Board Delegation Policy

Policy number: 02

Date issued: May 16, 2024

Dates reviewed: May 16, 2024

Date adopted: May 16, 2024

1. Statutory Authority.

The Universal Health Plan Governance Board is established in the Department of Consumer and Business Services and convened under 2023 Oregon Laws ch. 613 (2023 Senate Bill 1089), codified at ORS 751.001 to 751.101. Nothing in these policies and procedures is intended to be contrary to the convening authority or any other law, statute, rule, constitutional provision, or relevant judicial decision. If there is any conflict or inconsistency between these policies and procedures and any law, statute, rule, constitutional provision, or relevant judicial decision, then the law, state, rule, constitutional provision, or judicial decisions shall govern.

2. Purpose.

The Universal Health Plan Governance Board is established by statute to create a comprehensive plan to finance and administer a Universal Health Plan that is responsive to the needs and expectations of the residents of the state of Oregon, and to ensure that the proposed plan will include all Oregon residents equitably.

To aid in this undertaking, the board desires to clarify when the executive director and other board staff may perform work on behalf of the Universal Health Plan Governance Board, and to provide guidance to the board regarding their duties and responsibilities with respect to the executive director and other board staff.

3. Board Support.

The executive director and other board staff will provide support to the board in connection with all matters within the board’s authority, including preparations for and the conduct of board meetings; compliance with the Oregon Public Meetings Law, the Oregon Public Records Law, and other applicable law; the design of a financing and administrative structure for a Universal Health Plan that is responsive to the needs and expectations of the residents of the state of Oregon; the evaluation of how to work with the nine federally recognized Indian tribes in Oregon and health care boards and commissions; the assessment of the readiness of key health care and public institutions to carry out the Universal Health Plan; collaborative work with partners across the complexities of the health care systems, including hospitals, health systems and providers, insurers, and coordinated care organizations; engagement with regional organizations to identify strategies to reduce the complexities and administrative burden on participants in the health care workforce; the process of studying and addressing the impacts of the Universal Health Plan with respect to specific types of employers; the board’s consideration of the recommendations from the Joint Task Force on Universal Health Care; and communications with the public regarding any of the foregoing.

The executive director and other board staff will also provide support to the board in preparing status reports to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health under ORS 751.101, and in preparing the comprehensive plan for the implementation of the Universal Health Plan to be presented to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health and to the governor under ORS 751.002(4).

The board may also delegate additional tasks to the executive director and other board staff on a case-bycase basis to help the board perform its duties.

4. Statement of Delegation Policy.

The board delegates its authority to the executive director and other board staff to perform the following functions on the board’s behalf. The board may also delegate its authority to the executive director and other board staff in other specific policies and procedures of the board or during board meetings by verbal direction or written resolution. The board may elect to perform any of these duties at its discretion, including delegation of any of these duties to an individual member of the board.

Board Meetings Under Oregon Public Meetings Law, ORS Chapter 192

1. Facilitate public meetings and board executive sessions, including scheduling meetings, arranging meeting platforms and/or locations, and sending calendar invitations and board-related notices;
2. Provide public notice of board meetings and agenda items on the board website and Oregon Transparency website;
3. Develop agendas for board meetings in coordination with the Chair;
4. Serve as the recording secretary for the board and prepare meeting minutes for consideration by the board;
5. Prepare board materials;
6. Distribute agenda and materials in support of the board agenda to each board member;
7. Review meeting materials and agenda items with legal counsel prior to the board meeting;
8. Record all board meetings;
9. Provide minutes and recordings of board meetings on the board website; and
10. Record and securely store recordings of all executive sessions entered into by the board at board meetings.
    

Board Administration

1. Serve as the custodian of record for the board in accordance with the Oregon Public Records Law, ORS chapter 192;
2. Maintain records for the board in accordance with board retention policies and all applicable laws and regulations, including but not limited to securely storing information, documents, and records received by the board and executing the board’s destruction policy;
3. Establish and maintain an electronic mail account for the board for submission of public comment, public inquiries, or submissions of information for board consideration;
4. Receive and respond to requests related to the board in accordance with any applicable board policies and all applicable laws and regulations and seek assistance of legal counsel in connection with any such request, if necessary;
5. Accept legal service on behalf of the board;
6. Draft and issue correspondence on behalf of the board, including with stakeholders, to communicate board positions and determinations, provide notice of board activities, respond to administrative or ministerial requests made to the board, and/or seek additional information on behalf of the board;
   
7. Receive and maintain documents and correspondence addressed or submitted to the board and ensure the board’s review of such materials, if necessary;
8. Draft reports and memoranda related to work completed by or on behalf of the board; and
9. Maintain the board’s public webpage and ensure the webpage contains the following:
• All status reports provided to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health in accordance with ORS 751.101;
• The comprehensive plan presented to the interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to health and the Governor in accordance with ORS 751.101;
• Notice of board meetings and hearings;
• All agendas, non-confidential and non-privileged meeting materials, and board-approved meeting minutes;
• List of board members;
• Instructions for submitting materials for the board’s consideration;
• Contact information for submitting requests pursuant to Oregon Public Records Law;
• Policies and procedures adopted by the board;
• Resolutions, orders, and any other memorialized decisions of the board;
• Any findings, reports, or studies made or conducted by the board, redacted for confidential and/or privileged information as necessary;
• Any notices of proposed rulemaking and rulemaking hearing information;
• Any regulations or other guidance adopted by the board; and
• Any other material specifically requested by the board.
  

5. Annual Review

The board will review this policy at least annually.