============================================================ Health Options Digest April 20, 2002 Coalition for Health Options In Central Eugene-Springfield ============================================================ * EDITOR'S LETTER * CALENDAR 1.sn - Mon 4/22 - Springfield City Council * LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 2.rg - Both hospitals needed 3.sn - Show support for McKenzie-Willamette 4.rg - Both hospitals needed 5.sn - Hospital needs community's support * COMMENTARY 6.rg - Ward 3: Not Kelly: Stewart offers alternative to incumbent * MAJOR NEWS 7.rg - Codes for nodes 8.rg - Springfield planning commissioners favor West Eugene Parkway * OTHER NEWS 9.rg - PeaceHealth may soon sell building to church 10.rg - Healthy growth: PacificSource charts rapid statewide expansion * CONTACTS, OTHER LINKS, KEY, CREDITS ===================== EDITOR'S LETTER ==================== This Monday, the Springfield City Council will discuss selecting nodal development sites, including possibly the PeaceHealth site (#1). What nodal development is and what regulations should be adopted to encourage it was the topic of a recent Springfield meeting (#7). The Springfield Planning Commission, apparently going against the practice of Springfield not interfering in Eugene matters, approved the West Eugene Parkway over the concerns of the Eugene Planning Commission. This action might set a precedent for Eugene to respond in kind when Peacehealth's development plans are considered in Springfield (#8). In part because of his efforts to keep PeaceHealth in downtown Eugene, The Register-Guard opted to endorse anyone but David Kelly for Eugene City Council Ward 3 (#6). The sun has returned, and citizens are once again casting the light of public scrutiny on decisions being made on their behalf. Letters to both The Springfield News and The Register-Guard express support for McKenzie-Willamette and express concern over the effects of the proposed move by PeaceHealth (#2, #3, #4, #5). Remember that freedom of speech is perhaps our most basic freedom. If the news you read below concerns you, write a letter to the editor or contact you elected representatives. Contact information is listed in the "Contacts" section below. Rob Zako, Editor (and Email List Manager) 343-5201 rzako@efn.org ======================== CALENDAR ======================== ------------------------------------------------------------ 1.sn - MON 4/22 - SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL ------------------------------------------------------------ From The Springfield News Monday, April 22 5:30 p.m. - Springfield City Council work session, Jesse Maine Room, City Hall, 225 Fifth St. City attorney evaluation, node site selection project. 726-3700. http://www.springfieldnews.com/news/calendar/contents.html Agenda: http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/CMO/2002Council/042202%20agenda.pdf ================== LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ================= ------------------------------------------------------------ 2.rg - BOTH HOSPITALS NEEDED ------------------------------------------------------------ Leslie Noxon, Eugene In The Register-Guard, 4/14/02 Mckenzie-Willamette Hospital provides extraordinary care. It does so despite its size and lack of corporate cash flow. Since its inception in the 1950s, it has been loved by the people it serves and by its community. Neighbors are friends. Patients are happy. Even their families seem to relish the atmosphere. Maybe it succeeds because of its size. People don't get lost in the shuffle. Employees interact well, Managers are out on the floors. CEO Roy Orr keeps everyone informed. Nurses feel valued, and have more cheer to give. When I think of Sacred Heart, now called PeaceHealth, I am reminded that scenic views and marketing strategy can't produce the same result. You can't buy extraordinary care with corporate funds. It has to be hard-wired into a system with good hearts. This area needs both hospitals. Each has an important niche. Goliath doesn't need to smite little David. Speaking as a McKenzie-Willamette employee, there's room for both of us! (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/20020414/ed.letters.0414.html ------------------------------------------------------------ 3.sn - SHOW SUPPORT FOR MCKENZIE-WILLAMETTE ------------------------------------------------------------ In The Springfield News, 4/17/02 I am distressed that the City of Springfield and its residents seem to be taking no action to prevent the behemoth of PeaceHealth-Sacred Heart from invading the legitimate medical territory of Springfield's community-owned hospital, McKenzie-Willamette. McKenzie-Willamette is fighting for its life by bringing suit against PeaceHealth. Make no mistake about it: If PeaceHealth wins in court, McKenzie-Willamette's share of the medical market in this area will continue to shrink. Why? Because of PeaceHealth's contract with Regence