRC Membership
By Joe Dwan, MS, RRT. Representation, both political and for medical issues, is an important reason for being an AARC/OSRC member! Education and communication are two more significant benefits to membership!
State and National: November is National COPD Awareness month, with World COPD Day falling on November 20^th. Many states governors signed proclamations for COPD Awareness month, but not our own governor, Dr John Kitzhaber, ER physician! President Bush signed a national proclamation for COPD Awareness. For more information, check out the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), see www.GOLD.com
National: November is also elections, both national and state, which determines the decision makers who vote on and control health care funding and policies, both of Nationally, as you may have heard, the Republicans control both the House and Senate, plus the executive branch with President Bush. Political Action Committees, huge money machines that funded candidates, expect to influence Congress to vote on issues supporting their causes. The Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturing PAC (Pharmaceutical companies) had $12,000,000 for candidates. For comparison, the AARC PAC had $70,000. Republicans are expected to push for prescription drug benefits for Medicare age people (The older population votes more than middle age or younger people). The recent budget deficit will impact health care, estimated at $159 billion in 2002. The AARC/OSRC are still promoting RTs making home visits in place of nurses or physical therapists as a budget-neutral impact on Medicare. Capital Connections can make it a snap to write a letter to your congressman/woman. Oregon’s record number of letters is in jeopardy with Kansas trying to surpass us.
Curious about how the states are spending the Tobacco settlement revenue? www.ncsl.org/programs/health/hpts/tsrreport.htm
Centers for Disease Control and the Ntl Conference of State Legislatures have a database of state laws relating to asthma. Check it out. www.ncsl.org/programs/ESNR/asthma.cfm
October 25th the CDC released guidelines for hand hygiene in health care. Several studies point to RTs poor hand washing for spreading infections in health care. www.cdc.gov/handhygiene/
In Oregon: Election results show the state House at 35 Republicans and 25 Democrats, and the Senate with a usual 15-15 split, plus a Democratic Governor. A list of Oregon representatives will be posted on the OSRC website. The growing budget deficit will be the main topic to resolve when legislators meet in January. Health care will definitely be impacted by the budget deficit. The 1993 Tobacco Tax ($.10/pack) expires Jan 04 and will require a vote to continue. Your support will be needed to pass this tax. The Oregon Health Plan is a primary concern of the Oregon Assoc. of Hospitals and Health Systems. OAHHS legislative goals include pharmacy costs, uninsured impact on the Trauma system, redesigning mental health care, rural health, community health with disaster planning related to terrorism, patient safety reporting in a blame-free environment, medical malpractice, and a number of other issues impacting all of us. www.oahhs.org
Thanks to all who voted Sept 17^th and Nov 5^th!!! The cigarette tax increase from your Sept 17^th vote will raise $70.7 million dollars between 2001-2003, money for the Oregon Health Plan plus other programs. It is expected to raise another $113.9 million/year starting 2004.