Kaiser pushes back on Oregon provider’s 30% price hike

Kaiser Permanente is arguing an Oregon provider’s proposed 30% price increase is unfair and runs contrary to the state’s collective goal of lowering healthcare costs.

Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser is locked in a contract dispute with Salem Health, based in Oregon’s capital. A seven-year contract between the two organizations expired Sept. 30, and Salem Health has proposed a new, two-year commercial contract with a price increase across all services.

The contract would affect about 40,000 commercial Kaiser members.