#coveroregon

Cover Oregon's new executive director has signed a contract awarding him a base salary of $215,000 a year, more than a $30,000 raise over his predecessor. Aaron Patnode, selected by the health insurance exchange's board after a lengthy search to replace Howard "Rocky" King, starts Monday, July 14. The 36-year-old Kaiser Permanente manager will make more than twice the salary of Gov. John Kitzhaber. Patnode will also receive full state benefits as well as yearly incentive pay of $32,250 if he meets performance measures set by the Cover Oregon board. http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/07/new_cover_oregon_executive_dir.html#incart_river

A report by independent quality-assessment contractor Maximus found that Cover Oregon’s attempt to transition to the federal exchange is at a high risk of failure, and for many of the same reasons that forced the transition in the first place. The reporting period runs through the end of April, and Maximus found that even then Cover Oregon needed to quickly hire a"systems integrator” (SI) to manage the transfer to the federal exchange. Maximus emphasized that delay in hiring a systems integrator could jeopardize enrollments for next year. Nine other companies are also in the running for the contract, which Cover Oregon estimates will be for $30-$35 million. A recent estimate found that 80,000 people who enrolled through Cover Oregon this year will have to re-enroll through the federal exchange next year. over Oregon still has not hired a systems integrator, however, nearly two months after that warning. It first posted official notice that it was looking for one on May 26. Documents obtained by the On Your Side Investigators show a decision is due Monday. Documents obtained by the On Your Side Investigators show a decision is due Monday. http://www.katu.com/news/investigators/Cover-Oregons-transition-to-federal-exchange-at-high-risk-for-failure-265161541.html

Software vendor Oracle provided information last week to the U.S. House and Energy Committee claiming the website was operational in February, but that the state of Oregon pulled the plug on it for political reasons. The On Your Side Investigators obtained a copy of the Power Point presentation, which alleges the state deliberately distorted the case for abandoning the Cover Oregon website in favor of transitioning to the federal exchange. Kitzhaber blamed Oracle for missing deadlines and for what he called fundamental flaws in the portal’s architecture and for thousands of bugs in the system. The On Your Side Investigators reported in December that the decision not to hire a Systems Integrator was the first major wrong turn for the project. The Investigators unearthed reports from independent quality-assessment contractor Maximus that reached the same conclusion. Oracle says it tried to keep the project in line even in the months after it missed its go-live date of Oct. 1, but Cover Oregon officials continued to circumvent normal procedures and attempt to expand the scope of work beyond what was necessary to make the website functional. http://www.katu.com/news/investigators/Oracle-Cover-Oregon-website-worked-but-plug-pulled-for-political-reasons-264170671.html

Lawyers have filed a class-action lawsuit against Oregon nonprofit health insurer Regence BlueCross BlueShield, saying it is acting like a for-profit company by stockpiling excess funds that support large salaries rather than health care for policyholders. The suit lists Regence policyholder Tanya March and her two children as plaintiffs as well as Dischinger Orthodontics of Lake Oswego. Cambia Health Solutions, the parent company for Regence and its sister companies in Washington, Utah and Idaho, does not report total executive compensation that includes income from for-profit subsidiaries, making those figures difficult to ascertain. However, in 2012, Cambia CEO Mark Ganz told The Oregonian he earned $1.94 million. http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/06/lawsuit_claims_regence_bluecro.html#incart_river

Wait a minute. I thought Cover Oregon was a "Public Corporation" and not a state agency. http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2014/06/state_can_pay_cover_oregon_off.html

After $250 Million How Much More Do You Think Oregon Will Spend on Lawyers and How Long Will It Take? Portland law firm Markowitz Herbold Glade & Mehlhaf PC has been paid $352,000 so far to prepare for a potential lawsuit and their contract now allows them to bill the state up to $2.5 million. The state has retained two Washington, D.C., lawyers to help Oregon with an investigation by a U.S. House committee. A Portland criminal defense attorney also was hired in response to an investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office, according to the documents, which include contracts and billing summaries obtained under Oregon's public records law. The state also turned to Portland attorney Robert Weaver, a former federal prosecutor who has defended a number of high-profile criminal defendants, including figure skater Tonya Harding. Weaver is representing the state and its current and former employees in a federal criminal investigation. The U.S. Attorney's Office has issued subpoenas to state agencies seeking, among other things, communications between 10 officials involved in developing and overseeing the Cover Oregon website. http://www.katu.com/politics/Oregon-hires-lawyers-issues-demands-for-potential-Cover-Oregon-suit-263358621.html

How About Hiring A Native Oregonian and a Republican just as a Good Will Measure! DURHAM — The Cover Oregon board unanimously voted to hire a Kaiser Permanente official to become the state health exchange's permanent executive director Thursday. Pending contract negotiations, Aaron Patnode, who is responsible for Kaiser Permanente's implementation of the Affordable Care Act in Oregon and Washington, will take over an organization under immense scrutiny, turbulence and uncertainty. Patnode has worked for Kaiser Permanente since 2009, in various roles. He also has experience in public relations and hospital administration. He has a bachelor's degree in communications from Boston College and a Master of Business Administration and Master of Healthcare Administration from the University of Minnesota. http://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/health/2014/06/12/panel-picks-kaiser-official-lead-cover-oregon/10380187/?from=global&sessionKey=&autologin=