Vision and Guiding Principles
Vision
OEBB will work collaboratively with participating entities and local governments, members, carriers and providers to offer value-added benefit plans that support improvement in members’ health status, hold carriers and providers accountable for outcomes, and provide affordable benefits and services.
Key components of the OEBB program are:
- Support Oregon’s health system transformation efforts promoting better health, better care and lower costs.
- Support improvement in members’ health status through a variety of measurable programs and services.
- Value-added plans that provide high-quality care and services at an affordable cost to members.
- Measurable goals and programs that hold carriers and providers accountable for health outcomes.
- Encourage members to take responsibility for their own health outcomes.
- Collaboration with participating entities, members, carriers and providers that ensures a synergistic approach to the design and delivery of benefit plans and services.
- Benefits are in compliance with all state and federal laws and support participating entities’ ability to comply with healthcare-related laws and regulations.
Guiding Principles
ORS 243.866 outlines specific criteria that OEBB is to emphasize in considering whether to enter into a contract for a benefit plan. The Board further defined those criteria to serve as a guide in carrying out its charge.
Employee choice among high quality plans
Board Definition—OEBB will offer employees a range of affordable benefit plan designs that provide high-quality care and services.
Encouragement of a competitive marketplace
Board Definition—OEBB will encourage competition in the marketplace in the areas of quality, outcomes, service and cost.
Plan performance and information
Board Definition—OEBB will consider plan performance in the areas of quality, administrative processes, costs and outcomes in making its decisions. It will promote system-wide transparency that provides members with comprehensive information on these issues including decision-making resources and price transparency.
Flexibility in plan design and contracting
Board Definition—OEBB will offer a range of affordable benefit plan designs that provide participating entities and employee groups with the flexibility to choose options through collective bargaining agreements and documented entity policies that meet their and their employees’ financial and health needs.
Quality customer service
Board Definition—OEBB will collaborate with participating entities and benefit plans to ensure that members receive efficient, effective and timely service in the areas of enrollment, benefit and service coverage, and claims administration and are highly satisfied with the benefits and services received.
Creativity and innovation
Board Definition—OEBB will seek out plans and providers that use creative and innovative methods and practices that are evidence-based, have measurable outcomes and promote better health, better care and lower costs.
Plan benefits as part of total compensation
Board Definition—OEBB will consider the impact of benefit costs on members’ compensation when designing, selecting and renewing benefit plans and programs.
Improvement of employee health
Board Definition—OEBB will promote employee health and wellness through a variety of means with a focus on those activities supported by evidence of improvement in health outcomes.
Cost Affordable to the participating entities, employees and taxpayers
Board Definition—OEBB will take into account the present and future costs of benefit plans (premiums, deductibles, copayments, etc.) in offering a range of affordable, high-quality benefit plan designs and will advance Oregon's health system transformation efforts through the availability and promotion of coordinated care model health plans and increased transparency for members.
Guiding Principles of Board Operations
- The Board will operate as a cohesive unit that provides for open discussion on topics, and
- The Board will operate in a transparent manner that fosters public trust, input and understanding of OEBB decisions and policies.
Guidelines
Board Decision-Making Process
- The Board should strive to reach consensus on general direction, strategies, and final decisions, but the use of parliamentary process is acceptable for final decision-making,
- Board members should strive to raise concerns about specific issues or items prior to final decision-making,
- Board members disagreeing with a final decision are free to express their views to stakeholder groups, but should respect the final decision and not campaign to undermine it,
- Public explanation of Board decisions will be conducted by the Chair or designated staff,
- Requests for reconsideration or tabling of decisions will be directed to the Chair through parliamentary procedure, and
- Board members concerned with methods or processes of addressing issues should direct their concerns to the Chair.
Roles of Board, Staff and Consultants
Board Roles
- Provide strategic direction and vision,
- Provide direction and context for the development of options,
- Prioritize and focus work of Board, workgroups, staff and consultants, and
- Make decisions that align with the intent and requirements of ORS 243.860 to 243.886.
Workgroup Roles
- Workgroups will undertake further analysis, discussion and development of options/recommendations for Board decision,
- Each workgroup will contain at least one, but not more than four Board members along with representatives from select stakeholder groups when it is deemed appropriate, and
- Workgroups should provide periodic updates to the Board.
Interaction with Staff and Consultants
- Staff and consultants should feel free to suggest direction to the Board (at least as a starting point) rather than only waiting for the Board to determine its desired direction,
- Staff and consultants should feel free to identify implications for the Board if they believe that the Board may be going in a direction that may not be wise or may require more resources than anticipated to accomplish,
- Consultants should provide leadership in identifying issues, option, and timelines necessary to accomplish the work, and
- Requests for additional research or work by staff or consultants will be directed to the Chair or come through the workgroups.
- Staff will implement decisions of the Board.
Public Records Requests
All public records requests related to the Oregon Educators Benefit Board must be submitted directly to the Oregon Health Authority (OHA). All policies, fees, forms, and instructions related to this process can be found on the Request Records page of the OHA website.