BlueCross/Blue Shield of Oregon; if that's your insurance plan, you can't afford to come to McKenzie-Willamette, even if you would really prefer to. Why have Springfield's Planning Commission and City Council not taken action to prevent the location of PeaceHealth-Sacred Heart's expanded development within Springfield's urban growth boundary? The answer seems all too clear: Business and anything good for improving Business -- note the capital "B" -- is the primary motivation here. They should be ashamed of themselves. They need to be reminded how Springfielders worked with determination and enthusiasm in 1953 to gather the funds -- $480,000 from nearly 3,500 citizens, businesses and civic groups plus about $155,000 in federal funds -- for Springfield's new community-owned hospital. This hospital wasn't paid for only by big business corporations: Small businesses and Springfield's citizens donated whatever they could. Many Springfield workers pledged overtime wages; among city and postal employees, plus those of many lumber companies and other businesses, 100 percent pledged overtime salaries. Nearly every church and service club took part in raising funds. McKenzie-Willamette opened its doors to the public for showing off on May 1, 1955; the next day it opened for business. It has expanded since then to tackle all kinds of community needs, from adult day health care and hospice care to being ready for major community disasters such as Thurston High School's grim day. With one of the finest emergency departments in Oregon, McKenzie-Willamette became the state's first Level II trauma center in 1989. An innovative health and birth center was added in 1997. Also available now is the most extensive occupational health program in Lane County. McKenzie-Willamette is OUR hospital, not one controlled by a giant corporation up in Washington State. It is time -- past time, in fact -- to rise up to protect our hospital. Surely there is land somewhere within the urban growth boundaries of Eugene that would fit the bill for the expansion of PeaceHealth-Sacred Heart. And if you have been forced to go to Sacred Heart because of your insurance policy when you would have preferred to come to McKenzie-Willamette, please take two or three minutes to call McKenzie-Willamette Hospital, 726-4400, to let them know you are pulling for them to win their antitrust suit against PeaceHealth. They need to know that their community is behind them. (end) http://www.springfieldnews.com/2002/news0417/opinion/sn_opinion-02.html#TopOfPage ------------------------------------------------------------ 4.rg - BOTH HOSPITALS NEEDED ------------------------------------------------------------ Kathy Stark, Eugene In The Register-Guard, 4/19/02, Page 14A I've always taken for granted that our community has two high-quality health care facilities that I can choose from, if ever I have the need to use one. I don't take McKenzie-Willamette Hospital for granted and hope it will prevail (and quickly) in its lawsuit against PeaceHealth before too much damage is done. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/20020419/14a.ed.letters.0419.html ------------------------------------------------------------ 5.sn - HOSPITAL NEEDS COMMUNITY'S SUPPORT ------------------------------------------------------------ In The Springfield News, 4/20/02 I was very impressed with Anne Heinsoo's letter of April 17 regarding our need to show support for our outstanding McKenzie-Willamette community hospital. The future of our wonderful hospital's very existence is now at great risk as a result of medical giant PeaceHealth's plans to relocate their new half-billion dollar facilities from Eugene to Springfield. This, together with PeaceHealth's continued efforts to coerce insurance providers to require that their insured clients use only PeaceHealth facilities, has resulted in significant financial loss to McKenzie-Willamette. We are blessed in this region to have the services of a major regional medical facility such as PeaceHealth; however, we are equally blessed and dependent upon our own McKenzie-Willamette community hospital. The giant, out-of-state PeaceHealth organization should be the first to step forward to ensure McKenzie-Willamette's continuation and modify their operating and contracting policies that, unless changed, will most assuredly result in the demise of OUR cherished and needed community hospital. Competition in any industry or profession always ensures more competitive pricing and higher levels of service than does a monopoly of one. I fully agree with Anne Heinsoo that the citizens of Springfield and their elected officials need to immediately step forward and demand that fairness prevail in this matter. Even senior PeaceHealth officials and board members concur that McKenzie-Willamette Hospital is vital to our community, although their actions and policies would appear to be contrary to those statements. Also, can the taxpayers of Springfield afford to