A community review board has unanimously opposed Oregon Health & Science University’s proposed acquisition of Legacy Health. But the final decision lies elsewhere.
That decision rests within the Oregon Health Authority’s Health Care Market Oversight Program, which has been reviewing the deal since it was first announced in August 2023. As part of the process, Oregon Health Authority assembled a community review board made up of health care professionals, OHSU and Legacy patients, a business owner, and representatives from priority populations.
While the community review board doesn’t have the power to approve or reject the acquisition, its stance could significantly influence the outcome. Last week, the board released an updated recommendation after formally voting against the deal on April 7.
“The CRB raised numerous concerns about the transaction’s potential to harm people in Oregon. Key concerns included increased commercial prices and health care costs that could be passed along directly to consumers, decreased choices for health care (from two systems to one), and workforce issues, including decreasing job choices for health care workers in Oregon,” the community review board wrote in its April 16 recommendation.
The board has held a total of eight public meetings and one public hearing between Feb. 10 and April 7.
To arrive at a recommendation, the board reviewed publicly available information, including sworn testimony from representatives of OHSU and Legacy, and considered potential impacts of the transaction on health care services in Oregon, according to its statement.
Officials from both health systems have maintained that Clark County patients shouldn’t expect any changes in service that wouldn’t be positive and that there will be no immediate changes to employee roles.
The final decision on the merger is expected this summer, OHA spokeswoman Amy Bacher previously said.
The Oregon Health Authority’s review began Oct. 4, but there have been pauses to allow time for both health systems to respond to requests for information.
OHSU announced its acquisition of Legacy Health on Aug. 16, 2023, although discussions began in 2022.
The combined health system, to be known as OHSU Health, would encompass more than 32,000 employees across more than 100 locations, including 10 hospitals, and conduct more than 3 million patient visits annually, according to OHSU. The health system would be the Portland metro area’s largest employer.
OHSU said it has committed $1 billion over the next decade to enhance primary and community-based services, primarily through bond financing.
