June 15, 2024

Where access to health care is now a constitutional right.

State-based SP Legislation

The 2023 legislature passed SB 1089, to create the Universal Health Plan Governance Board. Oregon’s UHP Governance Board will do the work to create the implementation plan, and then administer the plan. The Governance Board’s job is to create the detailed, publicly funded, single payer universal health plan. That means the board and staff will do in-depth research and analysis to come up with the best solutions to every detail. The board includes members with the necessary expertise and backgrounds. They’ll then present their plan to the state legislature, so implementation could start as soon as 2027.

Click here for more details about the Governance Board

This legislation is based on the recommendation of the JTFUHC (Joint Task Force for Universal Health Care) in its Report to the Oregon legislature in Sept. of 2022.

Ballot Measure 111 was approved by the legislature and was approved by a vote of the people November 8. 2022. This changed the Oregon Constitution under Article I, Section 47 with a preamble as follows: Right to affordable health care. (1) It is the obligation of the state to ensure that every resident of Oregon has access to cost-effective, clinically appropriate and affordable health care as a fundamental right….” (See full preamble at OPS google drive > Legislation)

The ballot measure came about from SJR 12 of 2020 which was a legislative referral to Oregon voters for the November 2022 ballot.

Obstacles to SP in the current context

Need political will to stand up to opposition from Big Pharma and insurers. Make up of the future legislature and who serves as Governor will be key.

Advantages for SP in current context

Legislature currently has a Democratic majority.

HCAO is a 501c3 membership organizations leading the way on Single Payer in Oregon with database of over 36,000 supporters and 6500 FB followers.  HCAO educates and advocates (lobby). (Nonpartisan)

The support of unions, communities of faith, and businesses is growing.

 Oregon Health Care Polling Results

• Oregon Voters Willing to Pay Higher Tax for Health Care A 2019 state-wide poll shows that a majority of Oregon voters would be willing to consider paying a new health care tax more than twice as large as their Oregon income tax to replace health care premiums and other health care expenses. See poll details here

• Polling in 2023 by the Oregon Values and Beliefs Center provided valuable insights into public opinion on healthcare issues, highlighting key areas where advocacy efforts can be more effectively targeted to engage and mobilize the community. Click here to view video of a June 8, 2024 presentation by OVBC. Click here to view slides.

Objectives for SP movement in OR 2024

• Continue to build a broad base of partnerships.

• Local resolutions aimed at both federal and state level support for single payer/universal healthcare.

• Continue to build a west coast strategy in connection with Washington, California, and Hawaii

• Support state prescription drug bills to control price and improve access.

• Focus on controlling communications in an effective, strategic way.  In particular, increase the understanding of advocates and others about the importance of a single risk pool for equity and affordability, versus potential pitfalls of various schemes that maintain a divided risk pool.

• Work on getting federal waivers.

• Messaging the congressional members to signed on as co-sponsors of the Medicare for All Act.

• Messaging to get congressional members to sign as co-sponsors of the SBUHC Act HR 6270 (from Ro Khanna of CA).

• Promote a SBHUC bill expected introduced in the Senate by July 2024.

• Oppose Medicare Advantage and private equity in healthcare.

• Strengthen legislation and rules to stop the corporate practice of medicine without a license.

Where can people find news about Single Payer in your state and/or join a group?

Health Care for All Oregon  https://www.hcao.org/

Health Care for All Oregon-Action  https://www.hcao-action.org/

Region: Mid-Valley Health Care Advocates (Corvallis area) Health Care for All. mvhca.org

PNHP https://pnhp.org/chapter/oregon/

Contributed by Valdez Bravo, HCAO and Mike Huntington, OPS & Mid-Valley Health Care Advocates