April 1, 2016 OHA Director's messages on the web
To: All OHA employees
From: Lynne Saxton, Director
Supporting each other

To the OHA team:

As of March 28, we have 1,153,700 Oregonians enrolled in Medicaid. That is an increase of almost half-a-million people since December 2013. Medicaid expansion has been a very good thing in Oregon. Three years ago, just 85 percent of Oregonians had health care coverage. Today, about 95 percent are covered. We continue to focus on fulfilling our mission of ensuring access to health care for all Oregonians, especially the most vulnerable.

With numbers this impressive, it's important to highlight the efforts of people who work day-after-day to make it all happen. Recently, I was delighted to read an email from David Ballantyne to his staff. David had just stepped into the role of eligibility manager and wanted to greet his new employees and share his enthusiasm.

He wrote: "I'm extremely energized by the work that happens with Member Services in the Oregon Health Authority. I believe we bring one of the most essential rights to the population of Oregon: Health Equity. The care and pride we, as an agency, bring to our work makes me motivated to push through challenges, learn new skills and reach higher for new levels of excellence. Being a part of this team has brought new focus to my future and a horizon I never saw before."

I admire David's genuine enthusiasm and his willingness to connect with his new coworkers. He wrote further: "My goals as we start to work together are simple: what can we do to help each other improve every day? It doesn't have to be huge, just something thoughtful and strategic. The best ideas I've seen have always been from the groups that do the work. No one knows how to solve our problems better than you do. Together we can bring increased value to Oregon and to Oregonians."

As coworkers, we can continually support and lift each other while not losing sight of our collective mission. Thank you David for reminding us that our work has a higher purpose that improves the lives of the people we serve. Let's take the time to inspire each other and remember why we work for OHA.

Thank you, Lynne

David Ballantyne
David Ballantyne in 2013 (L) on his first day of OHA phone bank work, and his first day as eligibility manager in 2016.

To your health: April 4-10 is National Volunteer Week. Giving to others has been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure and increase longevity. OHA employees proved their generosity last month by donating food and money to the Governor's Food Drive that equaled $148,131.00! And it felt good too. Take advantage of National Volunteer Week and continue down the healthy path by giving your time or gifts to others in some way next week.

OHA on the web