Chair: Lisa Stiller
Vice Chair: Rachelle Dixon
Secretary/Treasurer: Quinton Blanton
State Central Committee Delegate: Valdez Bravo
State Central Committee Alternate: Stephanie Newton
Read the DPO Health Care Caucus Bylaws
As we head into the 2019 legislative session (and the 116th US Congress), Oregon Democrats should be keeping our top platform priorities at the top of their lists. Specifically, our number one Legislative Action Item, adopting an improved, expanded, Medicare for All health care system, often referred to as a single payer health care system.
“1. As health care is a human right, adopt an equitable, high quality, comprehensive, universal healthcare system including general, preventive, and emergency care, plus vision, dental, hearing, substance abuse, hospice care, and mental health services at the state or federal level.”
We need every Democrat working in some way to support our efforts to make sure they every person has access to health care when they need it, regardless of economic status. According to the Oregon Health Authority, 6% of Oregonians lacked health insurance in 2017, and up to 50% of insured Oregonians were under-insured: they cannot afford their copays, premiums, and/or out of pocket expenses for full coverage. This is not acceptable. We believe health care is a human right, and every person residing in the state should be able get the health care they need.
And we have legislation in the works to support this:
LC (Legislative Concept) 1927 “Establishes Health Care for All Oregon Board to be responsible for planning and oversight of Health Care for All Oregon Plan to be administered by Oregon Health Authority. Provides comprehensive health care coverage to all individuals residing or working in Oregon”. (A complete copy of the Legislative Concept can be found here. Chief sponsors are Sen. James Manning, Sen. Michael Dembrow, Sen. Lee Beyer, Rep Alissa Keny-Guyer, Repy Julie Fahey, and Rep. Andrea Salinas. (Click here for a current list of signers)
There are many things you can do to achieve our number one legislative priority and support the efforts to bring expanded, improved, Medicare for All to Oregon.
Some messaging points are below in support of health care for all, Improved, Expanded, Medicare for All:
Personal stories are also effective, especially if your legislator is wavering, opposed, undecided. They need to hear real stories about real people they represent.
We are counting on all of you to do what you can to turn our Democratic Party of Oregon #1 Legislative Action Item into reality…so all Oregonians can have the health care they need when they need, regardless of economic status. Health Care is a Human Right! Thank you for all of your efforts!
Chair, Lisa Stiller
[email protected]