A history of Oregon's Basic Health Services Act: an insider's account

Abstract

The state of Oregon has led the nation in creating legislation to guarantee universal access by establishing medical and funding priorities in a basic health care package. A preliminary prioritization project--known as the Oregon Medicaid Priority-Setting Project or the Golenski project--served as a "dry run" for Oregon's Basic Health Services Act passed in 1989. A list of 15 public policy principles developed from data gathered from citizen surveys was used as guide for participants in setting priorities. Oregon's pioneering attempt at creating a health care package using prioritization must be seen in the context of the state's particular democratic traditions.