Faces from the frontlines of Oregon’s Health Care Crisis

Edward Winer’s Story

“One year our premiums went up 40%.” Edward Winer, Eugene

Edward Winer of Eugene is the financial manager for a small non-profit in Eugene. The company has 9 employees and has seen premiums rise an average of 15% each year. “We switched to an H.S.A. because it was more affordable. We pay into an H.S.A. ac- count for employees,” explains Edward.

He knows from personal experience that can result in larger costs for employees. “Last year, I broke my ankle and had to pay out-of-pocket,” says Edward.

Edward came to the non-profit in search of insurance. He worked for a small busi- ness that could no longer afford to provide insurance for employees. “I quit because I couldn’t be without insurance and I couldn’t afford to purchase it on my own.”

Edward is concerned about the impacts of increasing costs. His non-profit is com- mitted to continuing to provide in Right now, his non-profit pays a portion of coverage for spouses and dependents, but he questions whether they will be able to continue doing so. “The system is broken and more employers and individuals are priced out of the system.”

SB 329 is a good start to reforming our health care delivery system. We look for- ward to working with the new board to follow the roadmap to a health delivery system that offers affordable health care for all of us.

Edward’s Message to the Legislature:

“More and more of what we pay in employee compensation is for health insurance. The costs are getting prohibitive. SB 329 is a good step. Everybody needs a basic level of health care that is affordable and we don’t have it.”

Comments are closed.