Member Educates Independent Insurance Purchasers
ORA member Dr H. Walter Emori met with the Oregon Self-Insurers Association (OSIA) in Wilsonville last month to answer questions about quality arthritis coverage. Dr Emori reported that the nearly 100 attendees were employees holding HR positions at large, self-insured businesses in Oregon such as Intel, CNF inc., Schnitzer Steel, Les Schwab Tire, and Port of Portland. Dr Emori spoke on the effects of arthritis on disability, the workplace, and workman’s comp issues. Also, he discussed ORA’s Arthritis Package, a program to help insurance providers improve health plans to assure quality of care for arthritis patients.
OSIA expressed interest in providing information for ORA’s insurance coverage satisfaction survey scheduled for later this summer. Resulting discourse focused on osteoporosis, screening and treatment, and the difficulties for standard insurance to cover an illness affecting primarily elderly women. Through this group, ORA may have the opportunity to influence how arthritis is defined under worker’s comp laws. The group also requested more information on MSUS, the focus of this fall’s annual meeting. ORA thanks Dr Emori for his continued advocacy work for arthritis patients.
###