provide free services to a half-billion-dollar, non-taxpaying corporate enterprise such as PeaceHealth? The Eugene City Council may have out-maneuvered us on this one, unless we immediately step forward and demonstrate a higher level of prudence in dealing with this matter. I am told that over $6 million of public funds have already been committed to assist PeaceHealth with their development of the Gateway property -- that doesn't seem to show much respect for your and my tax dollars. Let's all help by calling the mayor, city councilors and county commissioners to voice our concern and our commitment to the continuation of our own McKenzie-Willamette Hospital. (end) http://www.springfieldnews.com/news/opinion/sn_opinion-03.html#TopOfPage http://www.springfieldnews.com/2002/news0420/opinion/sn_opinion-03.html#TopOfPage ======================= COMMENTARY ======================= ------------------------------------------------------------ 6.rg - WARD 3: NOT KELLY: STEWART OFFERS ALTERNATIVE TO INCUMBENT ------------------------------------------------------------ Editorial The Register-Guard, 4/21/02, Page 2B It's possible that if David Kelly weren't on the Eugene City Council, PeaceHealth would not be planning to build its new $350 million hospital in Springfield. It was Kelly, more than any other councilor, who moved to frustrate PeaceHealth's proposal to build the hospital on land it owns in north Eugene. The consequences will reverberate for decades. And it's possible that the West Eugene Parkway will not be built, despite the twice-expressed will of the city's voters. The result would be a lasting break in the partnership between the city and the Oregon Department of Transportation, a wide-ranging downzoning of property in west Eugene and a continued worsening of traffic congestion. Several councilors would be responsible for such a result, but Kelly's record in attempting to muddy last year's parkway vote with a second measure suggests he would be the first among equals. These are just two examples -- one past, one prospective -- of major disagreements between this newspaper and Kelly. The Register-Guard endorsed his candidacy in 1998, when he was elected to represent Ward 4 on the council. At the time we were impressed by his intelligence and diligence, and saw in him the possibility that the council might move beyond its polarized positions. We were right about Kelly being intelligent and diligent. No one on the council is smarter or harder-working. The 48-year-old computer systems consultant has scaled back his professional obligations to the point of being a full-time councilor. The trouble is, he has too often harnessed those qualities to an agenda that has left the council divided and led the community in the wrong direction. Having disagreed with Kelly on key issues affecting Eugene's future, we can't recommend that he be rewarded with a second council term, this time in Ward 3. Residents of Ward 3 have an alternative to voting for Kelly or abstaining. Though Kelly is the heavy favorite, he has a challenger -- Maco Stewart, a 21-year-old student at the University of Oregon. Not surprisingly, Stewart lacks Kelly's depth of understanding of city issues. Yet Stewart makes a good case for his candidacy. Students make up about 25 percent of Eugene's population and are concentrated in Ward 3, Stewart says, but they have no representation on the City Council. Stewart points to the example of Bobby Lee, the former UO student leader who ably represented Ward 3 on the council until 1999. Stewart says he agrees with Kelly on many issues, but promises to bring matters of concern to students to the council's attention, particularly housing and job creation. He says that although he and the voters of Ward 3 opposed the West Eugene Parkway, the citywide vote in favor of the project should be respected. He faults the council for its treatment of PeaceHealth, and is particularly critical of Kelly for helping to develop a proposal that would have allowed the hospital to expand by razing six blocks in the heart of Ward 3. Kelly is the candidate for voters who think the City Council is leading Eugene in the right direction. Those who feel otherwise should not vote to re-elect a highly competent advocate for the wrong course. The untested challenger is better than the known quantity in this race. Ward 3 voters should elect Maco Stewart. