If negotiations are successful, OHA intends to award a contract to RAND, the highest-ranked proposer, according to a memo from a procurement and contract specialist at the Department of Human Services.
Two other firms submitted proposals: Public Consulting Group Inc. and Wakely Consulting Group. The contract cannot exceed $434,000, according to the RFP. RAND’s bid is for $395,525.
RAND, a nonprofit global policy think tank based in Santa Monica, Calif., has done studies on health insurance, health care reform, health information technology and women’s health.
“The RAND Corp. has a long, respectable history doing studies on the intersection between health care and health care finances,” said Dr. Sam Metz, a Portland anesthesiologist and single-payer advocate who has been pushing for a study for several years.
The Oregon Legislature authorized OHA to solicit the study. A report will be given to the Legislature in November, Metz said.
The study will look at several health care financing options, including the current system, as well as universal coverage and other hybrid plans. The report must include a recommendation for the model that best maximizes federal funding and ensures that health care providers receive adequate compensation.
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Elizabeth Hayes
Staff Reporter
Portland Business Journal
May 19, 2016