PORTLAND, Ore.—The Hospital Association of Oregon applauds Gov. Tina Kotek for including funding in her 2025 budget to support maintaining health care services in Oregon. Taking action to fully fund the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) and increasing OHP payments to community hospitals is critical for protecting access to vital health services, such as maternity care, in communities across the state. 

“Adequate funding of the Oregon health plan is not just about access to care for vulnerable Oregonians, but about the availability of services for us all,” said Becky Hultberg, president and CEO of the Hospital Association of Oregon. “Absent meaningful steps like these to help hospitals cover the cost of providing care, Oregon’s community hospitals will be forced to make tough decisions about what services they can provide.” 

For the past five years, Oregon’s community hospitals have struggled to cover the cost of providing care. About half of Oregon hospitals consistently lose money and many more barely make ends meet. The state’s insurance program, OHP, contributes to hospitals’ financial distress by paying hospitals only 70 cents for every dollar of care they provide to OHP members. 

 “As enrollment in OHP continues to grow, it is becoming more urgent for the state to commit to covering the cost of this program. The governor’s recommended budget is a step in the right direction,” Hultberg said.

Since 2020, OHP enrollment has grown from 1.1 million to more than 1.4 million, making it Oregon’s largest insurance provider. OHP covers one in three Oregonians, including 56% of Oregon kids.

“Unfortunately, we’re reaching a point in our state where having health insurance doesn’t mean you have access to care,” Hultberg said. “We urge legislators to take important actions like the ones outlined in the governor’s budget to help stabilize our community hospitals and protect Oregonians’ access to the services they and their families rely on.” 

Lake Oswego, Ore. – The Hospital Association of Oregon Board of Trustees has elected Joe Ness, interim executive vice president and interim CEO of OHSU Health, and Tom Gessel, president and CEO of Asante, to serve as member trustees on the board of trustees. Both were elected to fill vacancies on the board.  

“We are excited to have these two outstanding leaders join the board,” said Hospital Association of Oregon President and CEO Becky Hultberg. “Both Joe and Tom have spent their careers improving the health care system, and each brings a wealth of leadership experience. They will make great additions to the board at this critical time for hospitals and the communities they serve.” 

Since 2018, Ness has also been a senior vice president and the chief operating officer at OHSU Health, where he has executive leadership responsibilities for OHSU Healthcare (OHSU Hospital and OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital), including professional and support services, perioperative services, Knight Cancer Institute’s clinical oncology services, organ procurement organization, and major capital construction initiatives. Ness earned a master’s degree in health administration from the University of Washington.  

Gessel joined Asante in 2023 and serves as president and CEO.  He brings 25 years of executive experience, with 20 years at the president and CEO level. Gessel previously served as group president for a 20-hospital system in Colorado and has led a variety of hospitals throughout his career. He holds a master’s degree in health administration from Virginia Commonwealth University.  

About the Hospital Association of Oregon 
Founded in 1934, the Hospital Association of Oregon is a mission-driven, nonprofit trade association representing Oregon’s 61 community hospitals. Together, hospitals are the sixth largest private employer statewide, employing more than 70,000 employees. Committed to fostering a stronger, safer, more equitable Oregon where all people have access to the care they need, the hospital association provides services to Oregon’s hospitals ensuring all are able to deliver dependable, comprehensive health care to their communities; educates government officials and the public on the state’s health landscape and works collaboratively with policymakers, community based organizations and the health care community to build consensus on and advance health care policy benefiting the state’s four million residents.