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/20020421/2b.ed.edit.ward3.0421.html ======================= MAJOR NEWS ======================= ------------------------------------------------------------ 7.rg - CODES FOR NODES (SPRINGFIELD CITY BEAT) ------------------------------------------------------------ By Matt Cooper The Register-Guard, 4/20/02, Page 1B The cluster-community concept drew concerns at a meeting this week. The city is looking at rules to allow for these nodal communities where people will live, work and play. At Monday's reading of the rules, resident Gery VanderMeer urged the city not to hamstring development by setting aside too much land for the nodes, and he warned that low-income citizens could be priced out of the costly-to-build communities. Philip Farrington, PeaceHealth director of land use planning and development, also weighed in, requesting flexibility in the rules to allow for such things as adequate parking. PeaceHealth owns property in Gateway where a node could be located, but Farrington said his chief concern is simply seeing that the projects work. "I have a fear that some banker who's trying to finance a project is going to say, 'There's not enough parking,' " he said. A final reading is planned May 6, and the City Council could determine then whether to adopt the rules or require adjustments. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/20020420/1b.cr.spcitybeat.0420.html ------------------------------------------------------------ 8.rg - SPRINGFIELD PLANNING COMMISSIONERS FAVOR WEST EUGENE PARKWAY (SPRINGFIELD CITY BEAT) ------------------------------------------------------------ By Matt Cooper The Register-Guard, 4/20/02, Page 1B So much for quid pro quo. Springfield and Eugene officials generally respect each other's turf: Springfielders deal with Springfield issues, Eugeneans with Eugene issues. But the cities' planning commissions went in opposite directions on the West Eugene Parkway this week. On Tuesday, the Springfield Planning Commission voted 4-2 in support of the parkway, a connector planned to give drivers coming from the coast and communities west of Eugene a quick route east to Highway 99. The Springfield commission's vote came the day after its counterpart in Eugene said the parkway won't work with goals for compact growth and wetlands preservation. It's up to Eugene, Springfield and Lane County elected officials to decide the parkway issue. A public hearing is set for May 29. Lee Beyer, a Springfield Planning Commission member who voted for the parkway, said his group was merely removing itself from the issue -- not second-guessing the Eugene commission. "We have a lot of significant issues in Springfield," he added. "Frankly, this isn't one of them." On the other hand, Springfield Commissioners Bill Carpenter and James Burford had their own reasons for opposing the parkway -- Carpenter had design and cost concerns and felt obliged to defer to the Eugene commission's vote, while Burford said there wasn't enough background information for him to sign off in support. (end) http://www.registerguard.com/news/20020420/1b.cr.spcitybeat.0420.html ======================= OTHER NEWS ======================= ------------------------------------------------------------ 9.rg - PEACEHEALTH MAY SOON SELL BUILDING TO CHURCH (DEVELOPMENT REPORT) ------------------------------------------------------------ Compiled by business reporter Joe Harwood The Register-Guard, 4/16/02, Page 1B Healing Site: A former PeaceHealth prenatal clinic building at 675 W. Broadway in Eugene could have a new owner by this summer. The Eugene First Church of the Nazarene is considering buying the 5,100-square-foot building for use as a location to hold religious education activities. The church sits across the street and just north of the PeaceHealth building at West Eighth Avenue and Madison Street. (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/20020416/1b.bz.develop.0416.html ------------------------------------------------------------ 10.rg - HEALTHY GROWTH: PACIFICSOURCE CHARTS RAPID STATEWIDE EXPANSION ------------------------------------------------------------ By Janet Colwell For The Register-Guard, 4/14/02, Page 1F Surviving as a health plan provider isn't easy amid soaring medical costs and premiums, and corporate employee cutbacks. But PacificSource Health Plans of Eugene is defying the odds as it logs record profits, boosts its staff and plans for expansion. Last year, the 69-year-old nonprofit reported net income of $12.25 million, up from $3.78 million in 2000. Membership -- the number of employees PacificSource covers -- increased to 117,076, from 106,291 in 2000. (PacificSource is the health insurer for Guard Publishing Co., publisher of The Register-Guard.) (more...) http://www.registerguard.com/news/20020414/1f.bz.pacificsource.0414.html ======================== CONTACTS ======================== ------------------------------------------------------------ CHOICES ------------------------------------------------------------ P.O. Box 70753, Eugene 97401 choices@efn.org Jan Wilson, Coordinator 341-1380 jswilson@efn.org Rob Zako, Editor, Email List Manager 343-5201 rzako@efn.org Steering Committee choices_steering@efn.org Announcements and Discussion Email List choices-l@efn.org ------------------------------------------------------------ SPRINGFIELD NEWS ------------------------------------------------------------ 746-1671, 746-0633 (fax) 1887 Laurel St., Springfield 97477 news@springfieldnews.com http://www.springfieldnews.com Shinabarger, Tim 