(1) The Legislative Assembly finds that direct competition among health care providers in the field of heart and kidney transplant services may not result in the most cost efficient and least expensive transplant services for the citizens of this state and that it is in the public interest to allow cooperative programs among health care providers providing heart and kidney transplant services.

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(2) The Legislative Assembly declares that, to the extent provided in ORS § 442.700 to 442.760, it is the policy and intent of this state to displace competition among health care providers providing heart and kidney transplant services by allowing health care providers to enter into cooperative programs governing the provision of heart and kidney transplant services in order to achieve in each instance the following goals:

(a) Reduction of, or protection against, rising costs of heart and kidney transplant services;

(b) Reduction of, or protection against, rising prices for heart and kidney transplant services;

(c) Improvement or maintenance of the quality of heart and kidney transplant services provided in this state;

(d) Reduction of, or protection against, duplication of resources including, without limitation, expensive medical specialists, medical equipment and sites of service;

(e) Improvement or maintenance of efficiency in the delivery of heart and kidney transplant services;

(f) Improvement or maintenance of public access to heart and kidney transplant services;

(g) Increase in donations of organs for transplantation; and

(h) Improvement in the continuity of patient care.

(3) The Legislative Assembly further declares that the goals identified in subsection (2) of this section represent the policies of this state.

(4) The Legislative Assembly further declares that once a cooperative program is approved under ORS § 442.700 to 442.760, there is an interest in insuring stability in the provision of health care services by a cooperative program, to the extent stability is consistent with achieving the goals identified in subsection (2) of this section.

(5) The Director of the Oregon Health Authority shall actively supervise the cooperative program in accordance with authority under ORS § 442.700 to 442.760 and 646.740. [1993 c.769 § 1; 2009 c.595 § 756]