ObamaCare comes to Oregon

by NW Spotlight

On Monday, Democrats will hold a hearing on legislation to create universal health care for anyone living in Oregon. Please contact Oregon House Democrats and tell them this is a bad idea for Oregon.

The details:

HB 2922 would create the Affordable Health Care for All Oregon Plan which provides universal health care to all individuals residing or working in Oregon.

Does not require U.S. citizenship:
A person and the immediate family members of a person are eligible to enroll in the plan if the person:
(a) Resides in this state; or
(b) Is employed in this state.

Doctors/Hospitals must accept:
The doctors and hospitals must accept payment from the plan as payment in full, regardless of actual cost.

Cost and required tax increase UNKNOWN:
The Board would fund the plan through several dedicated progressive taxes which would include a payroll tax and increase in personal income taxes, etc.

Sponsored By 24 Democrats:
Chief Sponsors- Reps. Dembrow, Willamson, Sen. Shields
Sponsors- Reps Gallegos, Bailey, Barker, Barnhart, Buckley, Frederick, Garrett, Gomberg, Gorsek, Greenlick, Harker, Holvey, Hoyle, Keny-Guyer, Nathanson, Reardon, Tomei, Vega Pederson, Witt, Sens. Dingfelder and Monroe

Hearing Details:
House Committee on Health Care
Monday, May 13 @ 1:00 PM

Related story: (5/2/2013) A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows Oregon’s expansion of Medicaid makes low-income people happier, but not much healthier. Quote from article in The Week “The study… dropped into the ongoing debate about ObamaCare like a ton of wonkish bricks.”

Opinion piece from the NY Times this week on the Oregon Medicaid study: “Evidence from the latest Oregon Medicaid study shows that the program is not helping, and numerous other studies show that in some cases Medicaid may even be harming, the very people it is designed to assist.”