746-1671 x316 ------------------------------------------------------------ REGISTER-GUARD ------------------------------------------------------------ 485-1234, 683-7631 (newsroom fax) http://www.registerguard.com Register-Guard Mailbag (Letters to the Editor) 485-1234 x2351, 338-2828 (fax) P.O. Box 10188, Eugene 97440-2188 RGLetters@guardnet.com McCowan, Karen (Columnist) kmccowan@guardnet.com Christie, Tim (Health & Medicine) tchristie@guardnet.com Cooper, Matt (Springfield and East Region) 338-2317 mcooper@guardnet.com eastnews@guardnet.com Dietz, Diane (Eugene City Government) ddietz@guardnet.com Haberman, Margaret (City Editor) rgnews@guardnet.com Wihtol, Christian (Business Editor) cwihtol@guardnet.com ------------------------------------------------------------ EUGENE WEEKLY ------------------------------------------------------------ 484-0519, 484-4044 (fax) 1251 Lincoln St., Eugene 97401-3418 http://www.eugeneweekly.com Ted Taylor (Editor, Letters to the Editor) editor@eugeneweekly.com ------------------------------------------------------------ SPRINGFIELD CITY COUNCIL ------------------------------------------------------------ 726-3700, 726-2363 225 Fifth St., Springfield, OR 97477 http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/ http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/calendar.htm http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/dsd/dept_dsd.htm http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/dsd/Planning/index.htm http://www.ci.springfield.or.us/dsd/Planning/Planning_Commission.htm Ballew, Anne (Ward 3) 744-9324 953 C St., Springfield, OR 97477 aballew@clippernet.com Fitch, Tammy (Ward 2) 747-6287 1102 West D St., Springfield, OR 97477 tfitch@ci.springfield.or.us, Fhins@fitch-huggins.com Hatfield, Lyle (Ward 6) 746-6684 518 North 68th Pl., Springfield, OR 97478 lylehatfield@attbi.com Leiken, Sid (Mayor) 726-9848 196 38th Pl., Springfield, OR 97478 mayor@ci.springfield.or.us, sid@maoregon.com Lundberg, Christine (Ward 1) 747-0571 127 Woodlane Dr., Springfield, OR 97477 CKLundberg@Prodigy.net Ralston, Dave (Ward 4) 746-7081 2114 L St., Springfield, OR 97477 chess714@msn.com, Simmons, Fred (Ward 5) 747-4283 312 South 52nd Pl., Springfield, OR 97478 fsimmons@ci.springfield.or.us ------------------------------------------------------------ EUGENE CITY COUNCIL ------------------------------------------------------------ 682-5010 777 Pearl St., Room 105, Eugene 97401 mayorandcc@ci.eugene.or.us http://www.ci.eugene.or.us/ http://www.ci.eugene.or.us/Council/Agenda/AGENDA.htm http://www.ci.eugene.or.us/council/agenda/CCAGENDA.pdf Bettman, Bonny (Ward 1) 344-3150 2191 Friendly, Eugene 97405 Bonny.S.Bettman@ci.eugene.or.us Farr, Pat (Ward 6) 689-0542 1929 Praslin St., Eugene 97402 Pat.M.Farr@ci.eugene.or.us Kelly, David (Ward 3) 686-3343 2988 Chandler St., Eugene 97403 David.S.Kelly@ci.eugene.or.us Meisner, Scott (Ward 7) 338-9946 66 North Adams St., Eugene 97402 Scott.Meisner@ci.eugene.or.us Nathanson, Nancy (Ward 8) 686-3446 2516 Hawkins Lane, Eugene 97405 Nancy.L.Nathanson@ci.eugene.or.us Pape, Gary, (Ward 5) 349-9939 355 Goodpasture Island Rd., Suite 400, Eugene 97401 Gary.D.Pape@ci.eugene.or.us Rayor, Gary (Ward 4) 343-5070 2373 Washington St., Eugene 97405 Gary.E.Rayor@ci.eugene.or.us Taylor, Betty (Ward 2) 338-9947 1051 East 36th Ave., Eugene 97405 Betty.L.Taylor@ci.eugene.or.us Torrey, Jim (Mayor) 682-5882 Jim.D.Torrey@ci.eugene.or.us ======================= OTHER LINKS ====================== PEACEHEALTH - WILLAMETTE VALLEY http://www.peacehealth.org/Community/owv/ MCKENZIE-WILLAMETTE HOSPITAL http://www.mckweb.com/ OREGON DEPARTMENT OF LAND CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT http://www.lcd.state.or.us/ ARLIE & COMPANY http://www.arlie.com/ =========================== KEY ========================== "Health Options Digest" is best read with an email program that recognizes links to web pages. It includes leads from and links to stories and opinions from the following publications: rg = The Register-Guard sn = Springfield News ew = Eugene Weekly cn = Comic News ode = Oregon Daily Emerald cce = City Club of Eugene Newsletter or = Oregonian For some stories (in the Springfield News and the Eugene Weekly), two links are given. Use the first link if the story is still current; use the second if another issue has since been published. ========================= CREDITS ======================== "Health Options Digest" is published once or twice a week by the Coalition for Health Options In Central Eugene-Springfield (CHOICES) as a service to the community. It is intended as an unbiased digest of news and opinion related to proposed changes in health care options for the community. The purpose of "Health Options Digest" is to inform, not editorialize. Please forward your copy of "Health Options Digest" to a friend. If you know of someone who should be on the CHOICES email list, or for questions about your subscription, send email to rzako@efn.org.