Health Care Action Day 2009
Wednesday, April 8
Join us in Salem for Health Care Action Day!
Schedule of Activities:
First United Methodist Church
MICAH Building
600 State Street NE, Salem
- 9am - Doors open at the MICAH Building
- 9:30 - Orientation, Lobbying 101
- 11am - Lunch, march to Oregon Capitol
The Oregon State Capitol
900 Court Street NE , Salem
- Noon - Rally on the Capitol Steps
- 1pm - Meetings with legislators
- 3pm - House Health Care Committee
Lunch will be provided. We will arrange lobby appointments.
For more information call 503-239-8800 or 888-654-2273.
Citing broad public concern over a crumbling health care system that is pulling Oregon further into economic turmoil, a coalition of advocates called on Oregon’s legislature to enact Oregon Health Fund Board recommendations and thus initiate major reforms within the first 100 days (April 21st) of legislative session. The advocates are calling the campaign "100 Days: Count Down to Health".
"It’s not right that people who work for a living are finding it hard to afford to take their kids - let alone themselves - to a doctor. No one living in Oregon should be forced to risk losing their life savings, home and dignity because of one illness," said Ellen Pinney of the Oregon Health Action Campaign. "Oregon has a plan in place, and it must be implemented now."
Pinney referred to the Oregon Health Fund Board’s plan presented to the legislature last fall. She said the plan is the result of dozens of statewide public meetings, the input of hundreds of expert staff and volunteers, and comments by more than a thousand Oregonians throughout the state.
Implementing the Health Fund Board plan: HB 2009
The bill would create the Oregon Health Authority to be a single state entity to make decisions and have oversight for all health care related functions in state government. This would involve transferring parts or all of several state agencies, such as the Department of Human Services and the Oregon Insurance Division, to be a part of the Health Authority. The Health Authority would have the responsibility to increase transparency, improve quality and standards, and address the rising costs of health care in Oregon.
The legislation would also make changes in the health insurance industry, by requiring that all health plans purchased by individuals and small businesses go through an Oregon Health Insurance Exchange. The Exchange would provide tools for consumers to compare different plans, and require that all plans meet certain basic standards. For example, no one could be turned down by a plan for a pre-existing health condition, and all plans would have to cover the same basic services. The bill would also allow Oregon to create a "public plan option" which would compete with other health insurance plans.
HB 2009 would substantially decrease the number of uninsured people in Oregon by helping more low-income adults and children enroll in public programs like the Oregon Health Plan and Children’s Health Insurance Program. Low-income adults who make under $10,830/yr for a single person or $22,050/yr for a family of four are already eligible for OHP but have to go on a waiting list because of lack of funds. The bill would also make more children eligible by increasing the family income that qualifies them to participate. Another way the bill will increase access to health care is by providing help with insurance premiums (including for health insurance offered by an employer) depending on how much the individual or family earns. Just by taking these steps, the number of uninsured people in Oregon will decrease by one-third.
In order to provide health coverage for kids and low-income adults, Oregon has to raise some money in order to get matching funds from the federal government, which pays $1.66 for each dollar Oregon spends. The legislation would charge certain hospitals and insurers in Oregon to raise the money, then use that money to bring more federal money into Oregon than would otherwise be available. The money will be spent on health care, which will go back to the system it was drawn from, including creating new jobs. Since more people will have health insurance, there will be less unpaid medical bills that get passed on to consumers. The bill would also require that the idea of a payroll tax, increasing employer responsibility, be examined for the future.
The rising cost trends in health care are clearly unsustainable for everyone in Oregon. The bill contains numerous cost containment strategies to reduce waste and unnecessary costs, and to improve health through prevention and better treatment of chronic disease. We are spending more on health care than any other industrialized nation, but we have poorer health and less access to care. HB 2009 is the first step in the right direction towards changing our health system so it works for all of us.
What can you do to make sure Oregon seizes this chance for real reform?
Visit Salem. The House Health Care Committee meets three times a week, frequently accepting public testimony on HB 2009 and other important legislation. You can find the agenda for committee hearings here. While in Salem, you can also meet in person with your legislator and tell them how important health care reform is. We are always more than happy to arrange these meetings. Call 503-239-8800 if you'd like to visit the Capitol and make your voice heard.
Participate in Health Care Action Day. Health Care Action Day will be April 8th, in Salem. Save the date now.
Write letters to the editor. Letters do more than reflect the opinion of a community, they help shape it. Write a letter to your local paper, telling your neighbors (and elected officials) how you feel.
Share your story. Personal stories are essential to putting a human face on the statistics that often seem distant and impersonal. With your permission, we share your story with legislators on a daily basis during legislative session. We also use stories when we get calls from the media looking for a compelling story to move the public. Share your story and make them do it, contact Ariel at ariel@oregoniansforhealthsecurity.org.
Watch our TV show "Voices for Health Care" (V4HC.TV) on Portland Community Media (Comcast Channel 11 in the metro area) Mondays at 4pm. V4HC.TV will keep you up to date on all the health care happenings in Oregon. There are discussions about policy and the politics behind the movement to fix our broken health care system. You can even be a star by contacting ariel@oregoniansforhealthsecurity.org and telling her you would like to share your story on V4HC.TV.